XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM
XEF-U.TO (iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF) and AVEM (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XEF-U.TO is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE® Investable Market Index, while AVEM is a Emerging Markets Equities fund actively managed by Avantis. XEF-U.TO is passively managed, while AVEM is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, XEF-U.TO returned 8.67%/yr vs 9.93%/yr for AVEM. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XEF-U.TO charges 0.21%/yr vs 0.33%/yr for AVEM.
Performance
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XEF-U.TO achieves a 9.71% return, which is significantly lower than AVEM's 26.09% return.
XEF-U.TO
- 1D
- 0.58%
- 1M
- 0.04%
- YTD
- 9.71%
- 6M
- 9.26%
- 1Y
- 19.86%
- 3Y*
- 16.27%
- 5Y*
- 8.67%
- 10Y*
- 6.52%
AVEM
- 1D
- 1.46%
- 1M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- 26.09%
- 6M
- 25.76%
- 1Y
- 43.88%
- 3Y*
- 24.93%
- 5Y*
- 9.93%
- 10Y*
- —
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF | 9.71% | 31.70% | 3.03% | 16.71% | -14.95% | 11.35% | 10.30% | -20.04% |
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 26.09% | 34.48% | 7.49% | 15.30% | -18.15% | 5.16% | 14.39% | 10.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between XEF-U.TO and AVEM is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 19, 2019 | 0.41 |
Over the past year, XEF-U.TO and AVEM have become more correlated (0.70) than their long-term average of 0.41, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM — Risk / Return Rank
XEF-U.TO
AVEM
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) and Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| XEF-U.TO | AVEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.65 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.38 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.74 | 3.36 | -1.62 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.64 | 12.46 | -5.82 |
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Drawdowns
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XEF-U.TO drawdown since its inception was -46.92%, which is greater than AVEM's maximum drawdown of -36.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XEF-U.TO and AVEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XEF-U.TO | AVEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.92% | -36.05% | -10.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.57% | -13.13% | +1.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.85% | -18.02% | +4.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.71% | -33.27% | +2.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.92% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.82% | -3.68% | +2.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.20% | -10.03% | +1.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.01% | 3.53% | -0.52% |
Volatility
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) is 4.99%, while Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) has a volatility of 12.05%. This indicates that XEF-U.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AVEM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XEF-U.TO | AVEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.99% | 12.05% | -7.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.88% | 20.15% | -7.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.00% | 22.19% | -7.19% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.20% | 19.01% | -1.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.45% | 20.90% | -3.45% |
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
XEF-U.TO has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is lower than AVEM's 0.33% expense ratio.
Dividends
XEF-U.TO vs. AVEM - Dividend Comparison
XEF-U.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.36%, more than AVEM's 1.82% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 1.82% | 2.45% | 3.17% | 3.06% | 2.77% | 2.61% | 1.60% | 0.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF | 2.36% | 2.44% | 2.85% | 2.76% | 2.98% | 2.43% | 1.86% | 2.72% | 2.07% | 1.62% | 1.84% | 1.86% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XEF-U.TO and AVEM have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XEF-U.TO is cheaper at 0.21% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XEF-U.TO is cheaper with a 0.21% expense ratio, compared with 0.33% for AVEM.
XEF-U.TO is categorized as Global Equities, while AVEM is Emerging Markets Equities. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Avantis. Their fees differ too: 0.21% for XEF-U.TO and 0.33% for AVEM.
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