XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO
XESG.TO (iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF) and XQQ.TO (iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)) are both exchange-traded funds - XESG.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XQQ.TO is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Morningstar US Market TR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XESG.TO returned 12.42%/yr vs 15.31%/yr for XQQ.TO. A 0.56 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XESG.TO charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for XQQ.TO.
Performance
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XESG.TO achieves a 10.34% return, which is significantly lower than XQQ.TO's 19.81% return.
XESG.TO
- 1D
- -0.94%
- 1M
- 3.12%
- YTD
- 10.34%
- 6M
- 9.25%
- 1Y
- 29.31%
- 3Y*
- 20.90%
- 5Y*
- 12.42%
- 10Y*
- —
XQQ.TO
- 1D
- -0.27%
- 1M
- 10.58%
- YTD
- 19.81%
- 6M
- 18.06%
- 1Y
- 38.49%
- 3Y*
- 26.43%
- 5Y*
- 15.31%
- 10Y*
- 19.70%
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XESG.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF | 10.34% | 26.25% | 20.05% | 10.13% | -7.77% | 22.91% | 4.80% | 15.28% |
XQQ.TO iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) | 19.81% | 18.38% | 24.23% | 52.23% | -33.67% | 22.29% | 45.23% | 18.59% |
Correlation
The correlation between XESG.TO and XQQ.TO is 0.60, 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 | 0.60 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 25, 2019 | 0.56 |
The correlation between XESG.TO and XQQ.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.56 to 0.60 - a consistent structural relationship.
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Financial Services
Energy
Basic Materials
Industrials
Technology
Utilities
Consumer Cyclical
Consumer Defensive
Real Estate
Communication Services
Healthcare
Financial Services
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Energy
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Basic Materials
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Industrials
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Technology
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Utilities
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Consumer Cyclical
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Consumer Defensive
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Real Estate
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Communication Services
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
Healthcare
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
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Return for Risk
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XESG.TO
XQQ.TO
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (XESG.TO) and iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XQQ.TO). 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.
| XESG.TO | XQQ.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.42 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.17 | 3.03 | +0.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.11 | 11.31 | +2.80 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| XESG.TO | XQQ.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.24 | 2.45 | -0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 | 0.68 | +0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.89 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.82 | 0.86 | -0.04 |
Drawdowns
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XESG.TO drawdown since its inception was -37.36%, roughly equal to the maximum XQQ.TO drawdown of -38.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XESG.TO and XQQ.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XESG.TO | XQQ.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.36% | -38.55% | +1.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.28% | -12.76% | +3.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.18% | -22.72% | +8.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.91% | -38.55% | +20.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -38.55% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.94% | -0.27% | -0.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.55% | -5.92% | +1.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.08% | 3.41% | -1.33% |
Volatility
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (XESG.TO) is 3.37%, while iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XQQ.TO) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that XESG.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XQQ.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XESG.TO | XQQ.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.37% | 4.48% | -1.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.94% | 12.00% | -1.06% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.15% | 15.82% | -2.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.62% | 22.52% | -8.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.83% | 22.34% | -5.51% |
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XESG.TO has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is lower than XQQ.TO's 0.39% expense ratio.
Dividends
XESG.TO vs. XQQ.TO - Dividend Comparison
XESG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.96%, more than XQQ.TO's 0.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XESG.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF | 1.96% | 2.13% | 2.45% | 2.74% | 2.63% | 1.88% | 2.15% | 1.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XQQ.TO iShares NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) | 0.21% | 0.25% | 0.32% | 0.31% | 0.43% | 0.17% | 0.26% | 0.46% | 0.52% | 0.53% | 0.76% | 0.62% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XESG.TO and XQQ.TO have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XESG.TO is cheaper at 0.16% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XESG.TO is cheaper with a 0.16% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for XQQ.TO.
XESG.TO is categorized as Canada Equities, while XQQ.TO is Nasdaq-100. XESG.TO tracks Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XQQ.TO tracks Morningstar US Market TR CAD. Their fees differ too: 0.16% for XESG.TO and 0.39% for XQQ.TO.
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