XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO
XESG.TO (iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF) and XSAB.TO (iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XESG.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XSAB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XESG.TO returned 12.49%/yr vs 0.54%/yr for XSAB.TO. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XESG.TO charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for XSAB.TO.
Performance
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XESG.TO achieves a 10.50% return, which is significantly higher than XSAB.TO's 1.61% return.
XESG.TO
- 1D
- 0.81%
- 1M
- 1.78%
- YTD
- 10.50%
- 6M
- 7.97%
- 1Y
- 29.17%
- 3Y*
- 21.05%
- 5Y*
- 12.49%
- 10Y*
- —
XSAB.TO
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 1.23%
- YTD
- 1.61%
- 6M
- 1.99%
- 1Y
- 3.71%
- 3Y*
- 4.52%
- 5Y*
- 0.54%
- 10Y*
- —
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XESG.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF | 10.50% | 26.34% | 20.23% | 10.30% | -7.64% | 23.09% | 1.14% | 10.17% |
XSAB.TO iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 1.61% | 2.22% | 4.03% | 6.35% | -11.42% | -2.71% | 7.79% | 2.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between XESG.TO and XSAB.TO is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 28, 2019 | 0.08 |
Over the past year, XESG.TO and XSAB.TO have become more correlated (0.35) than their long-term average of 0.08, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XESG.TO
XSAB.TO
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.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 ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XSAB.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.
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.
| XESG.TO | XSAB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.14 | +0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.12 | 1.24 | +1.88 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.67 | 2.90 | +10.77 |
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Drawdowns
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XESG.TO drawdown since its inception was -39.40%, which is greater than XSAB.TO's maximum drawdown of -17.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XESG.TO and XSAB.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XESG.TO | XSAB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.40% | -17.96% | -21.44% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.28% | -2.72% | -6.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.14% | -5.30% | -8.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.82% | -15.66% | -2.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.00% | -1.87% | +0.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.08% | -6.46% | +1.38% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.12% | 1.16% | +0.96% |
Volatility
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Volatility Comparison
iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (XESG.TO) has a higher volatility of 4.58% compared to iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XSAB.TO) at 1.47%. This indicates that XESG.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XSAB.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 | XSAB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.58% | 1.47% | +3.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.34% | 3.20% | +8.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.55% | 4.22% | +9.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.90% | 6.31% | +7.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.98% | 6.64% | +15.34% |
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XESG.TO has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is lower than XSAB.TO's 0.17% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
XESG.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Dividend Comparison
XESG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.99%, less than XSAB.TO's 3.26% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XESG.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF | 1.99% | 2.17% | 2.57% | 2.89% | 2.77% | 2.01% | 2.30% | 1.08% |
XSAB.TO iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 3.26% | 3.20% | 3.01% | 2.81% | 2.75% | 2.35% | 2.49% | 2.05% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XESG.TO and XSAB.TO have a correlation of 0.35, 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 0.17% for XSAB.TO.
XESG.TO is categorized as Canada Equities, while XSAB.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. XESG.TO tracks Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XSAB.TO tracks Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD. Their fees differ too: 0.16% for XESG.TO and 0.17% for XSAB.TO.
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