XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XESG.TO (iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF) and XSUS.TO (iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XESG.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XSUS.TO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XESG.TO returned 12.42%/yr vs 14.81%/yr for XSUS.TO. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XESG.TO charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for XSUS.TO.

Performance

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (XESG.TO) and iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XESG.TO achieves a 10.34% return, which is significantly lower than XSUS.TO's 12.45% 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*: —

XSUS.TO

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 7.89%
• YTD: 12.45%
• 6M: 8.87%
• 1Y: 27.43%
• 3Y*: 21.61%
• 5Y*: 14.81%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.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%
XSUS.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF	12.45%	9.48%	32.85%	21.80%	-15.17%	26.44%	18.78%	13.32%

Correlation

The correlation between XESG.TO and XSUS.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	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 25, 2019	0.58

The correlation between XESG.TO and XSUS.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.60 - a consistent structural relationship.

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XESG.TO	XSUS.TO
Financial Services	38.5%	11.6%
Energy	19.3%	3.5%
Basic Materials	17.9%	1.6%
Industrials	8.9%	8.3%
Technology	8.3%	38.4%
Utilities	2.7%	2.4%
Consumer Cyclical	2.2%	9.5%
Consumer Defensive	1.9%	4.0%
Real Estate	0.2%	2.1%
Communication Services	0.1%	9.8%
Healthcare	0.1%	8.6%

Return for Risk

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

XESG.TO

XESG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 66
XESG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
XESG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
XESG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 68
XESG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
XESG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 74

XSUS.TO

XSUS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 63
XSUS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
XSUS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
XSUS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
XSUS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
XSUS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 54

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.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 MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.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	XSUS.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.24	2.30	-0.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.86	3.16	-0.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.42	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.17	2.74	+0.43
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.11	9.30	+4.81
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XESG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.24, which is comparable to the XSUS.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XESG.TO and XSUS.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XESG.TO	XSUS.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.24	2.30	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.92	0.99	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.82	0.96	-0.14

Drawdowns

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XESG.TO drawdown since its inception was -37.36%, which is greater than XSUS.TO's maximum drawdown of -28.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XESG.TO and XSUS.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XESG.TO	XSUS.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.36%	-28.32%	-9.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.28%	-10.05%	+0.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.18%	-20.45%	+6.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.91%	-24.02%	+6.11%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.94%	-0.23%	-0.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.55%	-4.98%	+0.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.08%	2.96%	-0.88%

Volatility

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF (XESG.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.37% compared to iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.TO) at 2.91%. This indicates that XESG.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XSUS.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XESG.TO	XSUS.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.37%	2.91%	+0.46%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.94%	9.19%	+1.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.15%	12.01%	+1.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.62%	15.06%	-1.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.83%	16.58%	+0.25%

XESG.TO vs. XSUS.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XESG.TO has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is lower than XSUS.TO's 0.22% 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. XSUS.TO - Dividend Comparison

XESG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.96%, more than XSUS.TO's 0.74% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
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%
XSUS.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF	0.74%	0.83%	0.81%	1.09%	0.96%	0.83%	0.92%	0.66%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XESG.TO and XSUS.TO in my portfolio?

XESG.TO and XSUS.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.

Which ETF is better, XESG.TO or XSUS.TO?

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.

Which ETF is cheaper, XESG.TO or XSUS.TO?

XESG.TO is cheaper with a 0.16% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for XSUS.TO.

What is the main difference between XESG.TO and XSUS.TO?

XESG.TO is categorized as Canada Equities, while XSUS.TO is Large Cap Growth Equities. XESG.TO tracks Morningstar Canada GR CAD, while XSUS.TO tracks MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index. Their fees differ too: 0.16% for XESG.TO and 0.22% for XSUS.TO.