XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

XMA.TO (iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF) and XSB.TO (iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XMA.TO is a Materials fund tracking the S&P/TSX Capped Materials TR, while XSB.TO is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the FTSE Canada Short Term Overall Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XMA.TO returned 11.29%/yr vs 1.98%/yr for XSB.TO. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XMA.TO charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for XSB.TO.

Performance

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF (XMA.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XMA.TO achieves a -5.92% return, which is significantly lower than XSB.TO's 1.21% return. Over the past 10 years, XMA.TO has outperformed XSB.TO with an annualized return of 11.29%, while XSB.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 1.98% annualized return.

XMA.TO

• 1D: -1.26%
• 1M: -12.34%
• 6M: -17.21%
• YTD: -5.92%
• 1Y: 44.27%
• 3Y*: 28.64%
• 5Y*: 18.67%
• 10Y*: 11.29%

XSB.TO

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: -0.00%
• 6M: 0.91%
• YTD: 1.21%
• 1Y: 3.45%
• 3Y*: 4.89%
• 5Y*: 2.08%
• 10Y*: 1.98%

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

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XMA.TO iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF	-5.92%	99.21%	20.72%	-2.04%	1.35%	3.32%	19.73%	24.64%	-10.46%	7.12%
XSB.TO iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF	1.21%	3.70%	5.87%	4.67%	-4.04%	-1.11%	5.20%	3.20%	1.60%	0.13%

Correlation

The correlation between XMA.TO and XSB.TO is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.19
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.17
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 14, 2006	0.07

The correlation between XMA.TO and XSB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.07 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XMA.TO

XMA.TO Risk / Return Rank: 35
XMA.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
XMA.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
XMA.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 38
XMA.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 36
XMA.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 30

XSB.TO

XSB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 64
XSB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
XSB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
XSB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 72
XSB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
XSB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 57

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.

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF (XMA.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSB.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.

	XMA.TO	XSB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.11	1.71	-0.60
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.52	2.45	-0.93
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.34	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.52	2.35	-0.82
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.48	7.96	-4.48

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XMA.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.11, which is lower than the XSB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XMA.TO and XSB.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.

Drawdowns

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XMA.TO drawdown since its inception was -64.42%, which is greater than XSB.TO's maximum drawdown of -8.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XMA.TO and XSB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XMA.TO	XSB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-64.42%	-8.65%	-55.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.18%	-1.47%	-27.71%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.18%	-1.47%	-27.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.06%	-6.99%	-26.07%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.06%	-8.65%	-24.41%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-28.96%	-0.30%	-28.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-27.18%	-0.79%	-26.39%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.76%	0.43%	+12.33%

Volatility

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF (XMA.TO) has a higher volatility of 10.77% compared to iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSB.TO) at 0.61%. This indicates that XMA.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XSB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XMA.TO	XSB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.77%	0.61%	+10.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	33.77%	1.70%	+32.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	40.00%	2.03%	+37.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.38%	2.73%	+25.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.92%	3.40%	+23.52%

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XMA.TO has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than XSB.TO's 0.10% expense ratio.

Dividends

XMA.TO vs. XSB.TO - Dividend Comparison

XMA.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.50%, less than XSB.TO's 3.10% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XMA.TO iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF	0.50%	0.41%	0.83%	1.26%	1.24%	0.87%	0.63%	0.64%	0.71%	0.47%	0.82%	1.87%
XSB.TO iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF	3.10%	3.15%	3.05%	2.67%	2.28%	2.05%	2.21%	2.39%	2.39%	2.36%	2.36%	2.50%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XMA.TO and XSB.TO in my portfolio?

XMA.TO and XSB.TO have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XMA.TO or XSB.TO?

On fees, XSB.TO is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XMA.TO or XSB.TO?

XSB.TO is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for XMA.TO.

What is the main difference between XMA.TO and XSB.TO?

XMA.TO is categorized as Materials, while XSB.TO is Short-Term Bond. XMA.TO tracks S&P/TSX Capped Materials TR, while XSB.TO tracks FTSE Canada Short Term Overall Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for XMA.TO and 0.10% for XSB.TO.