XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XMS.TO (iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)) and XTOT.TO (iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds from iShares - XMS.TO tracks the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) 100% Hedged to CAD Index while XTOT.TO tracks the S&P Total Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, XMS.TO returned 0.08% vs 30.81% for XTOT.TO. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XMS.TO charges 0.33%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for XTOT.TO.

Performance

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XMS.TO) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF (XTOT.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XMS.TO achieves a 1.17% return, which is significantly lower than XTOT.TO's 12.63% return.

XMS.TO

• 1D: -0.36%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: 1.17%
• 6M: -0.55%
• 1Y: 0.08%
• 3Y*: 8.89%
• 5Y*: 5.12%
• 10Y*: 7.82%

XTOT.TO

• 1D: -0.15%
• 1M: 7.36%
• YTD: 12.63%
• 6M: 10.59%
• 1Y: 30.81%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
XMS.TO iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	1.17%	-0.20%
XTOT.TO iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF	12.63%	15.99%

Correlation

The correlation between XMS.TO and XTOT.TO is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.29
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2025	0.28

Return for Risk

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XMS.TO

XMS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 9
XMS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
XMS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
XMS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 8
XMS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
XMS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 9

XTOT.TO

XTOT.TO Risk / Return Rank: 67
XTOT.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
XTOT.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
XTOT.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 73
XTOT.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
XTOT.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XMS.TO) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF (XTOT.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.

	XMS.TO	XTOT.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.01	2.35	-2.34
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.07	3.21	-3.14
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.44	-0.43
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.01	3.21	-3.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.03	10.99	-10.96
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XMS.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.01, which is lower than the XTOT.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XMS.TO and XTOT.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

	XMS.TO	XTOT.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.01	2.35	-2.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	2.31	-1.76

Drawdowns

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XMS.TO drawdown since its inception was -36.48%, which is greater than XTOT.TO's maximum drawdown of -9.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XMS.TO and XTOT.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XMS.TO	XTOT.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.48%	-9.64%	-26.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.91%	-9.64%	+2.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.82%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.23%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.48%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.73%	-0.54%	-1.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.26%	-1.83%	-2.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.54%	2.81%	-0.27%

Volatility

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XMS.TO) is 2.35%, while iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF (XTOT.TO) has a volatility of 4.41%. This indicates that XMS.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XTOT.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XMS.TO	XTOT.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.35%	4.41%	-2.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.14%	9.77%	-3.63%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.75%	13.20%	-4.45%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.11%	13.14%	-1.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.74%	13.14%	+1.60%

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XMS.TO has a 0.33% expense ratio, which is higher than XTOT.TO's 0.07% expense ratio.

Dividends

XMS.TO vs. XTOT.TO - Dividend Comparison

XMS.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.18%, more than XTOT.TO's 0.61% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
XMS.TO iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	1.18%	1.08%	1.21%	1.38%	1.20%	0.99%	1.66%	1.40%	1.54%	1.53%	1.43%
XTOT.TO iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market Index ETF	0.61%	0.54%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XMS.TO and XTOT.TO in my portfolio?

XMS.TO and XTOT.TO have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XMS.TO or XTOT.TO?

On fees, XTOT.TO is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XMS.TO or XTOT.TO?

XTOT.TO is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.33% for XMS.TO.

What is the main difference between XMS.TO and XTOT.TO?

XMS.TO tracks MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) 100% Hedged to CAD Index, while XTOT.TO tracks S&P Total Market Index. Their fees differ too: 0.33% for XMS.TO and 0.07% for XTOT.TO.