XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO
XSE.TO (iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF) and XSB.TO (iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XSE.TO is a Intermediate Core Bond fund actively managed by iShares, while XSB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can 1-5Y Core Bd GR CAD. XSE.TO is actively managed, while XSB.TO is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XSE.TO returned 1.70%/yr vs 1.97%/yr for XSB.TO. A 0.61 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XSE.TO charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for XSB.TO.
Performance
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XSE.TO achieves a 0.34% return, which is significantly lower than XSB.TO's 0.99% return. Over the past 10 years, XSE.TO has underperformed XSB.TO with an annualized return of 1.70%, while XSB.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 1.97% annualized return.
XSE.TO
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 0.72%
- YTD
- 0.34%
- 6M
- 0.04%
- 1Y
- 2.09%
- 3Y*
- 3.75%
- 5Y*
- 0.26%
- 10Y*
- 1.70%
XSB.TO
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 0.82%
- YTD
- 0.99%
- 6M
- 0.88%
- 1Y
- 2.88%
- 3Y*
- 4.74%
- 5Y*
- 2.02%
- 10Y*
- 1.97%
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XSE.TO iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF | 0.34% | 3.06% | 2.99% | 6.75% | -11.99% | -2.79% | 7.95% | 8.26% | -0.52% | 4.13% |
XSB.TO iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF | 0.99% | 3.70% | 5.87% | 4.67% | -4.04% | -1.11% | 5.20% | 3.20% | 1.60% | 0.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between XSE.TO and XSB.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 | 0.70 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 15, 2015 | 0.61 |
The correlation between XSE.TO and XSB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.60 (1 year) to 0.72 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XSE.TO
XSB.TO
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF (XSE.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.
| XSE.TO | XSB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.28 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.87 | 1.96 | -1.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.15 | 6.50 | -4.35 |
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
| XSE.TO | XSB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.63 | 1.45 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.75 | -0.70 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 | 0.58 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 1.11 | -0.86 |
Drawdowns
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XSE.TO drawdown since its inception was -22.43%, 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 XSE.TO and XSB.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XSE.TO | XSB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.43% | -8.65% | -13.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.62% | -1.47% | -1.15% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.73% | -1.47% | -3.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.86% | -6.99% | -8.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.43% | -8.65% | -13.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.93% | -0.15% | -2.78% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.72% | -0.83% | -3.89% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.02% | 0.44% | +0.58% |
Volatility
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Volatility Comparison
iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF (XSE.TO) has a higher volatility of 1.33% compared to iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSB.TO) at 0.78%. This indicates that XSE.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.
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Volatility by Period
| XSE.TO | XSB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.33% | 0.78% | +0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.59% | 1.68% | +0.91% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.62% | 2.00% | +1.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.70% | 2.72% | +2.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 9.13% | 3.40% | +5.73% |
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XSE.TO has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than XSB.TO's 0.10% expense ratio.
Dividends
XSE.TO vs. XSB.TO - Dividend Comparison
XSE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than XSB.TO's 3.11% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XSB.TO iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF | 3.11% | 3.15% | 3.05% | 2.67% | 2.28% | 2.05% | 2.21% | 2.39% | 2.39% | 2.36% | 2.36% | 2.50% |
XSE.TO iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF | 4.34% | 4.24% | 3.66% | 3.36% | 2.67% | 2.63% | 2.62% | 2.82% | 2.89% | 3.62% | 3.95% | 1.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XSE.TO and XSB.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, XSB.TO is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XSB.TO is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for XSE.TO.
XSE.TO is categorized as Intermediate Core Bond, while XSB.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for XSE.TO and 0.10% for XSB.TO.
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