XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XST.TO (iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF) is Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Gbl GR CAD, while EMP-A.TO (Empire Company Limited) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XST.TO returned 9.62%/yr vs 9.82%/yr for EMP-A.TO. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF (XST.TO) and Empire Company Limited (EMP-A.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XST.TO achieves a 1.77% return, which is significantly higher than EMP-A.TO's 1.54% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with XST.TO having a 9.62% annualized return and EMP-A.TO not far ahead at 9.82%.

XST.TO

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 1.37%
• YTD: 1.77%
• 6M: 0.81%
• 1Y: 7.32%
• 3Y*: 13.98%
• 5Y*: 12.73%
• 10Y*: 9.62%

EMP-A.TO

• 1D: -0.41%
• 1M: 3.67%
• YTD: 1.54%
• 6M: -4.70%
• 1Y: -5.33%
• 3Y*: 13.76%
• 5Y*: 4.96%
• 10Y*: 9.82%

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

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XST.TO iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF	1.77%	16.38%	19.83%	6.37%	8.76%	20.39%	3.48%	12.13%	1.65%	6.95%
EMP-A.TO Empire Company Limited	1.54%	10.63%	27.94%	0.17%	-5.96%	12.40%	15.98%	7.18%	19.80%	59.12%

Correlation

The correlation between XST.TO and EMP-A.TO is 0.72, 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	0.72
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.63
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.64
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 25, 2012	0.55

The correlation between XST.TO and EMP-A.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.55 (all time) to 0.72 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XST.TO

XST.TO Risk / Return Rank: 17
XST.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
XST.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
XST.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 16
XST.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
XST.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 17

EMP-A.TO

EMP-A.TO Risk / Return Rank: 31
EMP-A.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
EMP-A.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
EMP-A.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 27
EMP-A.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
EMP-A.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 35

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.

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF (XST.TO) and Empire Company Limited (EMP-A.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.

	XST.TO	EMP-A.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.46	-0.24	+0.69
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.75	-0.17	+0.92
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	0.98	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.70	-0.23	+0.93
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.65	-0.39	+2.04
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XST.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.46, which is higher than the EMP-A.TO Sharpe Ratio of -0.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XST.TO and EMP-A.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

	XST.TO	EMP-A.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46	-0.24	+0.69
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90	0.24	+0.66
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65	0.38	+0.27
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.99	0.45	+0.53

Drawdowns

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XST.TO drawdown since its inception was -22.65%, smaller than the maximum EMP-A.TO drawdown of -50.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XST.TO and EMP-A.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XST.TO	EMP-A.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.65%	-50.93%	+28.28%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.52%	-23.44%	+12.92%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.86%	-23.44%	+12.58%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-10.86%	-27.69%	+16.83%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-22.65%	-34.51%	+11.86%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.39%	-15.79%	+9.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.21%	-11.73%	+8.52%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.44%	13.71%	-9.27%

Volatility

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF (XST.TO) is 4.72%, while Empire Company Limited (EMP-A.TO) has a volatility of 5.70%. This indicates that XST.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EMP-A.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XST.TO	EMP-A.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.72%	5.70%	-0.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.99%	18.27%	-6.28%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.12%	22.95%	-6.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.22%	20.65%	-6.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.95%	26.01%	-11.06%

Dividends

XST.TO vs. EMP-A.TO - Dividend Comparison

XST.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.68%, less than EMP-A.TO's 1.83% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EMP-A.TO Empire Company Limited	1.83%	1.76%	1.75%	1.99%	1.77%	1.45%	1.44%	1.51%	1.49%	1.70%	2.58%	1.86%
XST.TO iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF	0.68%	0.67%	0.86%	0.79%	0.74%	0.68%	0.74%	0.73%	0.81%	0.90%	0.52%	0.62%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XST.TO and EMP-A.TO in my portfolio?

XST.TO and EMP-A.TO have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.