ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZCB.TO (BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF) and CACB.TO (CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds. ZCB.TO is passively managed, while CACB.TO is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, ZCB.TO returned 2.19%/yr vs 3.34%/yr for CACB.TO. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ZCB.TO charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for CACB.TO.

Performance

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCB.TO) and CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (CACB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with ZCB.TO having a 1.93% return and CACB.TO slightly higher at 1.98%.

ZCB.TO

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 1.58%
• YTD: 1.93%
• 6M: 1.46%
• 1Y: 4.16%
• 3Y*: 6.00%
• 5Y*: 2.19%
• 10Y*: —

CACB.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.83%
• YTD: 1.98%
• 6M: 1.75%
• 1Y: 4.87%
• 3Y*: 6.64%
• 5Y*: 3.34%
• 10Y*: —

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

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
ZCB.TO BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF	1.93%	3.81%	6.60%	8.73%	-10.20%	-2.22%	8.33%	5.85%
CACB.TO CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF	1.98%	4.34%	7.21%	10.68%	-8.04%	-0.64%	12.31%	7.89%

Correlation

The correlation between ZCB.TO and CACB.TO is 0.58, 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	0.58
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.65
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 5, 2019	0.49

The correlation between ZCB.TO and CACB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.49 (all time) to 0.65 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZCB.TO

ZCB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 31
ZCB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
ZCB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
ZCB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 31
ZCB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
ZCB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 32

CACB.TO

CACB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 39
CACB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
CACB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
CACB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 40
CACB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
CACB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 38

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.

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCB.TO) and CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (CACB.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.

	ZCB.TO	CACB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.12	1.35	-0.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.55	1.92	-0.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.25	-0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.64	1.89	-0.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.82	5.75	-0.93
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZCB.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.12, which is comparable to the CACB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZCB.TO and CACB.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

	ZCB.TO	CACB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.12	1.35	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	0.59	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.56	0.76	-0.20

Drawdowns

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZCB.TO drawdown since its inception was -15.70%, which is greater than CACB.TO's maximum drawdown of -12.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZCB.TO and CACB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZCB.TO	CACB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.70%	-12.97%	-2.73%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.55%	-2.59%	+0.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.27%	-3.15%	-0.12%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.20%	-12.87%	-1.33%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.10%	0.00%	-0.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.70%	-2.52%	-1.18%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.86%	0.85%	+0.01%

Volatility

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCB.TO) has a higher volatility of 1.50% compared to CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (CACB.TO) at 1.36%. This indicates that ZCB.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CACB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZCB.TO	CACB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.50%	1.36%	+0.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.00%	2.79%	+0.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.72%	3.64%	+0.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.17%	5.66%	-0.49%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.41%	6.24%	-0.83%

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZCB.TO has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than CACB.TO's 0.40% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZCB.TO vs. CACB.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZCB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.03%, less than CACB.TO's 4.40% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
CACB.TO CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF	4.40%	4.46%	4.24%	5.48%	4.97%	4.64%	4.58%	4.60%	0.00%
ZCB.TO BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF	4.03%	4.00%	3.84%	3.89%	3.62%	3.13%	2.97%	3.12%	3.27%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZCB.TO and CACB.TO in my portfolio?

ZCB.TO and CACB.TO have a correlation of 0.58, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZCB.TO or CACB.TO?

On fees, ZCB.TO is cheaper at 0.17% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZCB.TO or CACB.TO?

ZCB.TO is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for CACB.TO.

What is the main difference between ZCB.TO and CACB.TO?

They also come from different issuers: BMO and CIBC. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for ZCB.TO and 0.40% for CACB.TO.