ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZCON.TO (BMO Conservative ETF) and ZGRO.TO (BMO Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZCON.TO is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by BMO, while ZGRO.TO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by BMO. Over the past 5 years, ZCON.TO returned 5.75%/yr vs 11.51%/yr for ZGRO.TO. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ZCON.TO charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for ZGRO.TO.

Performance

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON.TO) and BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZCON.TO achieves a 5.73% return, which is significantly lower than ZGRO.TO's 10.53% return.

ZCON.TO

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 3.35%
• YTD: 5.73%
• 6M: 4.98%
• 1Y: 13.68%
• 3Y*: 10.81%
• 5Y*: 5.75%
• 10Y*: —

ZGRO.TO

• 1D: -0.41%
• 1M: 5.37%
• YTD: 10.53%
• 6M: 10.31%
• 1Y: 25.76%
• 3Y*: 18.49%
• 5Y*: 11.51%
• 10Y*: —

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

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
ZCON.TO BMO Conservative ETF	5.73%	9.31%	11.51%	9.89%	-11.00%	6.06%	9.69%	7.50%
ZGRO.TO BMO Growth ETF	10.53%	16.39%	20.71%	14.64%	-10.58%	14.99%	10.81%	9.42%

Correlation

The correlation between ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO is 0.79, 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	0.79
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.67
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 5, 2019	0.59

The correlation between ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (all time) to 0.79 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ZCON.TO	ZGRO.TO
Technology	22.5%	22.2%
Financial Services	20.0%	19.8%
Industrials	11.2%	11.2%
Consumer Cyclical	8.2%	8.3%
Energy	7.8%	8.0%
Communication Services	6.9%	6.7%
Basic Materials	6.9%	7.2%
Healthcare	6.8%	6.9%
Consumer Defensive	4.8%	4.9%
Utilities	2.9%	3.0%
Real Estate	2.0%	2.0%

Return for Risk

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZCON.TO

ZCON.TO Risk / Return Rank: 67
ZCON.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
ZCON.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
ZCON.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
ZCON.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
ZCON.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 65

ZGRO.TO

ZGRO.TO Risk / Return Rank: 73
ZGRO.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
ZGRO.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
ZGRO.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 72
ZGRO.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
ZGRO.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON.TO) and BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO.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.

	ZCON.TO	ZGRO.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.22	2.39	-0.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.26	3.32	-0.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.44	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.03	3.76	-0.74
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.81	15.21	-3.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZCON.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.22, which is comparable to the ZGRO.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZCON.TO and ZGRO.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

	ZCON.TO	ZGRO.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.22	2.39	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.80	1.08	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.81	0.91	-0.10

Drawdowns

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZCON.TO drawdown since its inception was -17.22%, smaller than the maximum ZGRO.TO drawdown of -24.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZCON.TO	ZGRO.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.22%	-24.64%	+7.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.54%	-6.87%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.83%	-12.45%	+5.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.88%	-17.19%	+1.31%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.23%	-0.41%	+0.18%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.19%	-3.38%	+0.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.16%	1.70%	-0.54%

Volatility

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BMO Conservative ETF (ZCON.TO) is 2.22%, while BMO Growth ETF (ZGRO.TO) has a volatility of 4.11%. This indicates that ZCON.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZGRO.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZCON.TO	ZGRO.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.22%	4.11%	-1.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.85%	9.00%	-4.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.19%	10.81%	-4.62%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.23%	10.76%	-3.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.00%	12.99%	-4.99%

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZCON.TO has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than ZGRO.TO's 0.18% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ZCON.TO vs. ZGRO.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZCON.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.05%, more than ZGRO.TO's 1.48% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
ZCON.TO BMO Conservative ETF	2.05%	2.36%	2.49%	2.71%	2.89%	2.50%	2.59%	2.51%
ZGRO.TO BMO Growth ETF	1.48%	1.70%	1.92%	2.27%	2.54%	2.22%	2.49%	2.32%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO in my portfolio?

ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZCON.TO or ZGRO.TO?

On fees, ZCON.TO is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZCON.TO or ZGRO.TO?

ZCON.TO is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.18% for ZGRO.TO.

What is the main difference between ZCON.TO and ZGRO.TO?

ZCON.TO is categorized as Diversified Portfolio, while ZGRO.TO is Large Cap Growth Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for ZCON.TO and 0.18% for ZGRO.TO.