ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZCS.TO (BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF) and CORE.TO (PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund) are both Canadian Government Bonds funds. ZCS.TO is passively managed, while CORE.TO is actively managed. Over the past year, ZCS.TO returned 3.96% vs 4.48% for CORE.TO. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ZCS.TO charges 0.11%/yr vs 0.32%/yr for CORE.TO.

Performance

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCS.TO) and PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZCS.TO achieves a 1.29% return, which is significantly lower than CORE.TO's 2.24% return.

ZCS.TO

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 1.02%
• YTD: 1.29%
• 6M: 1.26%
• 1Y: 3.96%
• 3Y*: 5.98%
• 5Y*: 2.85%
• 10Y*: 2.79%

CORE.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.93%
• YTD: 2.24%
• 6M: 1.42%
• 1Y: 4.48%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ZCS.TO BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF	1.29%	4.41%	2.93%
CORE.TO PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund	2.24%	4.02%	0.77%

Correlation

The correlation between ZCS.TO and CORE.TO is 0.65, 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	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 20, 2024	0.66

The correlation between ZCS.TO and CORE.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZCS.TO

ZCS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 56
ZCS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
ZCS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
ZCS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 67
ZCS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
ZCS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 55

CORE.TO

CORE.TO Risk / Return Rank: 29
CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
CORE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
CORE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 29
CORE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
CORE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 27

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.

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCS.TO) and PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.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.

	ZCS.TO	CORE.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.95	1.09	+0.86
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.63	1.50	+1.13
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.19	+0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.44	1.50	+0.93
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.64	3.71	+5.93
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZCS.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.95, which is higher than the CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.09. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZCS.TO and CORE.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

	ZCS.TO	CORE.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.95	1.09	+0.86
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.00	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.80	0.79	+0.01

Drawdowns

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZCS.TO drawdown since its inception was -13.95%, which is greater than CORE.TO's maximum drawdown of -3.48%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZCS.TO and CORE.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZCS.TO	CORE.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.95%	-3.48%	-10.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.63%	-2.99%	+1.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.63%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-7.76%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-13.95%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.04%	-0.27%	+0.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.89%	-1.36%	+0.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.41%	1.21%	-0.80%

Volatility

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCS.TO) is 0.69%, while PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) has a volatility of 1.46%. This indicates that ZCS.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CORE.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZCS.TO	CORE.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.69%	1.46%	-0.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.79%	3.17%	-1.38%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.05%	4.13%	-2.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.87%	5.01%	-2.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.38%	5.01%	-0.63%

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZCS.TO has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is lower than CORE.TO's 0.32% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZCS.TO vs. CORE.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZCS.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.93%, more than CORE.TO's 3.36% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CORE.TO PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund	3.36%	3.42%	0.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ZCS.TO BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF	3.93%	3.60%	3.27%	3.35%	3.23%	2.99%	2.88%	2.96%	2.88%	3.04%	3.34%	3.53%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZCS.TO and CORE.TO in my portfolio?

ZCS.TO and CORE.TO have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZCS.TO or CORE.TO?

On fees, ZCS.TO is cheaper at 0.11% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZCS.TO or CORE.TO?

ZCS.TO is cheaper with a 0.11% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for CORE.TO.

What is the main difference between ZCS.TO and CORE.TO?

They also come from different issuers: BMO and PIMCO. Their fees differ too: 0.11% for ZCS.TO and 0.32% for CORE.TO.