ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO
ZDB.TO (BMO Discount Bond) and XEQT.TO (iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio) are both exchange-traded funds - ZDB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Canada Universe Discount Bond Index, while XEQT.TO is a Global Equities fund actively managed by iShares. ZDB.TO is passively managed, while XEQT.TO is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, ZDB.TO returned 0.56%/yr vs 13.90%/yr for XEQT.TO. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ZDB.TO charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for XEQT.TO.
Performance
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ZDB.TO achieves a 1.53% return, which is significantly lower than XEQT.TO's 13.22% return.
ZDB.TO
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 1.51%
- YTD
- 1.53%
- 6M
- 0.99%
- 1Y
- 2.51%
- 3Y*
- 4.17%
- 5Y*
- 0.56%
- 10Y*
- 1.61%
XEQT.TO
- 1D
- 0.83%
- 1M
- 6.02%
- YTD
- 13.22%
- 6M
- 11.68%
- 1Y
- 30.42%
- 3Y*
- 22.22%
- 5Y*
- 13.90%
- 10Y*
- —
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZDB.TO BMO Discount Bond | 1.53% | 2.03% | 4.26% | 6.69% | -11.99% | -2.77% | 9.50% | -1.74% |
XEQT.TO iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio | 13.22% | 19.47% | 24.36% | 17.25% | -11.01% | 18.94% | 11.82% | 9.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between ZDB.TO and XEQT.TO is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 15, 2019 | 0.11 |
Over the past year, ZDB.TO and XEQT.TO have become more correlated (0.36) than their long-term average of 0.11, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO — Risk / Return Rank
ZDB.TO
XEQT.TO
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Discount Bond (ZDB.TO) and iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.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.
| ZDB.TO | XEQT.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.80 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.48 | -0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.90 | 3.70 | -2.80 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.07 | 16.13 | -14.07 |
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
| ZDB.TO | XEQT.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.58 | 2.62 | -2.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 | 1.07 | -0.98 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.25 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.38 | 0.96 | -0.57 |
Drawdowns
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ZDB.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.09%, smaller than the maximum XEQT.TO drawdown of -29.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZDB.TO and XEQT.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ZDB.TO | XEQT.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.09% | -29.74% | +11.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.79% | -8.25% | +5.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.07% | -15.08% | +10.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.25% | -19.56% | +3.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.09% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.45% | 0.00% | -1.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.21% | -4.11% | -0.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.22% | 1.89% | -0.67% |
Volatility
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for BMO Discount Bond (ZDB.TO) is 1.55%, while iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.TO) has a volatility of 3.70%. This indicates that ZDB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XEQT.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ZDB.TO | XEQT.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.55% | 3.70% | -2.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.31% | 9.41% | -6.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.34% | 11.65% | -7.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.52% | 13.13% | -6.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.40% | 15.56% | -9.16% |
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
ZDB.TO has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than XEQT.TO's 0.20% 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
ZDB.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Dividend Comparison
ZDB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.00%, more than XEQT.TO's 1.47% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XEQT.TO iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio | 1.47% | 1.66% | 2.01% | 2.07% | 2.12% | 1.64% | 1.66% | 1.19% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ZDB.TO BMO Discount Bond | 2.00% | 2.28% | 2.38% | 2.42% | 2.52% | 2.16% | 2.06% | 2.20% | 2.07% | 2.06% | 1.95% | 1.99% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ZDB.TO and XEQT.TO have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, ZDB.TO is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
ZDB.TO is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XEQT.TO.
ZDB.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while XEQT.TO is Global Equities. They also come from different issuers: BMO and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for ZDB.TO and 0.20% for XEQT.TO.
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