ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZEB.TO (BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF) and CEW.TO (iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF) are both Financials Equities funds - ZEB.TO tracks the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index while CEW.TO tracks the Morningstar Gbl Fin Svc GR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ZEB.TO returned 15.82%/yr vs 15.05%/yr for CEW.TO. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ZEB.TO charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.61%/yr for CEW.TO.

Performance

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (ZEB.TO) and iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF (CEW.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZEB.TO achieves a 19.22% return, which is significantly higher than CEW.TO's 15.99% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ZEB.TO having a 15.82% annualized return and CEW.TO not far behind at 15.05%.

ZEB.TO

• 1D: -0.43%
• 1M: 5.51%
• YTD: 19.22%
• 6M: 24.72%
• 1Y: 60.22%
• 3Y*: 32.73%
• 5Y*: 18.18%
• 10Y*: 15.82%

CEW.TO

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: 4.69%
• YTD: 15.99%
• 6M: 18.59%
• 1Y: 44.58%
• 3Y*: 29.74%
• 5Y*: 17.56%
• 10Y*: 15.05%

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

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ZEB.TO BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF	19.22%	43.43%	24.58%	10.87%	-10.38%	39.38%	3.52%	16.06%	-8.85%	14.26%
CEW.TO iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF	15.99%	32.58%	29.48%	17.04%	-6.85%	29.26%	-0.63%	25.38%	-12.85%	11.88%

Correlation

The correlation between ZEB.TO and CEW.TO is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.88
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.90
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2009	0.86

The correlation between ZEB.TO and CEW.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ZEB.TO	CEW.TO
Financial Services	100.0%	100.0%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZEB.TO

ZEB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 96
ZEB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
ZEB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
ZEB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 97
ZEB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
ZEB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 95

CEW.TO

CEW.TO Risk / Return Rank: 94
CEW.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
CEW.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
CEW.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 94
CEW.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
CEW.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 92

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.

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (ZEB.TO) and iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF (CEW.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.

	ZEB.TO	CEW.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	4.79	3.86	+0.93
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	6.54	5.25	+1.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.90	1.71	+0.19
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.17	6.29	+0.89
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	30.84	23.14	+7.70
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZEB.TO Sharpe Ratio is 4.79, which is comparable to the CEW.TO Sharpe Ratio of 3.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZEB.TO and CEW.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

	ZEB.TO	CEW.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.79	3.86	+0.93
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.35	1.31	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94	0.89	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.88	0.59	+0.29

Drawdowns

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZEB.TO drawdown since its inception was -39.69%, smaller than the maximum CEW.TO drawdown of -53.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZEB.TO and CEW.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZEB.TO	CEW.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.69%	-53.58%	+13.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.44%	-7.13%	-1.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.80%	-12.74%	-2.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.97%	-22.46%	-3.51%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.69%	-43.66%	+3.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.00%	-1.50%	-0.50%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.65%	-7.02%	+1.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.96%	1.93%	+0.03%

Volatility

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (ZEB.TO) has a higher volatility of 4.89% compared to iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF (CEW.TO) at 3.65%. This indicates that ZEB.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CEW.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZEB.TO	CEW.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.89%	3.65%	+1.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.14%	10.12%	+1.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.62%	11.61%	+1.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.52%	13.49%	+0.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.91%	17.00%	-0.09%

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZEB.TO has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than CEW.TO's 0.61% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZEB.TO vs. CEW.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZEB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.54%, more than CEW.TO's 2.42% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CEW.TO iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF	2.42%	2.75%	3.32%	3.87%	3.84%	2.93%	3.61%	3.20%	2.95%	2.47%	2.54%	2.74%
ZEB.TO BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF	2.54%	2.95%	3.98%	4.75%	4.29%	3.13%	4.15%	3.65%	3.64%	3.02%	3.19%	3.70%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZEB.TO and CEW.TO in my portfolio?

ZEB.TO and CEW.TO have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZEB.TO or CEW.TO?

On fees, ZEB.TO is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZEB.TO or CEW.TO?

ZEB.TO is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.61% for CEW.TO.

What is the main difference between ZEB.TO and CEW.TO?

ZEB.TO tracks Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index, while CEW.TO tracks Morningstar Gbl Fin Svc GR CAD. They also come from different issuers: BMO and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for ZEB.TO and 0.61% for CEW.TO.