ZFL.TO vs. VOO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZFL.TO (BMO Long Federal Bond) and VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZFL.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE TMX Canada Long Term Federal Bond Index, while VOO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ZFL.TO returned -1.37%/yr vs 16.44%/yr for VOO. At a correlation of -0.09, they often move in opposite directions. ZFL.TO charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VOO.

Performance

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

ZFL.TO is traded in CAD, while VOO is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the VOO values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZFL.TO achieves a 2.39% return, which is significantly lower than VOO's 12.66% return. Over the past 10 years, ZFL.TO has underperformed VOO with an annualized return of -1.37%, while VOO has yielded a comparatively higher 16.44% annualized return.

ZFL.TO

• 1D: -0.33%
• 1M: 2.93%
• YTD: 2.39%
• 6M: -0.37%
• 1Y: -0.83%
• 3Y*: -0.42%
• 5Y*: -3.89%
• 10Y*: -1.37%

VOO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 7.45%
• YTD: 12.66%
• 6M: 10.84%
• 1Y: 30.08%
• 3Y*: 23.99%
• 5Y*: 17.22%
• 10Y*: 16.44%

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

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ZFL.TO BMO Long Federal Bond	2.39%	-5.14%	-2.20%	7.30%	-23.89%	-7.47%	12.68%	8.73%	2.69%	2.84%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	12.32%	12.42%	35.71%	23.54%	-12.34%	27.63%	16.32%	24.91%	3.60%	14.02%

Correlation

The correlation between ZFL.TO and VOO is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.13
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.08
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2010	-0.09

The correlation between ZFL.TO and VOO shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ZFL.TO	VOO
Financial Services	100.0%	11.6%
Basic Materials	-	1.8%
Communication Services	-	11.3%
Consumer Cyclical	-	10.2%
Consumer Defensive	-	4.9%
Energy	-	3.5%
Healthcare	-	8.5%
Industrials	-	8.3%
Real Estate	-	1.9%
Technology	-	35.7%
Utilities	-	2.4%

Return for Risk

ZFL.TO vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZFL.TO

ZFL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
ZFL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
ZFL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 8

VOO

VOO Risk / Return Rank: 70
VOO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
VOO Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
VOO Omega Ratio Rank: 70
VOO Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
VOO Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). 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.

	ZFL.TO	VOO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.09	2.60	-2.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.05	3.49	-3.54
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.99	1.50	-0.50
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.12	3.51	-3.63
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.22	13.34	-13.56
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZFL.TO Sharpe Ratio is -0.09, which is lower than the VOO Sharpe Ratio of 2.60. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZFL.TO and VOO, 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

	ZFL.TO	VOO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.09	2.60	-2.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.27	1.16	-1.43
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.11	1.01	-1.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.16	1.15	-0.99

Drawdowns

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZFL.TO drawdown since its inception was -40.32%, which is greater than VOO's maximum drawdown of -27.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZFL.TO and VOO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZFL.TO	VOO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.32%	-27.65%	-12.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.68%	-8.62%	+1.94%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.51%	-18.93%	+4.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.25%	-22.08%	-10.17%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.32%	-27.65%	-12.67%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-31.87%	0.00%	-31.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.45%	-3.24%	-9.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.82%	2.26%	+1.56%

Volatility

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Long Federal Bond (ZFL.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.14% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) at 2.60%. This indicates that ZFL.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZFL.TO	VOO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.14%	2.60%	+0.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.05%	8.79%	-1.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.72%	11.64%	-1.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.71%	14.91%	-0.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.54%	16.28%	-3.74%

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZFL.TO has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than VOO's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ZFL.TO vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison

ZFL.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, more than VOO's 1.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	1.03%	1.13%	1.24%	1.46%	1.69%	1.25%	1.54%	1.88%	2.06%	1.78%	2.02%	2.10%
ZFL.TO BMO Long Federal Bond	2.84%	3.13%	3.20%	3.49%	3.77%	2.85%	2.57%	2.95%	3.00%	2.99%	3.05%	3.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZFL.TO and VOO in my portfolio?

ZFL.TO and VOO have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZFL.TO or VOO?

On fees, VOO is cheaper at 0.03% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZFL.TO or VOO?

VOO is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for ZFL.TO.

What is the main difference between ZFL.TO and VOO?

ZFL.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while VOO is S&P 500. ZFL.TO tracks FTSE TMX Canada Long Term Federal Bond Index, while VOO tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: BMO and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for ZFL.TO and 0.03% for VOO.