ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

ZJG.TO (BMO Junior Gold Index ETF) and SGDJ (Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZJG.TO is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Dow Jones North America Select Junior Gold Index, while SGDJ is a Materials fund tracking the Solactive Junior Gold Miners Custom Factors Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ZJG.TO returned 16.00%/yr vs 12.74%/yr for SGDJ. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ZJG.TO charges 0.61%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for SGDJ.

Performance

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO) and Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZJG.TO achieves a 3.21% return, which is significantly lower than SGDJ's 3.75% return. Over the past 10 years, ZJG.TO has outperformed SGDJ with an annualized return of 16.00%, while SGDJ has yielded a comparatively lower 12.74% annualized return.

ZJG.TO

• 1D: 1.65%
• 1M: 2.45%
• YTD: 3.21%
• 6M: 9.69%
• 1Y: 73.05%
• 3Y*: 51.42%
• 5Y*: 27.40%
• 10Y*: 16.00%

SGDJ

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: 1.91%
• YTD: 3.75%
• 6M: 11.37%
• 1Y: 82.29%
• 3Y*: 51.41%
• 5Y*: 20.64%
• 10Y*: 12.74%

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

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ZJG.TO BMO Junior Gold Index ETF	3.21%	154.66%	36.44%	6.11%	-0.89%	-16.72%	24.40%	42.01%	-18.76%	11.85%
SGDJ Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF	3.75%	161.85%	29.60%	4.31%	-22.44%	-15.88%	45.41%	30.26%	-19.32%	-0.80%

Correlation

The correlation between ZJG.TO and SGDJ is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.74
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 1, 2015	0.84

The correlation between ZJG.TO and SGDJ shifts across timeframes, from 0.74 (3 years) to 0.85 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

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

Return for Risk

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZJG.TO

ZJG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 43
ZJG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
ZJG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
ZJG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 45
ZJG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
ZJG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 37

SGDJ

SGDJ Risk / Return Rank: 44
SGDJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
SGDJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
SGDJ Omega Ratio Rank: 45
SGDJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
SGDJ Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO) and Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ). 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.

	ZJG.TO	SGDJ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.59	1.76	-0.18
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.96	2.09	-0.13
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.29	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.29	2.57	-0.28
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.63	6.72	-1.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZJG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.59, which is comparable to the SGDJ Sharpe Ratio of 1.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZJG.TO and SGDJ, 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

	ZJG.TO	SGDJ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.59	1.76	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	0.55	+0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42	0.33	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.18	0.40	-0.23

Drawdowns

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZJG.TO drawdown since its inception was -81.59%, which is greater than SGDJ's maximum drawdown of -56.84%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZJG.TO and SGDJ.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZJG.TO	SGDJ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-81.59%	-56.84%	-24.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.02%	-32.13%	+0.11%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-32.02%	-32.13%	+0.11%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.63%	-48.86%	+7.23%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-48.58%	-56.84%	+8.26%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-27.16%	-23.89%	-3.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-49.08%	-24.49%	-24.59%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.03%	12.29%	+0.74%

Volatility

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Volatility Comparison

BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO) has a higher volatility of 15.98% compared to Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) at 12.89%. This indicates that ZJG.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGDJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZJG.TO	SGDJ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	15.98%	12.89%	+3.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	37.88%	38.60%	-0.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	46.27%	46.94%	-0.67%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.27%	37.46%	-1.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	37.99%	38.46%	-0.47%

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZJG.TO has a 0.61% expense ratio, which is higher than SGDJ's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZJG.TO vs. SGDJ - Dividend Comparison

ZJG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.11%, less than SGDJ's 8.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SGDJ Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF	8.18%	8.37%	6.55%	4.55%	2.46%	2.20%	1.97%	0.65%	0.00%	0.14%	1.77%	0.85%
ZJG.TO BMO Junior Gold Index ETF	0.11%	0.12%	0.68%	0.90%	0.83%	0.36%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZJG.TO and SGDJ in my portfolio?

ZJG.TO and SGDJ have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZJG.TO or SGDJ?

On fees, SGDJ is cheaper at 0.50% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZJG.TO or SGDJ?

SGDJ is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.61% for ZJG.TO.

What is the main difference between ZJG.TO and SGDJ?

ZJG.TO is categorized as Precious Metals, while SGDJ is Materials. ZJG.TO tracks Dow Jones North America Select Junior Gold Index, while SGDJ tracks Solactive Junior Gold Miners Custom Factors Index. They also come from different issuers: BMO and Sprott. Their fees differ too: 0.61% for ZJG.TO and 0.50% for SGDJ.