ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ZLC.TO (BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF) and ZTL.NEO (BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZLC.TO is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the FTSE Canada Long Term Corporate Bond Index, while ZTL.NEO is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ZLC.TO returned 0.95%/yr vs -3.68%/yr for ZTL.NEO. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ZLC.TO charges 0.33%/yr vs 0.23%/yr for ZTL.NEO.

Performance

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZLC.TO) and BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (ZTL.NEO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZLC.TO achieves a 2.51% return, which is significantly higher than ZTL.NEO's 0.92% return.

ZLC.TO

• 1D: -0.20%
• 1M: 2.72%
• YTD: 2.51%
• 6M: 1.64%
• 1Y: 4.27%
• 3Y*: 5.50%
• 5Y*: 0.95%
• 10Y*: 2.60%

ZTL.NEO

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: 2.87%
• YTD: 0.92%
• 6M: -2.41%
• 1Y: 6.43%
• 3Y*: -0.65%
• 5Y*: -3.68%
• 10Y*: —

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

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ZLC.TO BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF	2.51%	2.38%	4.69%	11.50%	-18.31%	-3.20%	9.51%	14.51%	-1.66%	8.06%
ZTL.NEO BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF	0.92%	-0.43%	-0.21%	0.46%	-26.25%	-5.72%	14.95%	8.69%	6.67%	2.82%

Correlation

The correlation between ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO is 0.59, 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	0.59
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2017	0.59

The correlation between ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (1 year) to 0.71 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZLC.TO

ZLC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 19
ZLC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
ZLC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
ZLC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 18
ZLC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
ZLC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 19

ZTL.NEO

ZTL.NEO Risk / Return Rank: 19
ZTL.NEO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
ZTL.NEO Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
ZTL.NEO Omega Ratio Rank: 20
ZTL.NEO Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
ZTL.NEO Martin Ratio Rank: 17

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.

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZLC.TO) and BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (ZTL.NEO). 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.

	ZLC.TO	ZTL.NEO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.59	0.67	-0.07
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.86	1.04	-0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.12	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.92	0.72	+0.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.15	1.59	+0.57
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZLC.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.59, which is comparable to the ZTL.NEO Sharpe Ratio of 0.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO, 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

	ZLC.TO	ZTL.NEO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.59	0.67	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.09	-0.23	+0.31
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.24	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	-0.03	+0.50

Drawdowns

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZLC.TO drawdown since its inception was -28.61%, smaller than the maximum ZTL.NEO drawdown of -49.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZLC.TO	ZTL.NEO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.61%	-49.55%	+20.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.64%	-9.01%	+4.37%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.67%	-16.37%	+6.70%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.86%	-39.89%	+15.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.61%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.27%	-41.05%	+36.78%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.99%	-23.75%	+17.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.99%	4.06%	-2.07%

Volatility

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZLC.TO) is 2.34%, while BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (ZTL.NEO) has a volatility of 2.82%. This indicates that ZLC.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZTL.NEO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZLC.TO	ZTL.NEO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.34%	2.82%	-0.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.55%	6.71%	-1.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.24%	9.70%	-2.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.05%	16.29%	-5.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.87%	15.83%	-4.96%

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZLC.TO has a 0.33% expense ratio, which is higher than ZTL.NEO's 0.23% expense ratio.

Dividends

ZLC.TO vs. ZTL.NEO - Dividend Comparison

ZLC.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.56%, more than ZTL.NEO's 3.17% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ZLC.TO BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF	4.56%	4.75%	4.70%	5.01%	5.30%	4.12%	3.82%	4.02%	4.26%	4.01%	4.33%	4.53%
ZTL.NEO BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF	3.17%	3.15%	3.07%	3.55%	3.44%	2.46%	2.26%	2.55%	2.75%	2.82%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO in my portfolio?

ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO have a correlation of 0.59, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZLC.TO or ZTL.NEO?

On fees, ZTL.NEO is cheaper at 0.23% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZLC.TO or ZTL.NEO?

ZTL.NEO is cheaper with a 0.23% expense ratio, compared with 0.33% for ZLC.TO.

What is the main difference between ZLC.TO and ZTL.NEO?

ZLC.TO is categorized as Long-Term Bond, while ZTL.NEO is Government Bonds. ZLC.TO tracks FTSE Canada Long Term Corporate Bond Index, while ZTL.NEO tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Index. Their fees differ too: 0.33% for ZLC.TO and 0.23% for ZTL.NEO.