ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

ZUAG.TO (BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and VTHR (Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZUAG.TO is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, while VTHR is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, ZUAG.TO returned 4.00%/yr vs 23.59%/yr for VTHR. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ZUAG.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VTHR.

Performance

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZUAG.TO) and Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF (VTHR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZUAG.TO achieves a 1.81% return, which is significantly lower than VTHR's 13.01% return.

ZUAG.TO

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: 2.62%
• YTD: 1.81%
• 6M: -2.81%
• 1Y: 3.62%
• 3Y*: 4.00%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VTHR

• 1D: 0.59%
• 1M: 6.76%
• YTD: 13.01%
• 6M: 10.89%
• 1Y: 30.34%
• 3Y*: 23.59%
• 5Y*: 16.02%
• 10Y*: 15.88%

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

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ZUAG.TO BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF	1.81%	-0.80%	9.45%	365.73%
VTHR Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF	13.01%	11.62%	34.19%	18.52%

Correlation

The correlation between ZUAG.TO and VTHR is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.06
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2023	0.02

Return for Risk

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZUAG.TO

ZUAG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 16
ZUAG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
ZUAG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
ZUAG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 18
ZUAG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
ZUAG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 13

VTHR

VTHR Risk / Return Rank: 71
VTHR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
VTHR Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
VTHR Omega Ratio Rank: 70
VTHR Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
VTHR Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZUAG.TO) and Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF (VTHR). 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.

	ZUAG.TO	VTHR	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.50	2.53	-2.04
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.70	3.45	-2.74
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.47	-0.37
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.52	3.54	-3.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.92	13.45	-12.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZUAG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.50, which is lower than the VTHR Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZUAG.TO and VTHR, 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

	ZUAG.TO	VTHR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.50	2.53	-2.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.05	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.99	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.32	1.12	-0.79

Drawdowns

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZUAG.TO drawdown since its inception was -7.19%, smaller than the maximum VTHR drawdown of -28.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZUAG.TO and VTHR.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZUAG.TO	VTHR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-7.19%	-28.39%	+21.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.92%	-8.60%	+1.68%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.12%	-19.76%	+12.64%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-23.23%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-28.39%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.46%	0.00%	-4.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.95%	-3.51%	+0.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.95%	2.26%	+1.69%

Volatility

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZUAG.TO) is 1.59%, while Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF (VTHR) has a volatility of 2.75%. This indicates that ZUAG.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTHR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZUAG.TO	VTHR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.59%	2.75%	-1.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.20%	9.14%	-3.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.32%	12.04%	-4.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	196.30%	15.34%	+180.96%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	196.30%	16.03%	+180.27%

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Expense Ratio Comparison

ZUAG.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VTHR's 0.07% 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

ZUAG.TO vs. VTHR - Dividend Comparison

ZUAG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.66%, more than VTHR's 1.00% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VTHR Vanguard Russell 3000 ETF	1.00%	1.08%	1.19%	1.47%	1.52%	1.16%	1.37%	1.65%	1.89%	1.63%	1.82%	1.84%
ZUAG.TO BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF	2.66%	2.51%	2.09%	1.89%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ZUAG.TO and VTHR in my portfolio?

ZUAG.TO and VTHR have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ZUAG.TO or VTHR?

On fees, VTHR is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ZUAG.TO or VTHR?

VTHR is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for ZUAG.TO.

What is the main difference between ZUAG.TO and VTHR?

ZUAG.TO is categorized as Global Bonds, while VTHR is Large Cap Blend Equities. ZUAG.TO tracks Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, while VTHR tracks Russell 3000 Index. They also come from different issuers: BMO and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for ZUAG.TO and 0.07% for VTHR.