ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWG.TO) and Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (UMAX.TO).

ZWG.TO and UMAX.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ZWG.TO is an actively managed fund by BMO. It was launched on Jan 15, 2020. UMAX.TO is an actively managed fund by Hamilton Capital. It was launched on Jun 14, 2023.

Performance

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWG.TO) and Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (UMAX.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ZWG.TO BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF	2.31%	7.31%	21.47%	5.40%
UMAX.TO Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF	5.96%	9.95%	5.97%	0.81%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ZWG.TO achieves a 2.31% return, which is significantly lower than UMAX.TO's 5.96% return.

ZWG.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: -2.31%
• YTD: 2.31%
• 6M: 2.76%
• 1Y: 9.27%
• 3Y*: 12.43%
• 5Y*: 8.95%
• 10Y*: —

UMAX.TO

• 1D: -0.11%
• 1M: -1.83%
• YTD: 5.96%
• 6M: 6.48%
• 1Y: 12.59%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both ZWG.TO and UMAX.TO have an expense ratio of 0.65%.

ZWG.TO

BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF

UMAX.TO

Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF

Return for Risk

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

ZWG.TO

ZWG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 28
ZWG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
ZWG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
ZWG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 30
ZWG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
ZWG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 28

UMAX.TO

UMAX.TO Risk / Return Rank: 80
UMAX.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
UMAX.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
UMAX.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 80
UMAX.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
UMAX.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWG.TO) and Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (UMAX.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.

	ZWG.TO	UMAX.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.61	1.63	-1.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.91	2.26	-1.35
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.13	1.32	-0.19
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.69	1.98	-1.29
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.55	9.14	-6.60
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ZWG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.61, which is lower than the UMAX.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ZWG.TO and UMAX.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ZWG.TO	UMAX.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.61	1.63	-1.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	0.95	-0.48

Correlation

The correlation between ZWG.TO and UMAX.TO is 0.41, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Dividend Comparison

ZWG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.32%, less than UMAX.TO's 14.26% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
ZWG.TO BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF	6.32%	6.41%	6.48%	7.42%	7.23%	6.40%	6.09%
UMAX.TO Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF	14.26%	14.86%	14.81%	6.96%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ZWG.TO drawdown since its inception was -25.55%, which is greater than UMAX.TO's maximum drawdown of -10.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZWG.TO and UMAX.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ZWG.TO	UMAX.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.55%	-10.09%	-15.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.36%	-6.23%	-6.13%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.62%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.30%	-1.83%	-1.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.52%	-2.05%	-1.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.33%	1.35%	+1.98%

Volatility

ZWG.TO vs. UMAX.TO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF (ZWG.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.89% compared to Hamilton Utilities YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (UMAX.TO) at 2.12%. This indicates that ZWG.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than UMAX.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ZWG.TO	UMAX.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.89%	2.12%	+1.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.40%	4.70%	+3.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.23%	7.74%	+7.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.61%	8.66%	+2.95%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	49.05%	8.66%	+40.39%