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iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio (XGRO) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF) offer distinct profiles for Canadian ETF investors. A direct comparison shows that XGRO focuses its top 3 sector exposures on Finance, Technology, and Industrials, while XEF leans towards Finance, Industrials, and Technology. When evaluating costs, XGRO features a management fee (MER) of 0.18%, compared to 0.2% for XEF. Performance-wise, XGRO has returned 10.99% year-to-date with +$714 M in net flows, whereas XEF is at 12.89% with +$5 B. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
XGRO
XEF
| AuM | $5,146.83 M | $23,577.39 M |
| Management Fees | 0.18% | 0.20% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.19% | 0.22% |
| Tracking Difference | - | -0.14% |
Historical performance and flows
As of September 15, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | XGRO | -2.06% | -0.28% | +10.99% | +14.95% | +63.85% |
XEF | -2.67% | +0.13% | +12.89% | +16.93% | +65.84% | |
| Flows | XGRO | +$80 M | +$250 M | +$714 M | +$913 M | +$2,122 M |
XEF | +$574 M | +$1,772 M | +$5,110 M | +$6,869 M | +$11,876 M |
XGRO vs XEF exposure
Countries
XGRO
USA
39.50%
Canada
34.42%
Other
26.09%
XEF
Japan
24.79%
United Kingdom
13.81%
Switzerland
9.26%
France
8.14%
Germany
8.12%
Australia
7.05%
Other
28.83%
Sectors
XGRO
Finance
24.60%
Technology
19.90%
Industrials
8.88%
Other
46.62%
XEF
Finance
27.43%
Industrials
16.38%
Technology
11.80%
Healthcare
9.36%
Consumer Non-Cyclicals
8.07%
Non-Energy Materials
7.48%
Other
19.48%
As of September 15, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
XGRO
Apple, Inc.
2.44%
NVIDIA Corp.
2.35%
Microsoft Corp.
1.67%
Royal Bank of Canada
1.61%
Amazon.com, Inc.
1.15%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
1.10%
Alphabet, Inc.
0.97%
Broadcom Inc.
0.91%
Shopify, Inc.
0.82%
Alphabet, Inc.
0.79%
XEF
ASML Holding NV
2.51%
HSBC Holdings Plc
1.43%
Roche Holding AG
1.20%
Novartis AG
1.12%
Nestlé SA
1.02%
AstraZeneca PLC
1.01%
Shell Plc
0.98%
Siemens AG
0.94%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
0.92%
BHP Group Ltd.
0.82%
Diversification
XGRO
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 21,952 total
13.80%
XEF
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 2,648 total
11.94%
Characteristics
Compare
XGRO
XEF
| Provider | iShares | iShares |
| Management | Actively managed | Passively managed |
| Benchmark | - | MSCI EAFE IMI Net Total Return Index - CAD |
| Replication Method | ||
| Asset Class | Equity, Fixed Income | Equity |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 1.90% | 2.35% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | No |
| Inception Date | June 21, 2007 | April 10, 2013 |
Frequently asked questions about XGRO and XEF
Which ETF has performed better year to date: XGRO or XEF?
As of September 15, 2026, XGRO has returned 10.99% year to date, while XEF has returned 12.89%. XEF is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: XGRO or XEF?
As of September 15, 2026, XGRO manages $5.15 B in assets, while XEF manages $23.58 B. XEF is the larger fund by AUM.
How are XGRO and XEF managed?
XGRO is actively managed by iShares. It does not track an index. XEF is passively managed by iShares. It tracks the MSCI EAFE IMI Net Total Return Index - CAD benchmark.
What sectors do XGRO and XEF emphasize?
XGRO is most exposed to Finance, Technology, and Industrials. XEF is most exposed to Finance, Industrials, and Technology.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: XGRO or XEF?
Year to date, XGRO has seen +$713.80 M in net flows, compared with +$5,109.84 M for XEF. XEF has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of XGRO and XEF compare?
XGRO has an expense ratio of 0.19%, while XEF has an expense ratio of 0.22%.
What are the top holdings of XGRO and XEF?
XGRO's largest holdings include Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp., and Alphabet, Inc.. XEF's top holdings include ASML Holding NV, HSBC Holdings Plc, and Roche Holding AG.
Which ETF is more diversified: XGRO or XEF?
XGRO holds 21822 securities, while XEF holds 2636. On holdings count, XGRO is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about XGRO and XEF
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