Question 1

What is CDEF?

Accepted Answer

CDEF — Manulife Smart Defensive Equity ETF — is a Canadian-listed ETF trading on the TSX. NA

Question 2

What is the CDEF ETF price today?

Accepted Answer

CDEF last traded at $14.58 CAD on the TSX. See the price chart above for recent performance.

Question 3

What is the CDEF MER (management expense ratio)?

Accepted Answer

CDEF has a management expense ratio (MER) of 0% per year. This fee is automatically deducted from the fund's assets, so you never pay it directly — but it does reduce your net returns over time. At 0%, CDEF is considered a low-cost ETF.

Question 4

What are CDEF annualised returns?

Accepted Answer

CDEF historical returns: YTD: +9.05%, 1-year: +15.79%, 3-year annualised: +20.07%. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. The 3-year Sharpe ratio is 1.88, which measures risk-adjusted return.

Question 5

Does CDEF pay dividends or distributions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, CDEF distributes income to unitholders. The current distribution yield is approximately 2.39%, paid half-yearly. Distributions may include dividends, interest, capital gains, or return of capital depending on the fund's holdings. In a TFSA or RRSP, distributions are sheltered from tax.

Question 6

What does CDEF invest in?

Accepted Answer

CDEF's top holdings include Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS, 2.8%), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD, 2.7%), Great-West Lifeco Inc. (GWO, 2.7%), Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF, 2.6%), Royal Bank of Canada (RY, 2.6%) — and 5 more positions. See the full Top 10 Holdings table above for a complete breakdown. The fund tracks the Morningstar Canada GR CAD.

Question 7

What sectors does CDEF invest in?

Accepted Answer

CDEF's largest sector exposures are Financial Services (29.2%), Energy (15.0%), Industrials (13.8%). The full sector breakdown is shown in the Sector Weights table on this page.

Question 8

How large is CDEF? (Assets under management)

Accepted Answer

CDEF has approximately $4M in assets under management (AUM). Larger AUM generally means better liquidity, tighter bid-ask spreads, and a lower risk of the fund being wound down.

Question 9

When was CDEF launched?

Accepted Answer

CDEF was launched on November 8, 2021, giving it a 5-year track record. A longer history makes it easier to evaluate how the ETF performs across different market cycles.

Question 10

How do I buy CDEF in Canada?

Accepted Answer

CDEF trades on the TSX under the ticker CDEF. You can buy it through any Canadian brokerage, including Wealthsimple Trade (commission-free), Questrade, TD Direct Investing, RBC Direct, and CIBC Investor's Edge. It can be held in a TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, or taxable account.

Question 11

How risky is CDEF?

Accepted Answer

CDEF has a 1-year volatility of 9.87% and a beta of 0.66 (less volatile than the broad market). Its 3-year Sharpe ratio of 1.88 indicates solid risk-adjusted returns. As with all market-linked investments, past volatility does not predict future risk.

Date	Open	High	Low	Close	Adj Close	Volume
2026-09-29	$14.58	$14.58	$14.58	$14.58	$14.58	200
2026-09-16	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	1,050
2026-09-04	$14.88	$14.88	$14.88	$14.88	$14.88	0
2026-09-02	$14.91	$14.91	$14.91	$14.91	$14.91	100
2026-08-28	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	$15.07	650
2026-08-27	$14.97	$14.97	$14.97	$14.97	$14.97	1,328
2026-08-19	$15.11	$15.11	$15.10	$15.10	$15.10	661
2026-08-13	$15.13	$15.13	$15.13	$15.13	$15.13	343
2026-08-12	$15.06	$15.06	$15.06	$15.06	$15.06	2,001
2026-08-10	$15.05	$15.05	$15.05	$15.05	$15.05	200

#	Ticker	Name	Weight
1	BNS	Bank of Nova Scotia	2.76%
2	TD	Toronto Dominion Bank	2.69%
3	GWO	Great-West Lifeco Inc.	2.69%
4	SLF	Sun Life Financial Inc.	2.62%
5	RY	Royal Bank of Canada	2.61%
6	CM	Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce	2.60%
7	IFC	Intact Financial Corporation	2.58%
8	BMO	Bank of Montreal	2.56%
9	CP	Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd	2.54%
10	IMO	Imperial Oil Ltd	2.53%

Sector	Weight
Financial Services	29.16%
Energy	15.02%
Industrials	13.75%
Basic Materials	10.69%
Utilities	7.84%
Consumer Defensive	7.37%
Communication Services	5.88%
Consumer Cyclicals	4.92%
Technology	3.00%
Real Estate	2.38%
Healthcare	0.00%

Ticker	Name	Price	1D
CCOU		$17.59	+11.61%
CCHI	Ninepoint Cameco HighShares ETF	$10.09	+6.21%
CCOE	Harvest Cameco Enhanced High Income Shares ETF	$12.21	+6.08%
AMDU		$29.55	+5.54%
ABXU		$26.45	+5.09%
SHPU		$13.21	+4.76%
PLTU		$37.16	+4.09%
HURA	Global X Uranium Index ETF	$48.51	+3.88%

CIBC Investor's Edge

Manulife Smart Defensive Equity ETF (CDEF : TSX)

Price Chart (30 Days)

Key Statistics

Recent Price History

Annualised Returns

Top 10 Holdings

Sector Weights

About Manulife Smart Defensive Equity ETF

ETF Details

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Frequently Asked Questions — CDEF