HUTL.TO Review: Harvest Equal Weight Global Utilities Income ETF - Canada
Harvest Equal Weight Global Utilities Income ETF - Canada (HUTL.TO) is a sector based fund - utilities listed on the TSX. Below is our independent review using the Dependable Income Investing 13-factor scoring system, covering Fund Attributes, Risk, and Return — designed specifically for income-focused investors.
Fund Attributes 20% of overall score
Fund Attributes cover the foundational characteristics of HUTL.TO: cost, company backing, track record, and size. These factors reflect the fund's stability and cost-efficiency.
Expense Ratio (25%)
Management expense ratio (MER) is 0.64% per the ETF Facts document dated April 22 2026 - separate from the 0.50% management fee shown on the product page.
Fund Company Size (5%)
Harvest Portfolios Group is described in an August 12 2026 press release as managing over $13 billion in assets for Canadian investors.
Fund History (40%)
Inception date was January 15 2019 - fund is about 7.6 years old as of the review date.
Fund AUM (30%)
Net AUM is $558.97 million as at 2026/08/14 per the fund's Key Facts.
Risk 35% of overall score
Risk factors evaluate how HUTL.TO manages volatility, diversification, and the nature of its underlying assets. These are critical for income investors who prioritise capital preservation.
Volatility
Lower volatility may indicate more stability — important for investors living off their income.
Beta vs SPY is 0.43 over the period 2019-02-01 to 2026-08-15 (calculation result) - low market sensitivity. Standalone volatility is 13.89% annualized (weekly total returns) - low-to-moderate price choppiness. Beta score (5) and standalone volatility score (4) are within 1 point so the beta score is used as the primary driver per the combination rule.
Sector Diversification
Holding across more sectors reduces the impact of any single industry downturn.
Geographic Diversification
Exposure across geographies can reduce risk from any single country's economic conditions.
Fund Risk
The fund's overall risk profile, based on self-reported classifications where available.
Underlying Assets
What the fund actually holds — stocks, bonds, synthetics, or other funds — affects risk profile significantly.
See our full Risk analysis for HUTL.TO — including analyst notes on volatility, diversification, and underlying assets.
View Plans →Return 45% of overall score
Return factors assess the income generation quality of HUTL.TO: current yield, distribution consistency, price history, and payment frequency. This is the most heavily weighted category for income investors.
Yield
The current dividend yield, reflecting the annual income generated relative to fund price.
Yield Stability
How consistent the distribution amounts have been over time — critical for income investors who budget around payments.
Capital History
The fund's track record of price appreciation or depreciation, reflecting total return alongside income.
Distribution Frequency
How often the fund pays distributions — monthly payments are generally preferred by income investors.
Distribution history confirms one payment per month every month since inception - monthly.
See our full Return analysis for HUTL.TO — yield rating, distribution consistency score, and capital history.
View Plans →Our Review Methodology
Every fund reviewed on Dependable Income Investing is scored using our 13-factor Fund Report Card, organised into three weighted categories: Fund Attributes (20%), Risk (35%), and Return (45%). Each criterion is rated 1–5 by our analysts based on publicly available fund data.
We also calculate a Dependability Score — a weighted composite of six income-specific factors ranked by importance for retirement income investors: Yield Stability, Yield, Volatility, Capital History, Fund Risk, and Underlying Assets. This score is designed to answer the question income investors care about most: can I depend on this fund to pay me reliably?
Full scores, ratings, and analyst notes are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
See our full scoring methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions About HUTL.TO
What is HUTL.TO's expense ratio?
Management expense ratio (MER) is 0.64% per the ETF Facts document dated April 22 2026 - separate from the 0.50% management fee shown on the product page.
How long has HUTL.TO been trading?
Inception date was January 15 2019 - fund is about 7.6 years old as of the review date.
How large is HUTL.TO by assets under management?
Net AUM is $558.97 million as at 2026/08/14 per the fund's Key Facts.
Who manages HUTL.TO?
Harvest Portfolios Group is described in an August 12 2026 press release as managing over $13 billion in assets for Canadian investors.
Where can I see the full HUTL.TO review?
The complete 13-factor review — including all Risk and Return scores, analyst notes, and your Dependability Score — is available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Does HUTL.TO pay monthly dividends?
Distribution history confirms one payment per month every month since inception - monthly. Full distribution history and yield stability score are available in the Dependable Income Investing app.
Is HUTL.TO a high-volatility fund?
Beta vs SPY is 0.43 over the period 2019-02-01 to 2026-08-15 (calculation result) - low market sensitivity. Standalone volatility is 13.89% annualized (weekly total returns) - low-to-moderate price choppiness. Beta score (5) and standalone volatility score (4) are within 1 point so the beta score is used as the primary driver per the combination rule. See the full volatility score and risk analysis in the Dependable Income Investing app.
How often does HUTL.TO pay distributions?
Distribution history confirms one payment per month every month since inception - monthly. Distribution consistency and yield stability ratings are available in the app.
Also Compare HUTL.TO
See the Full HUTL.TO Review
The Dependable Income Investing app gives you the complete picture: all 13 scoring factors, analyst notes, Dependability Score, and tools to compare HUTL.TO against other income funds side by side.
View Plans →Also available: free fund comparison tools in the app.