LQDvsQLTAETF Comparison
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iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) belongs to the Intl IG Bonds segment. iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF (QLTA) is part of the US Corporate IG Bonds segment. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Finance, Technology and Healthcare. LQD is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.14%, versus 0.15% for QLTA. LQD is down -3.59% year-to-date (YTD) with +$1.16B in YTD flows. QLTA performs better with -2.7% YTD performance, and -$466M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of LQD and QLTA below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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LQD vs QLTA performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/14/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | LQD QLTA | -1.18%-0.79% | -2.96%-2.32% | -3.59%-2.70% | -4.00%-2.82% | +16.62%+15.18% | -5.83%-3.69% |
| Flows | LQD QLTA | +$1.31B+$2M | -$5.10B-$80M | +$1.16B-$466M | +$173M-$401M | -$154M+$255M | -$1.06B+$274M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | LQD QLTA | +5.64%+4.61% | +5.23%+4.32% | +6.71%+5.39% | +8.16%+6.64% |
| Max drawdown | LQD QLTA | -4.18%-3.46% | -6.00%-4.95% | -6.22%-5.16% | -24.70%-21.03% |
| Max drawdown duration | LQD QLTA | 87d87d | 227d227d | 318d284d | 1800d1800d |
Trading data
LQD | QLTA | |
Last sale 10/15/2026 at 1:30 PM | $103.50 | $45.53 |
| Previous close 10/14/2026 | $102.66 | $45.22 |
| Consolidated volume 10/14/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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LQD | QLTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/15/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
LQD | QLTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $103.50 | $45.53 |
| 1D performance | +0.82% | +0.69% |
| AuM | $28.94 B | $1.17 B |
| E/R | 0.14% | 0.15% |
Characteristics
LQD | QLTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | iShares | iShares |
| Benchmark | Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index | Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Aaa-A Capped Index |
| N° of holdings | 3089 | 3452 |
| Asset class | Bonds | Bonds |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | July 22, 2002 | February 14, 2012 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
LQD
USA
85.26%
Other
14.74%
QLTA
USA
82.13%
Other
17.87%
Sectors
LQD
Finance
32.42%
Technology
13.63%
Healthcare
10.13%
Energy
7.98%
Telecommunication.
7.88%
Other
27.97%
QLTA
Finance
42.12%
Technology
11.26%
Healthcare
10.27%
Utilities
7.67%
Other
28.67%
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Diversification
LQD
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
3.21%
QLTA
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
2.7%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
LQD
BlackRock Cash Funds - Treasury
1.04%
Anheuser-Busch, 4.9% 1feb2046, USD
0.18%
CVS Health, 5.05% 25mar2048, USD
0.18%
Space Exploration Technologies, 5.35% 15jul2031, USD
0.17%
T-Mobile USA, 3.875% 15apr2030, USD
0.17%
Meta Platforms, 4.875% 15nov2035, USD
0.16%
US161175CU68
0.15%
US161175CV42
0.15%
Amazon.com, 4.875% 13mar2036, USD
0.15%
Goldman Sachs, 6.75% 1oct2037, USD
0.14%
Meta Platforms, 5.25% 15may2036, USD
0.14%
Space Exploration Technologies, 5.65% 15jul2033, USD
0.14%
Pfizer, 5.3% 19may2053, USD
0.14%
Meta Platforms, 6.3% 15may2056, USD
0.14%
Amazon.com, 4.8% 9jul2031, USD
0.14%
QLTA
BlackRock Cash Funds - Treasury
0.44%
Broadcom Inc, 3.137% 15nov2035, USD
0.21%
Meta Platforms, 4.875% 15nov2035, USD
0.21%
Anheuser-Busch, 4.9% 1feb2046, USD
0.20%
Broadcom Inc, 4.9% 15jul2032, USD
0.19%
Amazon.com, 4.875% 13mar2036, USD
0.16%
Meta Platforms, 6.3% 15may2056, USD
0.16%
Pfizer, 5.3% 19may2053, USD
0.15%
Meta Platforms, 5.625% 15nov2055, USD
0.15%
Amazon.com, 5.8% 13mar2056, USD
0.15%
Anheuser-Busch, 4.7% 1feb2036, USD
0.15%
AbbVie, 3.2% 21nov2029, USD
0.14%
NVIDIA, 4.95% 15jun2036, USD
0.14%
Wells Fargo, 5.013% 4apr2051, USD (U)
0.13%
Pfizer, 4.75% 19may2033, USD
0.13%
Frequently asked questions about LQD and QLTA
How have the LQD and QLTA ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 14, 2026, LQD is down -3.59% year-to-date (YTD), while QLTA has lost -2.7%. That puts QLTA better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: LQD or QLTA?
Year-to-date, the LQD ETF saw +$1.16B in flows, compared to -$466M for QLTA.
Which ETF is more volatile: LQD or QLTA?
Over the past year, LQD had a volatility of 5.23%, while QLTA experienced 4.32%.
Which ETF is bigger: LQD or QLTA?
As of October 14, 2026, LQD holds $28.94 B in assets under management (AUM), while QLTA manages $1.17 B.
What sectors do the LQD and QLTA ETFs invest in?
LQD leans toward sectors like Finance, Technology and Healthcare. Meanwhile, QLTA focuses on Finance, Technology and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the LQD ETF and QLTA ETF?
LQD top holdings include BlackRock Cash Funds - Treasury, Anheuser-Busch, 4.9% 1feb2046, USD and CVS Health, 5.05% 25mar2048, USD. QLTA holds in its top three: BlackRock Cash Funds - Treasury, Broadcom Inc, 3.137% 15nov2035, USD and Meta Platforms, 4.875% 15nov2035, USD.
Which ETF is more diversified: LQD or QLTA?
LQD holds 3138 securities with 3.21% of its assets in the top 15. QLTA has 3509 securities and a top 15 weight of 2.7%.
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Latest news about LQD & QLTA
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