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QDEFvsQDFETF Comparison
FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund ETF
FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund ETF (QDEF) and FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund ETF (QDF) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. QDEF's top 3 sector exposures are Information Technology, Health Care and Financials. In contrast, QDF's top sector exposures are Information Technology, Financials and Health Care. Both QDEF and QDF have the same Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%. QDEF is up 1.47% year-to-date (YTD) with +$4M in YTD flows. QDF performs worse with 0.82% YTD performance, and -$12M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of QDEF and QDF below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
QDEF vs QDF performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QDEF QDF | -2.47%-2.83% | +0.30%-0.64% | +1.47%+0.82% | +19.90%+21.50% | +72.98%+66.95% | +83.19%+73.05% |
| Flows | QDEF QDF | +$2M-$4M | +$4M-$86K | +$4M-$12M | +$26M-$66M | -$6M-$214M | -$181M-$203M |
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QDEF QDF | +9.48%+11.74% | +14.75%+17.66% | +12.10%+14.21% | +13.98%+15.69% |
| Max drawdown | QDEF QDF | -2.56%-3.05% | -11.62%-13.88% | -14.47%-18.14% | -21.30%-22.14% |
| Max drawdown duration | QDEF QDF | 30d14d | 46d46d | 191d128d | 566d560d |
QDEF | QDF | |
Last sale 3/12/2026 at 1:30 PM | $81.33 | $80.15 |
| Previous close 03/11/2026 | $82.13 | $81.45 |
| Consolidated volume 03/11/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
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QDEF | QDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
QDEF | QDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $81.33 | $80.15 |
| 1D performance | -0.97% | -1.60% |
| AuM | $502.84 M | $2.03 B |
| E/R | 0.38% | 0.38% |
QDEF | QDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | FlexShares | FlexShares |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Index |
| N° of holdings | 123 | 116 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 14, 2012 | December 14, 2012 |
| ESG | No | No |
Countries
Sectors
Diversification
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
Top 15 holdings
How have the QDEF and QDF ETFs performed in 2026?
As of March 11, 2026, QDEF is up 1.47% year-to-date (YTD), while QDF has returned 0.82%. That puts QDEF better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QDEF or QDF?
Year-to-date, the QDEF ETF saw +$4M in flows, compared to -$12M for QDF.
Which ETF is more volatile: QDEF or QDF?
Over the past year, QDEF had a volatility of 14.75%, while QDF experienced 17.66%.
Which ETF is bigger: QDEF or QDF?
As of March 11, 2026, QDEF holds $502.84 M in assets under management (AUM), while QDF manages $2.03 B.
What sectors do the QDEF and QDF ETFs invest in?
QDEF leans toward sectors like Information Technology, Health Care and Financials. Meanwhile, QDF focuses on Information Technology, Financials and Health Care.
What are the top holdings of the QDEF ETF and QDF ETF?
QDEF top holdings include APPLE, NVIDIA and BROADCOM LIMITED. QDF holds in its top three: APPLE, NVIDIA and MICROSOFT-T.
Which ETF is more diversified: QDEF or QDF?
QDEF holds 124 securities with 45.64% of its assets in the top 15. QDF has 118 securities and a top 15 weight of 46.78%.
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