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QDEFvsQLVETF Comparison
FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund ETF
FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund ETF
FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund ETF (QDEF) and FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund ETF (QLV) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Information Technology, Health Care and Financials. QDEF is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.38%, versus 0.09% for QLV. QDEF is up 0.48% year-to-date (YTD) with +$4M in YTD flows. QLV performs better with 2.54% YTD performance, and +$2M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of QDEF and QLV 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 QLV performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QDEF QLV | -1.75%-1.22% | +0.32%+2.24% | +0.48%+2.54% | +19.16%+14.89% | +71.29%+58.43% | +80.66%+72.20% |
| Flows | QDEF QLV | +$2M+$2M | +$4M+$4M | +$4M+$2M | +$26M+$5M | -$6M-$90M | -$181M-$56M |
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QDEF QLV | +9.47%+6.41% | +14.78%+12.52% | +12.11%+10.58% | +13.98%+13.06% |
| Max drawdown | QDEF QLV | -3.51%-1.98% | -11.62%-9.90% | -14.47%-11.95% | -21.30%-18.21% |
| Max drawdown duration | QDEF QLV | 31d9d | 46d48d | 191d186d | 566d712d |
QDEF | QLV | |
Last sale 3/13/2026 at 1:30 PM | $80.72 | $73.15 |
| Previous close 03/12/2026 | $81.33 | $73.42 |
| Consolidated volume 03/12/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Create an account to view replication metrics
QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $80.72 | $73.15 |
| 1D performance | -0.75% | -0.37% |
| AuM | $497.91 M | $149.53 M |
| E/R | 0.38% | 0.09% |
QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | FlexShares | FlexShares |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index | Northern Trust Quality Low Volatility Index |
| N° of holdings | 123 | 107 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 14, 2012 | July 16, 2019 |
| 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 QLV ETFs performed in 2026?
As of March 12, 2026, QDEF is up 0.48% year-to-date (YTD), while QLV has returned 2.54%. That puts QLV better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QDEF or QLV?
Year-to-date, the QDEF ETF saw +$4M in flows, compared to +$2M for QLV.
Which ETF is more volatile: QDEF or QLV?
Over the past year, QDEF had a volatility of 14.78%, while QLV experienced 12.52%.
Which ETF is bigger: QDEF or QLV?
As of March 12, 2026, QDEF holds $497.91 M in assets under management (AUM), while QLV manages $149.53 M.
What sectors do the QDEF and QLV ETFs invest in?
QDEF leans toward sectors like Information Technology, Health Care and Financials. Meanwhile, QLV focuses on Information Technology, Health Care and Financials.
What are the top holdings of the QDEF ETF and QLV ETF?
QDEF top holdings include APPLE, NVIDIA and BROADCOM LIMITED. QLV holds in its top three: NVIDIA, MICROSOFT-T and APPLE.
Which ETF is more diversified: QDEF or QLV?
QDEF holds 124 securities with 45.64% of its assets in the top 15. QLV has 108 securities and a top 15 weight of 42.1%.
Dan Philips on a Quality Low Volatility Approach
Michael Natale with FlexShares
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