QDEFvsQLVETF Comparison
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Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) and Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF (QLV) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Technology, Finance and Healthcare. QDEF is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.4%, versus 0.09% for QLV. QDEF is up 12.53% year-to-date (YTD) with +$2M in YTD flows. QLV performs worse with 11.2% YTD performance, and +$4M 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.
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QDEF vs QLV performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/17/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QDEF QLV | -0.51%+0.02% | +4.98%+6.78% | +12.53%+11.20% | +16.25%+13.82% | +70.53%+56.22% | +82.75%+63.12% |
| Flows | QDEF QLV | -$4M-$2M | -$11M-$4M | +$2M+$4M | +$10M-$1M | +$16M-$96M | -$97M-$56M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QDEF QLV | +8.24%+7.88% | +9.91%+7.70% | +12.04%+10.41% | +13.97%+12.90% |
| Max drawdown | QDEF QLV | -2.46%-2.11% | -6.99%-6.16% | -14.47%-11.95% | -21.30%-18.21% |
| Max drawdown duration | QDEF QLV | 14d14d | 66d71d | 191d186d | 566d712d |
Trading data
QDEF | QLV | |
Last sale 9/18/2026 at 1:30 PM | $89.93 | $79.01 |
| Previous close 09/17/2026 | $90.46 | $79.50 |
| Consolidated volume 09/17/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of August 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/18/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $89.93 | $79.01 |
| 1D performance | -0.58% | -0.62% |
| AuM | $551.76 M | $164.93 M |
| E/R | 0.4% | 0.09% |
Characteristics
QDEF | QLV | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Northern Trust | Northern Trust |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index | Northern Trust Quality Low Volatility Index |
| N° of holdings | 133 | 117 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 14, 2012 | July 16, 2019 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
QDEF
USA
96.57%
Other
3.43%
QLV
USA
95.34%
Other
4.66%
Sectors
QDEF
Technology
39.07%
Finance
16.13%
Healthcare
10.34%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.59%
Other
24.86%
QLV
Technology
34.32%
Finance
14.09%
Healthcare
13.63%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.96%
Other
27.99%
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Diversification
QDEF
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
46.38%
QLV
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
41.82%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
QDEF
Apple, Inc.
8.26%
NVIDIA Corp.
6.35%
Broadcom Inc.
4.64%
Microsoft Corp.
4.02%
AbbVie, Inc.
3.01%
Johnson & Johnson
2.74%
Alphabet, Inc.
2.42%
Procter & Gamble Co.
2.33%
Cisco Systems, Inc.
2.25%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
2.09%
Philip Morris International, Inc.
2.06%
Alphabet, Inc.
1.96%
KLA Corp.
1.68%
Lam Research Corp.
1.35%
The TJX Cos., Inc.
1.21%
QLV
NVIDIA Corp.
5.92%
Microsoft Corp.
5.85%
Apple, Inc.
5.61%
Johnson & Johnson
4.27%
AbbVie, Inc.
2.42%
ExxonMobil Holdings Corp.
2.31%
Visa, Inc.
2.17%
Alphabet, Inc.
2.00%
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
1.88%
Broadcom Inc.
1.75%
Mastercard, Inc.
1.61%
Alphabet, Inc.
1.55%
Eli Lilly & Co.
1.52%
The Coca-Cola Co.
1.52%
Costco Wholesale Corp.
1.45%
Frequently asked questions about QDEF and QLV
How have the QDEF and QLV ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 17, 2026, QDEF is up 12.53% year-to-date (YTD), while QLV has returned 11.2%. That puts QDEF better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QDEF or QLV?
Year-to-date, the QDEF ETF saw +$2M in flows, compared to +$4M for QLV.
Which ETF is more volatile: QDEF or QLV?
Over the past year, QDEF had a volatility of 9.91%, while QLV experienced 7.7%.
Which ETF is bigger: QDEF or QLV?
As of September 17, 2026, QDEF holds $551.76 M in assets under management (AUM), while QLV manages $164.93 M.
What sectors do the QDEF and QLV ETFs invest in?
QDEF leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Meanwhile, QLV focuses on Technology, Finance and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the QDEF ETF and QLV ETF?
QDEF top holdings include Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Broadcom Inc.. QLV holds in its top three: NVIDIA Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Apple, Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: QDEF or QLV?
QDEF holds 134 securities with 46.38% of its assets in the top 15. QLV has 118 securities and a top 15 weight of 41.82%.
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Latest news about QDEF & QLV
Dan Philips on a Quality Low Volatility Approach
May 30, 2023
QLV
Michael Natale with FlexShares
August 2, 2022
QLV
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