QDFvsQDEFETF Comparison
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Northern Trust Quality Dividend ETF (QDF) and Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. QDF's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Industrials. In contrast, QDEF's top sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Both QDF and QDEF have the same Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.4%. QDF is up 13.27% year-to-date (YTD) with -$71M in YTD flows. QDEF performs worse with 12.53% YTD performance, and +$2M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of QDF and QDEF 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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QDF vs QDEF performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/17/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QDF QDEF | -2.05%-0.51% | +2.69%+4.98% | +13.27%+12.53% | +17.71%+16.25% | +66.61%+70.53% | +75.81%+82.75% |
| Flows | QDF QDEF | -$11M-$4M | -$22M-$11M | -$71M+$2M | -$64M+$10M | -$228M+$16M | -$257M-$97M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QDF QDEF | +10.19%+8.24% | +12.18%+9.91% | +14.25%+12.04% | +15.83%+13.97% |
| Max drawdown | QDF QDEF | -3.54%-2.46% | -7.83%-6.99% | -18.14%-14.47% | -22.14%-21.30% |
| Max drawdown duration | QDF QDEF | 35d14d | 50d66d | 128d191d | 560d566d |
Trading data
QDF | QDEF | |
Last sale 9/18/2026 at 1:30 PM | $90.56 | $89.93 |
| Previous close 09/17/2026 | $90.98 | $90.46 |
| 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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QDF | QDEF | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
QDF | QDEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $90.56 | $89.93 |
| 1D performance | -0.46% | -0.59% |
| AuM | $2.20 B | $551.76 M |
| E/R | 0.4% | 0.4% |
Characteristics
QDF | QDEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Northern Trust | Northern Trust |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Index | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index |
| N° of holdings | 114 | 133 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 14, 2012 | December 14, 2012 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
QDF
USA
96.52%
Other
3.48%
QDEF
USA
96.57%
Other
3.43%
Sectors
QDF
Technology
40.69%
Finance
20.5%
Industrials
9.91%
Healthcare
9%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
7.22%
Other
12.69%
QDEF
Technology
39.07%
Finance
16.13%
Healthcare
10.34%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.59%
Other
24.86%
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Diversification
QDF
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
49.14%
QDEF
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
46.38%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
QDF
Apple, Inc.
8.59%
NVIDIA Corp.
6.27%
Broadcom Inc.
3.97%
Microsoft Corp.
3.93%
Cisco Systems, Inc.
2.93%
AbbVie, Inc.
2.91%
Johnson & Johnson
2.79%
GE Aerospace
2.59%
Lam Research Corp.
2.54%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
2.53%
Alphabet, Inc.
2.38%
Procter & Gamble Co.
2.26%
Alphabet, Inc.
1.93%
Philip Morris International, Inc.
1.88%
KLA Corp.
1.63%
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%
Frequently asked questions about QDF and QDEF
How have the QDF and QDEF ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 17, 2026, QDF is up 13.27% year-to-date (YTD), while QDEF has returned 12.53%. That puts QDF better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QDF or QDEF?
Year-to-date, the QDF ETF saw -$71M in flows, compared to +$2M for QDEF.
Which ETF is more volatile: QDF or QDEF?
Over the past year, QDF had a volatility of 12.18%, while QDEF experienced 9.91%.
Which ETF is bigger: QDF or QDEF?
As of September 17, 2026, QDF holds $2.20 B in assets under management (AUM), while QDEF manages $551.76 M.
What sectors do the QDF and QDEF ETFs invest in?
QDF leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Industrials. Meanwhile, QDEF focuses on Technology, Finance and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the QDF ETF and QDEF ETF?
QDF top holdings include Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Broadcom Inc.. QDEF holds in its top three: Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Broadcom Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: QDF or QDEF?
QDF holds 115 securities with 49.14% of its assets in the top 15. QDEF has 134 securities and a top 15 weight of 46.38%.
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Latest news about QDF & QDEF
ETF Central's Ultimate Guide to Dividend Investing, Part 4: Dividend Quality ETFs
July 16, 2024
QDF
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Dividend Growth, High Yield, & Dividend Quality ETFs: What's the Difference?
October 20, 2023
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