QLCvsESGUETF Comparison
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Northern Trust US Quality Large Cap ETF (QLC) belongs to the US Multi-Factor segment. iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) is part of the US Large Cap segment. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Technology, Finance and Healthcare. QLC is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.26%, versus 0.15% for ESGU. QLC is up 12.7% year-to-date (YTD) with +$222M in YTD flows. ESGU performs worse with 11.69% YTD performance, and +$573M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of QLC and ESGU 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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QLC vs ESGU performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/16/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QLC ESGU | -2.54%-2.13% | +0.98%+0.64% | +12.70%+11.69% | +19.35%+15.93% | +89.53%+75.37% | +94.82%+71.87% |
| Flows | QLC ESGU | +$24M-$67M | +$67M+$208M | +$222M+$573M | +$319M+$1.08B | +$617M-$2.12B | +$625M-$9.50B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QLC ESGU | +10.95%+11.42% | +13.03%+13.19% | +15.12%+15.31% | +17.11%+17.46% |
| Max drawdown | QLC ESGU | -3.15%-3.50% | -8.90%-9.25% | -18.73%-19.24% | -23.78%-26.18% |
| Max drawdown duration | QLC ESGU | 34d16d | 63d76d | 124d153d | 702d722d |
Trading data
QLC | ESGU | |
Last sale 9/17/2026 at 4:33 PM | $91.77 | $166.41 |
| Previous close 09/16/2026 | $90.90 | $164.52 |
| Consolidated volume 09/16/2026 | ||
| 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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QLC | ESGU | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 9/17/2026 at 4:33 PM
Live
Closed
QLC | ESGU | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $91.77 | $166.41 |
| 1D performance | +0.96% | +1.15% |
| AuM | $1.05 B | $17.81 B |
| E/R | 0.26% | 0.15% |
Characteristics
QLC | ESGU | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Northern Trust | iShares |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Large Cap Index | MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index |
| N° of holdings | 176 | 277 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 23, 2015 | December 1, 2016 |
| ESG | No | Yes |
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Exposure
Countries
QLC
USA
97.8%
Other
2.2%
ESGU
USA
97.08%
Other
2.92%
Sectors
QLC
Technology
45.38%
Finance
17.02%
Healthcare
9.91%
Other
27.69%
ESGU
Technology
44.84%
Finance
14.23%
Healthcare
9.75%
Industrials
8.15%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
7.86%
Other
15.17%
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Diversification
QLC
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
44.47%
ESGU
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
41.8%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
QLC
Apple, Inc.
7.31%
NVIDIA Corp.
7.08%
Microsoft Corp.
4.24%
Alphabet, Inc.
4.08%
Alphabet, Inc.
3.65%
Broadcom Inc.
2.93%
Amazon.com, Inc.
2.59%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
1.97%
Cisco Systems, Inc.
1.85%
Johnson & Johnson
1.81%
Citigroup, Inc.
1.65%
Bank of America Corp.
1.45%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
1.40%
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
1.26%
GE Aerospace
1.21%
ESGU
Apple, Inc.
7.51%
NVIDIA Corp.
7.03%
Microsoft Corp.
4.98%
Amazon.com, Inc.
3.48%
Alphabet, Inc.
3.37%
Broadcom Inc.
2.73%
Alphabet, Inc.
2.04%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
1.72%
Micron Technology, Inc.
1.51%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
1.44%
Eli Lilly & Co.
1.43%
Tesla, Inc.
1.34%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
1.26%
Visa, Inc.
1.16%
Johnson & Johnson
0.81%
Frequently asked questions about QLC and ESGU
How have the QLC and ESGU ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 16, 2026, QLC is up 12.7% year-to-date (YTD), while ESGU has returned 11.69%. That puts QLC better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QLC or ESGU?
Year-to-date, the QLC ETF saw +$222M in flows, compared to +$573M for ESGU.
Which ETF is more volatile: QLC or ESGU?
Over the past year, QLC had a volatility of 13.03%, while ESGU experienced 13.19%.
Which ETF is bigger: QLC or ESGU?
As of September 16, 2026, QLC holds $1.05 B in assets under management (AUM), while ESGU manages $17.81 B.
What sectors do the QLC and ESGU ETFs invest in?
QLC leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Meanwhile, ESGU focuses on Technology, Finance and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the QLC ETF and ESGU ETF?
QLC top holdings include Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Microsoft Corp.. ESGU holds in its top three: Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Microsoft Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: QLC or ESGU?
QLC holds 177 securities with 44.47% of its assets in the top 15. ESGU has 278 securities and a top 15 weight of 41.8%.
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Latest news about QLC & ESGU
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