QLVvsQDEFETF Comparison
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Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF (QLV) and Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) belong to the same industry segment: US Multi-Factor. Both ETFs have the same top 3 sector exposures: Technology, Finance and Healthcare. QLV is less expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.09%, versus 0.4% for QDEF. QLV is up 10.94% year-to-date (YTD) with +$6M in YTD flows. QDEF performs better with 12.53% YTD performance, and +$2M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of QLV 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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QLV vs QDEF performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/18/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | QLV QDEF | -0.67%-0.51% | +6.65%+4.98% | +10.94%+12.53% | +13.57%+16.25% | +55.86%+70.53% | +64.46%+82.75% |
| Flows | QLV QDEF | +$48K-$4M | +$48K-$11M | +$6M+$2M | +$3M+$10M | -$94M+$16M | -$54M-$97M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | QLV QDEF | +7.90%+8.24% | +7.70%+9.91% | +10.40%+12.04% | +12.89%+13.97% |
| Max drawdown | QLV QDEF | -2.11%-2.46% | -6.16%-6.99% | -11.95%-14.47% | -18.21%-21.30% |
| Max drawdown duration | QLV QDEF | 15d14d | 71d66d | 186d191d | 712d566d |
Trading data
QLV | QDEF | |
Last sale 9/18/2026 at 1:30 PM | $79.01 | $89.93 |
| Previous close 09/17/2026 | $79.50 | $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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QLV | 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
QLV | QDEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $79.01 | $89.93 |
| 1D performance | -0.62% | -0.59% |
| AuM | $165.95 M | $551.76 M |
| E/R | 0.09% | 0.4% |
Characteristics
QLV | QDEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | Northern Trust | Northern Trust |
| Benchmark | Northern Trust Quality Low Volatility Index | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index |
| N° of holdings | 117 | 133 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | July 16, 2019 | December 14, 2012 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
QLV
USA
95.34%
Other
4.66%
QDEF
USA
96.57%
Other
3.43%
Sectors
QLV
Technology
34.32%
Finance
14.09%
Healthcare
13.63%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.96%
Other
27.99%
QDEF
Technology
39.07%
Finance
16.13%
Healthcare
10.34%
Consumer Non-Cycl.
9.59%
Other
24.86%
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Diversification
QLV
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
41.82%
QDEF
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
46.38%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
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%
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 QLV and QDEF
How have the QLV and QDEF ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 18, 2026, QLV is up 10.94% year-to-date (YTD), while QDEF has returned 12.53%. That puts QDEF better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: QLV or QDEF?
Year-to-date, the QLV ETF saw +$6M in flows, compared to +$2M for QDEF.
Which ETF is more volatile: QLV or QDEF?
Over the past year, QLV had a volatility of 7.7%, while QDEF experienced 9.91%.
Which ETF is bigger: QLV or QDEF?
As of September 18, 2026, QLV holds $165.95 M in assets under management (AUM), while QDEF manages $551.76 M.
What sectors do the QLV and QDEF ETFs invest in?
QLV leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Meanwhile, QDEF focuses on Technology, Finance and Healthcare.
What are the top holdings of the QLV ETF and QDEF ETF?
QLV top holdings include NVIDIA Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Apple, Inc.. QDEF holds in its top three: Apple, Inc., NVIDIA Corp. and Broadcom Inc..
Which ETF is more diversified: QLV or QDEF?
QLV holds 118 securities with 41.82% 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 QLV & QDEF
Dan Philips on a Quality Low Volatility Approach
May 30, 2023
QLV
Michael Natale with FlexShares
August 2, 2022
QLV
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