COWG vs. QUAL
Compare and contrast key facts about Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (COWG) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL).
COWG and QUAL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. COWG is a passively managed fund by Pacer that tracks the performance of the Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders Index. It was launched on Dec 21, 2022. QUAL is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. It was launched on Jul 18, 2013. Both COWG and QUAL are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
COWG vs. QUAL - Performance Comparison
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COWG vs. QUAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COWG Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF | -3.92% | 10.24% | 34.99% | 20.69% | -0.68% |
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | -2.74% | 12.65% | 22.29% | 30.88% | 0.17% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, COWG achieves a -3.92% return, which is significantly lower than QUAL's -2.74% return.
COWG
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- -4.35%
- YTD
- -3.92%
- 6M
- -7.05%
- 1Y
- 9.21%
- 3Y*
- 18.49%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
QUAL
- 1D
- 0.50%
- 1M
- -5.52%
- YTD
- -2.74%
- 6M
- -1.05%
- 1Y
- 13.65%
- 3Y*
- 17.10%
- 5Y*
- 10.71%
- 10Y*
- 12.99%
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COWG vs. QUAL - Expense Ratio Comparison
COWG has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than QUAL's 0.15% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
COWG vs. QUAL — Risk / Return Rank
COWG
QUAL
COWG vs. QUAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (COWG) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| COWG | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.41 | 0.79 | -0.37 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.74 | 1.24 | -0.50 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.18 | -0.07 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.79 | 1.21 | -0.42 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.55 | 5.50 | -2.94 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| COWG | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 | 0.79 | -0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.62 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.72 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.93 | 0.75 | +0.18 |
Correlation
The correlation between COWG and QUAL is 0.87, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
COWG vs. QUAL - Dividend Comparison
COWG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.35%, less than QUAL's 0.98% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COWG Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF | 0.35% | 0.32% | 0.40% | 0.47% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | 0.98% | 0.94% | 1.02% | 1.23% | 1.59% | 1.20% | 1.39% | 1.60% | 2.00% | 1.76% | 1.96% | 1.63% |
Drawdowns
COWG vs. QUAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum COWG drawdown since its inception was -23.60%, smaller than the maximum QUAL drawdown of -34.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COWG and QUAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| COWG | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.60% | -34.06% | +10.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.96% | -11.52% | -1.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -28.23% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -34.06% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.98% | -5.97% | -2.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.36% | -4.15% | +0.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.00% | 2.53% | +1.47% |
Volatility
COWG vs. QUAL - Volatility Comparison
Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (COWG) has a higher volatility of 5.87% compared to iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) at 5.36%. This indicates that COWG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QUAL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| COWG | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.87% | 5.36% | +0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.24% | 9.30% | +3.94% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.50% | 17.46% | +5.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.32% | 17.34% | +1.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.32% | 18.08% | +1.24% |