DEF vs. GQGU

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Invesco Defensive Equity ETF (DEF) and GQG US Equity ETF (GQGU).

DEF and GQGU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. DEF is a passively managed fund by Invesco that tracks the performance of the Invesco Defensive Equity Index. It was launched on Dec 15, 2006. GQGU is an actively managed fund by GQG Partners. It was launched on Jul 14, 2025.

Performance

DEF vs. GQGU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Invesco Defensive Equity ETF (DEF) and GQG US Equity ETF (GQGU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

DEF vs. GQGU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
DEF Invesco Defensive Equity ETF	-4.22%	3.74%
GQGU GQG US Equity ETF	9.61%	-1.14%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DEF achieves a -4.22% return, which is significantly lower than GQGU's 9.61% return.

DEF

• 1D: 1.63%
• 1M: -7.55%
• YTD: -4.22%
• 6M: -3.94%
• 1Y: 5.85%
• 3Y*: 9.79%
• 5Y*: 8.23%
• 10Y*: 10.28%

GQGU

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: -1.96%
• YTD: 9.61%
• 6M: 7.66%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

DEF vs. GQGU - Expense Ratio Comparison

DEF has a 0.53% expense ratio, which is higher than GQGU's 0.49% expense ratio.

DEF

Invesco Defensive Equity ETF

GQGU

GQG US Equity ETF

Return for Risk

DEF vs. GQGU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

DEF

DEF Risk / Return Rank: 26
DEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
DEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
DEF Omega Ratio Rank: 23
DEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
DEF Martin Ratio Rank: 31

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

DEF vs. GQGU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco Defensive Equity ETF (DEF) and GQG US Equity ETF (GQGU). 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.

	DEF	GQGU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.39	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.67	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.64	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.57	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	DEF	GQGU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	1.25	-0.71

Correlation

The correlation between DEF and GQGU is 0.22, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

DEF vs. GQGU - Dividend Comparison

DEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%, more than GQGU's 0.93% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DEF Invesco Defensive Equity ETF	0.98%	0.94%	0.79%	1.60%	1.48%	1.06%	1.34%	1.16%	1.39%	1.63%	2.18%	3.31%
GQGU GQG US Equity ETF	0.93%	1.02%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

DEF vs. GQGU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DEF drawdown since its inception was -47.91%, which is greater than GQGU's maximum drawdown of -6.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DEF and GQGU.

Drawdown Indicators

	DEF	GQGU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-47.91%	-6.65%	-41.26%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.77%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.75%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.53%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.29%	-1.96%	-6.33%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.23%	-2.20%	-4.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.70%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	DEF	GQGU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.03%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.77%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.26%	9.55%	+5.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.84%	9.55%	+4.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.01%	9.55%	+6.46%