ESG vs. QLV
Compare and contrast key facts about FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund (ESG) and FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV).
ESG and QLV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ESG is a passively managed fund by Northern Trust that tracks the performance of the STOXX USA ESG Select KPIs Index. It was launched on Jul 13, 2016. QLV is a passively managed fund by Northern Trust that tracks the performance of the Northern Trust Quality Low Volatility Index. It was launched on Jul 15, 2019. Both ESG and QLV 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
ESG vs. QLV - Performance Comparison
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ESG vs. QLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESG FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund | -3.94% | 16.04% | 20.22% | 27.86% | -19.89% | 28.48% | 20.75% | 7.99% |
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund | 0.10% | 12.28% | 18.08% | 13.71% | -9.97% | 26.08% | 9.63% | 6.24% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ESG achieves a -3.94% return, which is significantly lower than QLV's 0.10% return.
ESG
- 1D
- 2.39%
- 1M
- -4.95%
- YTD
- -3.94%
- 6M
- -1.14%
- 1Y
- 14.10%
- 3Y*
- 16.48%
- 5Y*
- 10.34%
- 10Y*
- —
QLV
- 1D
- 1.54%
- 1M
- -3.92%
- YTD
- 0.10%
- 6M
- 0.74%
- 1Y
- 10.86%
- 3Y*
- 13.76%
- 5Y*
- 10.52%
- 10Y*
- —
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ESG vs. QLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
ESG has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than QLV's 0.22% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ESG vs. QLV — Risk / Return Rank
ESG
QLV
ESG vs. QLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund (ESG) and FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV). 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.
| ESG | QLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.81 | 0.86 | -0.04 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.27 | 1.31 | -0.04 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.19 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 1.19 | 0.00 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.61 | 6.18 | -0.57 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ESG | QLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.81 | 0.86 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.62 | 0.83 | -0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.74 | 0.65 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between ESG and QLV is 0.89, 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
ESG vs. QLV - Dividend Comparison
ESG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, less than QLV's 1.60% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESG FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund | 1.01% | 0.96% | 1.18% | 1.10% | 1.38% | 1.03% | 1.33% | 1.51% | 1.72% | 1.52% | 0.92% |
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1.66% | 1.60% | 1.74% | 0.96% | 1.24% | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
ESG vs. QLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ESG drawdown since its inception was -32.53%, roughly equal to the maximum QLV drawdown of -33.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESG and QLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ESG | QLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -32.53% | -33.71% | +1.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.29% | -9.75% | -2.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.04% | -17.93% | -8.11% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.49% | -4.29% | -2.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.14% | -4.08% | -1.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.61% | 1.88% | +0.73% |
Volatility
ESG vs. QLV - Volatility Comparison
FlexShares STOXX US ESG Select Index Fund (ESG) has a higher volatility of 4.75% compared to FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV) at 3.18%. This indicates that ESG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ESG | QLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.75% | 3.18% | +1.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.67% | 5.81% | +2.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.43% | 12.74% | +4.69% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.75% | 12.73% | +4.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.46% | 16.75% | +1.71% |