FEDM vs. QDEF
Compare and contrast key facts about FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index Fund (FEDM) and FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund (QDEF).
FEDM and QDEF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FEDM is a passively managed fund by FlexShares that tracks the performance of the Northern Trust ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index - Benchmark TR Net. It was launched on Sep 20, 2021. QDEF is a passively managed fund by FlexShares that tracks the performance of the Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index. It was launched on Dec 14, 2012. Both FEDM and QDEF 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
FEDM vs. QDEF - Performance Comparison
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FEDM vs. QDEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEDM FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index Fund | 0.51% | 26.85% | 2.85% | 17.39% | -15.25% | 1.87% |
QDEF FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | -0.80% | 17.43% | 21.19% | 17.48% | -10.94% | 10.74% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FEDM achieves a 0.51% return, which is significantly higher than QDEF's -0.80% return.
FEDM
- 1D
- 1.27%
- 1M
- -5.09%
- YTD
- 0.51%
- 6M
- 3.68%
- 1Y
- 20.30%
- 3Y*
- 12.43%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
QDEF
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -4.45%
- YTD
- -0.80%
- 6M
- 0.54%
- 1Y
- 16.60%
- 3Y*
- 17.11%
- 5Y*
- 11.53%
- 10Y*
- 11.44%
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FEDM vs. QDEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
FEDM has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than QDEF's 0.37% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FEDM vs. QDEF — Risk / Return Rank
FEDM
QDEF
FEDM vs. QDEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index Fund (FEDM) and FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund (QDEF). 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.
| FEDM | QDEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.10 | 1.13 | -0.03 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.64 | 1.67 | -0.03 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.25 | -0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.72 | 1.51 | +0.21 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.47 | 7.55 | -1.08 |
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
| FEDM | QDEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.10 | 1.13 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.84 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.71 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.40 | 0.80 | -0.40 |
Correlation
The correlation between FEDM and QDEF is 0.75, 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
FEDM vs. QDEF - Dividend Comparison
FEDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.98%, more than QDEF's 1.74% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEDM FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index Fund | 2.98% | 2.97% | 2.94% | 2.61% | 2.53% | 0.62% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
QDEF FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 1.74% | 1.74% | 1.85% | 2.21% | 2.42% | 1.84% | 2.50% | 3.17% | 7.10% | 2.70% | 2.90% | 3.00% |
Drawdowns
FEDM vs. QDEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FEDM drawdown since its inception was -29.37%, smaller than the maximum QDEF drawdown of -35.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FEDM and QDEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FEDM | QDEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.37% | -35.74% | +6.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.92% | -11.03% | -0.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -21.37% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.74% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.11% | -4.69% | -2.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.14% | -3.33% | -3.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.17% | 2.21% | +0.96% |
Volatility
FEDM vs. QDEF - Volatility Comparison
FlexShares ESG & Climate Developed Markets ex-US Core Index Fund (FEDM) has a higher volatility of 7.48% compared to FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund (QDEF) at 3.93%. This indicates that FEDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QDEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FEDM | QDEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.48% | 3.93% | +3.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.93% | 7.56% | +5.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.54% | 14.70% | +3.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.40% | 13.83% | +2.57% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.40% | 16.18% | +0.22% |