INCE vs. QGRO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

INCE (Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF) and QGRO (American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - INCE is a Dividend fund actively managed by Franklin Templeton, while QGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the iSTOXX American Century USA Quality Growth (USD)(GR). INCE is actively managed, while QGRO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, INCE returned 11.11%/yr vs 12.22%/yr for QGRO. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.29% expense ratio.

Performance

INCE vs. QGRO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF (INCE) and American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF (QGRO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, INCE achieves a 13.04% return, which is significantly higher than QGRO's 2.19% return.

INCE

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: 2.34%
• YTD: 13.04%
• 6M: 14.26%
• 1Y: 26.92%
• 3Y*: 17.11%
• 5Y*: 11.11%
• 10Y*: —

QGRO

• 1D: -0.43%
• 1M: 4.28%
• YTD: 2.19%
• 6M: 2.57%
• 1Y: 10.81%
• 3Y*: 21.29%
• 5Y*: 12.22%
• 10Y*: —

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

INCE vs. QGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
INCE Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF	13.04%	15.92%	10.70%	13.87%	-8.54%	23.36%	12.33%	32.72%	-10.26%
QGRO American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF	2.19%	15.18%	31.42%	32.42%	-24.54%	24.57%	37.99%	35.09%	-16.85%

Correlation

The correlation between INCE and QGRO is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 2018	0.74

Over the past year, the correlation between INCE and QGRO has dropped to 0.44 - well below their long-term average of 0.74, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

INCE vs. QGRO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	INCE	QGRO
Financial Services	10.5%	5.9%
Industrials	9.8%	13.6%
Consumer Defensive	9.3%	3.8%
Energy	8.1%	1.8%
Technology	7.6%	37.1%
Utilities	6.4%	0.9%
Basic Materials	4.5%	0.3%
Healthcare	4.3%	12.7%
Communication Services	2.6%	11.0%
Consumer Cyclical	2.2%	12.0%
Real Estate	-	0.9%

Return for Risk

INCE vs. QGRO — Risk / Return Rank

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

INCE

INCE Risk / Return Rank: 91
INCE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
INCE Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
INCE Omega Ratio Rank: 91
INCE Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
INCE Martin Ratio Rank: 90

QGRO

QGRO Risk / Return Rank: 20
QGRO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
QGRO Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
QGRO Omega Ratio Rank: 19
QGRO Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
QGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

INCE vs. QGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF (INCE) and American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF (QGRO). 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.

	INCE	QGRO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.26	0.71	+2.55
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.73	1.08	+3.66
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.61	1.13	+0.48
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.52	0.80	+4.72
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	20.83	2.69	+18.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

INCE vs. QGRO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current INCE Sharpe Ratio is 3.26, which is higher than the QGRO Sharpe Ratio of 0.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of INCE and QGRO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	INCE	QGRO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.26	0.71	+2.55
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84	0.58	+0.26
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.84	0.67	+0.17

Drawdowns

INCE vs. QGRO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum INCE drawdown since its inception was -33.95%, roughly equal to the maximum QGRO drawdown of -32.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for INCE and QGRO.

Drawdown Indicators

	INCE	QGRO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.95%	-32.56%	-1.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.90%	-13.54%	+8.64%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.01%	-23.82%	+9.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.40%	-31.86%	+13.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.76%	-0.67%	-0.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.25%	-7.68%	+4.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.30%	4.03%	-2.73%

Volatility

INCE vs. QGRO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF (INCE) is 2.02%, while American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF (QGRO) has a volatility of 3.38%. This indicates that INCE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	INCE	QGRO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.02%	3.38%	-1.36%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.96%	11.71%	-5.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.32%	15.33%	-7.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.27%	21.06%	-7.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.69%	22.93%	-7.24%

INCE vs. QGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both INCE and QGRO have an expense ratio of 0.29%.

Dividends

INCE vs. QGRO - Dividend Comparison

INCE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.73%, more than QGRO's 0.19% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
INCE Franklin Income Equity Focus ETF	4.73%	4.71%	3.25%	1.75%	1.68%	1.41%	1.40%	1.31%	1.55%	1.44%	0.50%
QGRO American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF	0.19%	0.25%	0.25%	0.41%	0.46%	0.31%	0.22%	0.38%	0.13%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both INCE and QGRO in my portfolio?

INCE and QGRO have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, INCE or QGRO?

QGRO has higher volatility (3.38%) compared to INCE (2.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, INCE dropped -33.95% vs QGRO's -32.56%.

Which ETF is better, INCE or QGRO?

On 5-year performance, QGRO leads with 12.22% vs 11.11% for INCE. Both ETFs have the same 0.29% expense ratio. On volatility, INCE has been the lower-risk option at 2.02%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, INCE or QGRO?

Over the 5-year period, QGRO has performed better with a 12.22% return vs 11.11%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, INCE or QGRO?

INCE and QGRO have the same expense ratio: 0.29% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, INCE or QGRO?

INCE has the higher dividend yield at 4.73%, compared with 0.19% for QGRO.

What is the main difference between INCE and QGRO?

INCE is categorized as Dividend, while QGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and American Century.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

INCE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.26 vs 0.71), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.