IUQF.L vs. FEX.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IUQF.L (iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and FEX.L (First Trust US Large Cap Core AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF Class A USD) are both Large Cap Blend Equities funds tracking the Russell 1000 TR USD, from iShares and First Trust respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IUQF.L returned 13.13%/yr vs 12.00%/yr for FEX.L. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IUQF.L charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for FEX.L.

Performance

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) and First Trust US Large Cap Core AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF Class A USD (FEX.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IUQF.L achieves a 9.14% return, which is significantly lower than FEX.L's 14.35% return.

IUQF.L

• 1D: 0.80%
• 1M: 5.91%
• YTD: 9.14%
• 6M: 9.03%
• 1Y: 23.17%
• 3Y*: 16.68%
• 5Y*: 13.13%
• 10Y*: —

FEX.L

• 1D: -0.08%
• 1M: 5.28%
• YTD: 14.35%
• 6M: 14.52%
• 1Y: 30.14%
• 3Y*: 17.43%
• 5Y*: 12.00%
• 10Y*: 13.54%

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

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IUQF.L iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	9.14%	4.83%	24.33%	23.81%	-11.33%	29.25%	12.16%	29.08%	-1.58%	11.25%
FEX.L First Trust US Large Cap Core AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF Class A USD	14.35%	7.34%	18.68%	8.36%	-1.83%	28.60%	9.66%	22.13%	-5.90%	10.65%

Correlation

The correlation between IUQF.L and FEX.L is 0.78, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.78
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 18, 2016	0.88

The correlation between IUQF.L and FEX.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.76 (3 years) to 0.88 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IUQF.L	FEX.L
Technology	38.7%	21.0%
Financial Services	11.2%	14.0%
Communication Services	10.6%	3.4%
Healthcare	9.3%	8.9%
Consumer Cyclical	9.0%	8.3%
Industrials	7.8%	18.8%
Consumer Defensive	4.7%	4.4%
Energy	3.8%	6.0%
Real Estate	1.8%	4.6%
Utilities	1.7%	7.3%
Basic Materials	1.6%	3.4%

Return for Risk

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

IUQF.L

IUQF.L Risk / Return Rank: 71
IUQF.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
IUQF.L Omega Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Martin Ratio Rank: 71

FEX.L

FEX.L Risk / Return Rank: 88
FEX.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
FEX.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
FEX.L Omega Ratio Rank: 84
FEX.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
FEX.L Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) and First Trust US Large Cap Core AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF Class A USD (FEX.L). 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.

	IUQF.L	FEX.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.27	2.78	-0.51
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.11	3.77	-0.66
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.50	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.47	6.48	-3.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.01	20.58	-7.57
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUQF.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.27, which is comparable to the FEX.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.78. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUQF.L and FEX.L, 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

	IUQF.L	FEX.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.27	2.78	-0.51
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	0.83	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.84	0.83	+0.01

Drawdowns

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUQF.L drawdown since its inception was -25.74%, smaller than the maximum FEX.L drawdown of -31.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUQF.L and FEX.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	IUQF.L	FEX.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.74%	-31.58%	+5.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.64%	-4.63%	-2.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.18%	-21.34%	+1.16%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.18%	-21.34%	+1.16%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-31.58%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.08%	+0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.97%	-4.11%	+0.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.78%	1.46%	+0.32%

Volatility

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) is 2.63%, while First Trust US Large Cap Core AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF Class A USD (FEX.L) has a volatility of 3.61%. This indicates that IUQF.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FEX.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IUQF.L	FEX.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.63%	3.61%	-0.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.06%	7.22%	-0.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.17%	10.80%	-0.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.69%	14.53%	+0.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.80%	16.45%	-0.65%

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

IUQF.L has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than FEX.L's 0.75% expense ratio.

Dividends

IUQF.L vs. FEX.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither IUQF.L nor FEX.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IUQF.L and FEX.L in my portfolio?

IUQF.L and FEX.L have a correlation of 0.78, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IUQF.L or FEX.L?

On fees, IUQF.L is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IUQF.L or FEX.L?

IUQF.L is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for FEX.L.

What is the main difference between IUQF.L and FEX.L?

Both ETFs track Russell 1000 TR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for IUQF.L and 0.75% for FEX.L.