IUS vs. SPHQ

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IUS (Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF) and SPHQ (Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IUS is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Invesco Strategic US Index, while SPHQ is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Quality Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IUS returned 13.61%/yr vs 14.54%/yr for SPHQ. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IUS charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SPHQ.

Performance

IUS vs. SPHQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS) and Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with IUS having a 15.71% return and SPHQ slightly lower at 15.48%.

IUS

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 4.89%
• YTD: 15.71%
• 6M: 15.69%
• 1Y: 33.27%
• 3Y*: 20.93%
• 5Y*: 13.61%
• 10Y*: —

SPHQ

• 1D: 0.28%
• 1M: 7.17%
• YTD: 15.48%
• 6M: 16.06%
• 1Y: 23.22%
• 3Y*: 22.41%
• 5Y*: 14.54%
• 10Y*: 15.01%

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

IUS vs. SPHQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IUS Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF	15.71%	16.94%	16.51%	20.79%	-8.34%	32.17%	15.09%	29.34%	-12.49%
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	15.48%	13.25%	25.44%	24.83%	-15.76%	28.03%	17.36%	33.64%	-13.11%

Correlation

The correlation between IUS and SPHQ is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 2018	0.84

The correlation between IUS and SPHQ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

IUS vs. SPHQ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IUS	SPHQ
Technology	22.4%	28.1%
Communication Services	14.7%	2.0%
Healthcare	12.8%	8.4%
Energy	10.9%	0.7%
Consumer Cyclical	10.7%	4.6%
Industrials	9.7%	24.3%
Consumer Defensive	7.4%	15.4%
Financial Services	6.8%	13.3%
Basic Materials	3.3%	2.2%
Utilities	1.0%	1.0%
Real Estate	0.5%	-

Return for Risk

IUS vs. SPHQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

IUS

IUS Risk / Return Rank: 91
IUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
IUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
IUS Omega Ratio Rank: 90
IUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
IUS Martin Ratio Rank: 92

SPHQ

SPHQ Risk / Return Rank: 54
SPHQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
SPHQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
SPHQ Omega Ratio Rank: 49
SPHQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
SPHQ Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

IUS vs. SPHQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS) and Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ). 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.

	IUS	SPHQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.26	1.85	+1.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.53	2.69	+1.84
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.60	1.32	+0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.44	2.62	+2.81
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	23.27	11.17	+12.10
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUS vs. SPHQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUS Sharpe Ratio is 3.26, which is higher than the SPHQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUS and SPHQ, 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

	IUS	SPHQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.26	1.85	+1.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91	0.89	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.84	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.85	0.53	+0.32

Drawdowns

IUS vs. SPHQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUS drawdown since its inception was -34.67%, smaller than the maximum SPHQ drawdown of -57.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUS and SPHQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	IUS	SPHQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.67%	-57.83%	+23.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.15%	-8.90%	+2.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.61%	-16.57%	+0.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.72%	-25.04%	+6.32%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-31.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.07%	0.00%	-0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.86%	-10.70%	+6.84%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.43%	2.08%	-0.65%

Volatility

IUS vs. SPHQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF (IUS) is 2.50%, while Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) has a volatility of 3.49%. This indicates that IUS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPHQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IUS	SPHQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.50%	3.49%	-0.99%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.41%	10.18%	-2.77%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.26%	12.62%	-2.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.00%	16.45%	-1.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.04%	17.86%	+0.18%

IUS vs. SPHQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

IUS has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than SPHQ's 0.15% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IUS vs. SPHQ - Dividend Comparison

IUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.28%, more than SPHQ's 1.04% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IUS Invesco RAFI Strategic US ETF	1.28%	1.48%	1.52%	1.72%	1.78%	1.46%	1.74%	1.77%	0.73%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	1.04%	1.09%	1.15%	1.42%	1.85%	1.19%	1.55%	1.51%	1.85%	1.57%	1.67%	2.29%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IUS and SPHQ in my portfolio?

IUS and SPHQ have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IUS or SPHQ?

SPHQ has higher volatility (3.49%) compared to IUS (2.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IUS dropped -34.67% vs SPHQ's -57.83%.

Which ETF is better, IUS or SPHQ?

On 5-year performance, SPHQ leads with 14.54% vs 13.61% for IUS. On fees, SPHQ is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IUS has been the lower-risk option at 2.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IUS or SPHQ?

Over the 5-year period, SPHQ has performed better with a 14.54% return vs 13.61%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IUS or SPHQ?

SPHQ is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.19% for IUS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IUS or SPHQ?

IUS has the higher dividend yield at 1.28%, compared with 1.04% for SPHQ.

What is the main difference between IUS and SPHQ?

IUS is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SPHQ is S&P 500. IUS tracks Invesco Strategic US Index, while SPHQ tracks S&P 500 Quality Index. Their fees differ too: 0.19% for IUS and 0.15% for SPHQ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.26 vs 1.85), 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.