KONG vs. QLV

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Formidable Fortress ETF (KONG) and FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV).

KONG and QLV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. KONG is an actively managed fund by Formidable Asset Management. It was launched on Jul 22, 2021. 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.

Performance

KONG vs. QLV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Formidable Fortress ETF (KONG) and FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

KONG vs. QLV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
KONG Formidable Fortress ETF	-3.31%	6.56%	9.67%	12.71%	-9.63%	5.07%
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund	0.10%	12.28%	18.08%	13.71%	-9.97%	10.09%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KONG achieves a -3.31% return, which is significantly lower than QLV's 0.10% return.

KONG

• 1D: 2.17%
• 1M: -3.72%
• YTD: -3.31%
• 6M: -3.01%
• 1Y: 4.56%
• 3Y*: 6.40%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

QLV

• 1D: 1.54%
• 1M: -3.92%
• YTD: 0.10%
• 6M: 0.74%
• 1Y: 10.86%
• 3Y*: 13.76%
• 5Y*: 10.52%
• 10Y*: —

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

KONG vs. QLV - Expense Ratio Comparison

KONG has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than QLV's 0.22% expense ratio.

KONG

Formidable Fortress ETF

QLV

FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund

Return for Risk

KONG vs. QLV — Risk / Return Rank

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

KONG

KONG Risk / Return Rank: 23
KONG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
KONG Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
KONG Omega Ratio Rank: 20
KONG Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
KONG Martin Ratio Rank: 27

QLV

QLV Risk / Return Rank: 52
QLV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
QLV Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
QLV Omega Ratio Rank: 53
QLV Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
QLV Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

KONG vs. QLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Formidable Fortress ETF (KONG) 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.

	KONG	QLV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.32	0.86	-0.54
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.57	1.31	-0.74
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.19	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.56	1.19	-0.63
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.30	6.18	-3.88
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

KONG vs. QLV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KONG Sharpe Ratio is 0.32, which is lower than the QLV Sharpe Ratio of 0.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KONG and QLV, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	KONG	QLV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.32	0.86	-0.54
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.83	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	0.65	-0.37

Correlation

The correlation between KONG and QLV is 0.83, 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

KONG vs. QLV - Dividend Comparison

KONG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%, less than QLV's 1.60% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
KONG Formidable Fortress ETF	0.38%	0.37%	0.78%	0.69%	0.49%	0.12%	0.00%	0.00%
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund	1.60%	1.60%	1.66%	1.60%	1.74%	0.96%	1.24%	0.58%

Drawdowns

KONG vs. QLV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KONG drawdown since its inception was -19.98%, smaller than the maximum QLV drawdown of -33.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KONG and QLV.

Drawdown Indicators

	KONG	QLV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.98%	-33.71%	+13.73%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.10%	-9.75%	+0.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-17.93%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.81%	-4.29%	-1.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.95%	-4.08%	-1.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.23%	1.88%	+0.35%

Volatility

KONG vs. QLV - Volatility Comparison

Formidable Fortress ETF (KONG) has a higher volatility of 4.49% compared to FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV) at 3.18%. This indicates that KONG'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.

Volatility by Period

	KONG	QLV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.49%	3.18%	+1.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.28%	5.81%	+2.47%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.43%	12.74%	+1.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.72%	12.73%	+1.99%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.72%	16.75%	-2.03%