PEXL vs. XMHQ

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

PEXL (Pacer US Export Leaders ETF) and XMHQ (Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PEXL is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Export Leaders Index, while XMHQ is a Quality Factor fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Quality Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, PEXL returned 10.94%/yr vs 10.18%/yr for XMHQ. Their correlation of 0.84 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PEXL charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for XMHQ.

Performance

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL) and Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (XMHQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PEXL achieves a 15.70% return, which is significantly higher than XMHQ's 12.54% return.

PEXL

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: -3.35%
• 6M: 12.08%
• YTD: 15.70%
• 1Y: 33.58%
• 3Y*: 16.59%
• 5Y*: 10.94%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 14.24%

XMHQ

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: 1.40%
• 6M: 8.28%
• YTD: 12.54%
• 1Y: 16.17%
• 3Y*: 13.54%
• 5Y*: 10.18%
• 10Y*: 12.83%
• ALL TIME*: 9.48%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
PEXL Pacer US Export Leaders ETF	$115.47K	$147.61K	$160.93K
XMHQ Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF	$19.95M	$19.43M	$20.53M

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
PEXL Pacer US Export Leaders ETF	15.70%	27.33%	5.79%	24.40%	-20.41%	30.12%	25.02%	39.86%	-17.19%
XMHQ Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF	12.54%	4.71%	16.79%	29.51%	-12.42%	20.98%	26.61%	27.18%	-13.57%

Correlation

The correlation between PEXL and XMHQ is 0.72, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.72
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 24, 2018	0.84

The correlation between PEXL and XMHQ shifts across timeframes, from 0.72 (1 year) to 0.85 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PEXL	XMHQ
Technology	58.8%	18.5%
Communication Services	13.1%	1.4%
Consumer Defensive	8.0%	1.1%
Industrials	7.8%	30.2%
Healthcare	5.9%	16.0%
Consumer Cyclical	3.6%	9.4%
Basic Materials	2.7%	1.5%
Energy	0.9%	6.9%
Financial Services	-	15.1%
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	2.2%

Return for Risk

PEXL vs. XMHQ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

PEXL

PEXL Risk / Return Rank: 71
PEXL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
PEXL Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
PEXL Omega Ratio Rank: 63
PEXL Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
PEXL Martin Ratio Rank: 77

XMHQ

XMHQ Risk / Return Rank: 41
XMHQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
XMHQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
XMHQ Omega Ratio Rank: 35
XMHQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
XMHQ Martin Ratio Rank: 44

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL) and Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (XMHQ). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	PEXL	XMHQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.57	0.95	+0.62
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.20	1.47	+0.73
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.17	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.80	1.64	+1.16
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.84	4.86	+4.98

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PEXL Sharpe Ratio is 1.57, which is higher than the XMHQ Sharpe Ratio of 0.95. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PEXL and XMHQ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PEXL drawdown since its inception was -36.76%, smaller than the maximum XMHQ drawdown of -58.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PEXL and XMHQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	PEXL	XMHQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.76%	-58.19%	+21.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.43%	-8.85%	-2.58%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.72%	-24.56%	-0.16%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.44%	-25.47%	-4.97%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-36.90%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.99%	-0.02%	-6.97%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.66%	-9.22%	+2.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.24%	2.97%	+0.27%

Volatility

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Volatility Comparison

Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL) has a higher volatility of 6.70% compared to Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (XMHQ) at 3.13%. This indicates that PEXL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XMHQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PEXL	XMHQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.70%	3.13%	+3.57%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.41%	11.07%	+5.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.40%	15.30%	+5.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.29%	20.57%	+1.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.12%	20.63%	+3.49%

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

PEXL has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than XMHQ's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

PEXL vs. XMHQ - Dividend Comparison

PEXL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.31%, less than XMHQ's 0.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PEXL Pacer US Export Leaders ETF	0.31%	0.44%	0.48%	0.48%	0.60%	0.22%	0.48%	0.49%	0.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XMHQ Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF	0.56%	0.64%	5.20%	0.73%	1.72%	1.00%	1.12%	1.22%	1.59%	1.06%	1.63%	1.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PEXL and XMHQ in my portfolio?

PEXL and XMHQ have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PEXL or XMHQ?

PEXL has higher volatility (6.70%) compared to XMHQ (3.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PEXL dropped -36.76% vs XMHQ's -58.19%.

Which ETF is better, PEXL or XMHQ?

On 5-year performance, PEXL leads with 10.94% vs 10.18% for XMHQ. On fees, XMHQ is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, XMHQ has been the lower-risk option at 3.13%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PEXL or XMHQ?

Over the 5-year period, PEXL has performed better with a 10.94% return vs 10.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PEXL or XMHQ?

XMHQ is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PEXL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PEXL or XMHQ?

XMHQ has the higher dividend yield at 0.56%, compared with 0.31% for PEXL.

What is the main difference between PEXL and XMHQ?

PEXL is categorized as Mid Cap Blend Equities, while XMHQ is Quality Factor. PEXL tracks Pacer US Export Leaders Index, while XMHQ tracks S&P MidCap 400 Quality Index. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for PEXL and 0.25% for XMHQ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PEXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.57 vs 0.95), 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.