PLDR vs. QUAL

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

PLDR (Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF) and QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PLDR is a Sustainable fund actively managed by Putnam, while QUAL is a Quality Factor fund tracking the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. PLDR is actively managed, while QUAL is passively managed. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PLDR charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for QUAL.

Performance

PLDR vs. QUAL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF (PLDR) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

PLDR

• 1D: —
• 1M: —
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

QUAL

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 0.41%
• 6M: 8.77%
• YTD: 10.86%
• 1Y: 21.43%
• 3Y*: 17.38%
• 5Y*: 11.11%
• 10Y*: 14.15%
• ALL TIME*: 13.66%

*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)
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF	$216.39M	$244.32M	$382.94M

PLDR vs. QUAL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PLDR Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF	1.69%	12.03%	23.47%	27.47%	-22.52%	11.54%
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF	10.86%	12.65%	22.29%	30.88%	-20.50%	14.30%

Correlation

The correlation between PLDR and QUAL is 0.83, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2021	0.94

The correlation between PLDR and QUAL shifts across timeframes, from 0.83 (1 year) to 0.94 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

PLDR vs. QUAL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PLDR	QUAL
Technology	38.3%	40.2%
Communication Services	11.1%	10.3%
Consumer Cyclical	10.1%	9.0%
Financial Services	9.9%	10.9%
Industrials	8.4%	7.4%
Healthcare	7.5%	9.2%
Consumer Defensive	5.3%	4.3%
Utilities	3.4%	2.1%
Energy	3.1%	2.9%
Basic Materials	2.3%	1.9%
Real Estate	0.6%	1.7%

Return for Risk

PLDR vs. QUAL — Risk / Return Rank

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

PLDR

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

QUAL

QUAL Risk / Return Rank: 72
QUAL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
QUAL Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
QUAL Omega Ratio Rank: 71
QUAL Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
QUAL Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

PLDR vs. QUAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF (PLDR) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL). 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.

	PLDR	QUAL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	1.65	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	2.36	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.29	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	2.25	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	10.08	—

Drawdowns

Drawdown Indicators

	PLDR	QUAL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	—	-34.06%	—
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-9.03%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.00%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-28.23%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-34.06%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	—	-0.61%	—
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	—	-4.07%	—
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	2.01%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	PLDR	QUAL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	2.88%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	9.72%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	12.33%	—
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	—	17.38%	—
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	—	18.09%	—

PLDR vs. QUAL - Expense Ratio Comparison

PLDR has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than QUAL's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

PLDR vs. QUAL - Dividend Comparison

PLDR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QUAL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.86%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PLDR Putnam Sustainable Leaders ETF	0.37%	0.37%	0.38%	0.56%	0.63%	0.39%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF	0.86%	0.94%	1.02%	1.23%	1.59%	1.20%	1.39%	1.60%	2.00%	1.76%	1.96%	1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PLDR and QUAL in my portfolio?

PLDR and QUAL have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, PLDR or QUAL?

On fees, QUAL is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, PLDR or QUAL?

QUAL is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for PLDR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PLDR or QUAL?

QUAL has the higher dividend yield at 0.86%, compared with 0.37% for PLDR.

What is the main difference between PLDR and QUAL?

PLDR is categorized as Sustainable, while QUAL is Quality Factor. They also come from different issuers: Putnam and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for PLDR and 0.15% for QUAL.