QDIV vs. SCHD

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

QDIV (Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QDIV is a Quality Factor fund tracking the S&P 500 Quality High Dividend Index, while SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QDIV returned 8.39%/yr vs 9.54%/yr for SCHD. Their correlation of 0.91 means they have usually moved in the same direction. QDIV charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.

Performance

QDIV vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, QDIV achieves a 16.03% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 24.03% return.

QDIV

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 3.88%
• 6M: 9.20%
• YTD: 16.03%
• 1Y: 21.61%
• 3Y*: 10.13%
• 5Y*: 8.39%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.17%

SCHD

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 3.33%
• 6M: 14.09%
• YTD: 24.03%
• 1Y: 31.54%
• 3Y*: 14.19%
• 5Y*: 9.54%
• 10Y*: 12.76%
• ALL TIME*: 13.39%

*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)
QDIV Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF	$39.86K	$80.99K	$126.73K
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	$786.88M	$715.86M	$685.58M

QDIV vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
QDIV Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF	16.03%	3.16%	10.62%	5.18%	-0.50%	28.99%	0.03%	29.00%	-12.20%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	24.03%	4.34%	11.66%	4.54%	-3.26%	29.87%	15.03%	27.29%	-5.46%

Correlation

The correlation between QDIV and SCHD is 0.88, 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.	0.88
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 17, 2018	0.91

The correlation between QDIV and SCHD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

QDIV vs. SCHD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	QDIV	SCHD
Consumer Defensive	22.1%	20.6%
Financial Services	20.1%	9.9%
Industrials	16.6%	7.8%
Healthcare	13.5%	20.8%
Technology	10.7%	12.7%
Energy	8.9%	14.1%
Consumer Cyclical	5.8%	7.7%
Communication Services	3.5%	6.2%
Basic Materials	2.1%	1.2%
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	0.1%

Return for Risk

QDIV vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank

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

QDIV

QDIV Risk / Return Rank: 72
QDIV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
QDIV Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
QDIV Omega Ratio Rank: 72
QDIV Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
QDIV Martin Ratio Rank: 56

SCHD

SCHD Risk / Return Rank: 95
SCHD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SCHD Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
SCHD Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

QDIV vs. SCHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). 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.

	QDIV	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.69	2.81	-1.12
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.59	4.37	-1.78
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.51	-0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.61	6.74	-4.12
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.67	17.01	-10.34

QDIV vs. SCHD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QDIV Sharpe Ratio is 1.69, which is lower than the SCHD Sharpe Ratio of 2.81. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QDIV and SCHD, 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

QDIV vs. SCHD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QDIV drawdown since its inception was -41.20%, which is greater than SCHD's maximum drawdown of -33.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QDIV and SCHD.

Drawdown Indicators

	QDIV	SCHD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.20%	-33.37%	-7.83%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.97%	-4.61%	-3.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.81%	-16.13%	-0.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.52%	-16.85%	-1.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.37%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.55%	-1.24%	-0.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.47%	-3.30%	-2.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.12%	1.82%	+1.30%

Volatility

QDIV vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison

Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV) has a higher volatility of 5.14% compared to Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) at 4.11%. This indicates that QDIV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QDIV	SCHD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.14%	4.11%	+1.03%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.14%	8.11%	+1.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.39%	11.13%	+1.26%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.32%	14.39%	+0.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.35%	16.72%	+2.63%

QDIV vs. SCHD - Expense Ratio Comparison

QDIV has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHD's 0.06% 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

QDIV vs. SCHD - Dividend Comparison

QDIV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.81%, less than SCHD's 3.13% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QDIV Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF	2.81%	3.13%	2.88%	3.26%	3.02%	2.44%	3.06%	2.84%	1.30%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	3.13%	3.82%	3.64%	3.49%	3.39%	2.78%	3.16%	2.98%	3.06%	2.63%	2.89%	2.97%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QDIV and SCHD in my portfolio?

QDIV and SCHD have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QDIV or SCHD?

QDIV has higher volatility (5.14%) compared to SCHD (4.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QDIV dropped -41.20% vs SCHD's -33.37%.

Which ETF is better, QDIV or SCHD?

On 5-year performance, SCHD leads with 9.54% vs 8.39% for QDIV. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SCHD has been the lower-risk option at 4.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QDIV or SCHD?

Over the 5-year period, SCHD has performed better with a 9.54% return vs 8.39%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QDIV or SCHD?

SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for QDIV.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QDIV or SCHD?

SCHD has the higher dividend yield at 3.13%, compared with 2.81% for QDIV.

What is the main difference between QDIV and SCHD?

QDIV is categorized as Quality Factor, while SCHD is Dividend. QDIV tracks S&P 500 Quality High Dividend Index, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: Global X and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for QDIV and 0.06% for SCHD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 1.69), 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.