QLV vs. VOO
Compare and contrast key facts about FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
QLV and VOO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. 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. VOO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Sep 7, 2010. Both QLV and VOO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
QLV vs. VOO - Performance Comparison
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QLV vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund | 0.10% | 12.28% | 18.08% | 13.71% | -9.97% | 26.08% | 9.63% | 6.24% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | -4.42% | 17.82% | 24.98% | 26.32% | -18.17% | 28.79% | 18.32% | 8.49% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, QLV achieves a 0.10% return, which is significantly higher than VOO's -4.42% return.
QLV
- 1D
- 1.54%
- 1M
- -3.92%
- YTD
- 0.10%
- 6M
- 0.74%
- 1Y
- 10.86%
- 3Y*
- 13.76%
- 5Y*
- 10.52%
- 10Y*
- —
VOO
- 1D
- 2.86%
- 1M
- -5.01%
- YTD
- -4.42%
- 6M
- -1.84%
- 1Y
- 17.67%
- 3Y*
- 18.27%
- 5Y*
- 11.75%
- 10Y*
- 14.05%
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QLV vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison
QLV has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than VOO's 0.03% 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%.
Return for Risk
QLV vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank
QLV
VOO
QLV vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). 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.
| QLV | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.86 | 0.98 | -0.12 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.31 | 1.50 | -0.19 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.23 | -0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 1.53 | -0.34 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.18 | 7.29 | -1.11 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| QLV | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86 | 0.98 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | 0.70 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.78 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.83 | -0.18 |
Correlation
The correlation between QLV and VOO is 0.90, 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
QLV vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison
QLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.60%, more than VOO's 1.19% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QLV FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1.66% | 1.60% | 1.74% | 0.96% | 1.24% | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 1.19% | 1.13% | 1.24% | 1.46% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.88% | 2.06% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Drawdowns
QLV vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum QLV drawdown since its inception was -33.71%, roughly equal to the maximum VOO drawdown of -33.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QLV and VOO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| QLV | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.71% | -33.99% | +0.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.75% | -11.98% | +2.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.93% | -24.52% | +6.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.99% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.29% | -6.29% | +2.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.08% | -3.72% | -0.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.88% | 2.52% | -0.64% |
Volatility
QLV vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for FlexShares US Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLV) is 3.18%, while Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) has a volatility of 5.29%. This indicates that QLV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| QLV | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.18% | 5.29% | -2.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.81% | 9.44% | -3.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.74% | 18.10% | -5.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.73% | 16.82% | -4.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.75% | 17.99% | -1.24% |