QLVE vs. SPHQ

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

QLVE (FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund) and SPHQ (Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF) are both Quality Factor funds - QLVE tracks the Northern Trust Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index while SPHQ tracks the S&P 500 Quality Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QLVE returned 7.60%/yr vs 12.73%/yr for SPHQ. Their 0.65 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. QLVE charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SPHQ.

Performance

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLVE) and Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with QLVE having a 12.92% return and SPHQ slightly higher at 13.51%.

QLVE

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: 0.53%
• 6M: 7.16%
• YTD: 12.92%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 15.27%
• 5Y*: 7.60%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.66%

SPHQ

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: -3.64%
• 6M: 10.07%
• YTD: 13.51%
• 1Y: 21.02%
• 3Y*: 18.91%
• 5Y*: 12.73%
• 10Y*: 14.60%
• ALL TIME*: 10.01%

*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)
QLVE FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund	$2.76K	$7.65K	$20.86K
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	$119.48M	$136.23M	$143.26M

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
QLVE FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund	12.92%	21.87%	10.17%	8.53%	-13.10%	0.90%	4.16%	4.77%
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	13.51%	13.25%	25.44%	24.83%	-15.76%	28.03%	17.36%	8.89%

Correlation

The correlation between QLVE and SPHQ is 0.66, 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.	0.66
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 16, 2019	0.65

The correlation between QLVE and SPHQ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	QLVE	SPHQ
Technology	35.7%	41.2%
Financial Services	14.3%	15.2%
Communication Services	10.0%	6.4%
Energy	6.3%	1.0%
Consumer Defensive	6.3%	7.5%
Consumer Cyclical	4.9%	5.3%
Healthcare	4.8%	3.2%
Industrials	3.3%	17.7%
Utilities	2.7%	4.5%
Basic Materials	1.9%	2.5%
Real Estate	0.7%	-

Return for Risk

QLVE vs. SPHQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

QLVE

QLVE Risk / Return Rank: 52
QLVE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
QLVE Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
QLVE Omega Ratio Rank: 53
QLVE Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
QLVE Martin Ratio Rank: 55

SPHQ

SPHQ Risk / Return Rank: 62
SPHQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
SPHQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
SPHQ Omega Ratio Rank: 56
SPHQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
SPHQ Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLVE) and Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ). 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.

	QLVE	SPHQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.18	1.39	-0.21
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.73	2.02	-0.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.24	0.00
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.98	2.26	-0.29
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.52	8.07	-1.55

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QLVE Sharpe Ratio is 1.18, which is comparable to the SPHQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QLVE and SPHQ, 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

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QLVE drawdown since its inception was -29.96%, smaller than the maximum SPHQ drawdown of -57.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QLVE and SPHQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	QLVE	SPHQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.96%	-57.83%	+27.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.60%	-8.90%	-2.70%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.29%	-16.57%	+3.28%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.60%	-25.04%	+1.44%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-31.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.59%	-6.03%	+0.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.21%	-10.64%	+2.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.51%	2.49%	+1.02%

Volatility

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Volatility Comparison

FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund (QLVE) has a higher volatility of 6.73% compared to Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) at 4.84%. This indicates that QLVE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPHQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QLVE	SPHQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.73%	4.84%	+1.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.12%	12.44%	+4.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.46%	14.53%	+4.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.20%	16.74%	-2.54%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.14%	17.97%	-1.83%

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

QLVE has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than SPHQ's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

QLVE vs. SPHQ - Dividend Comparison

QLVE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.68%, more than SPHQ's 1.10% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QLVE FlexShares Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index Fund	2.68%	3.14%	3.11%	3.00%	2.48%	2.57%	1.66%	1.27%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	1.10%	1.09%	1.15%	1.42%	1.85%	1.19%	1.55%	1.51%	1.85%	1.57%	1.67%	2.29%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QLVE and SPHQ in my portfolio?

QLVE and SPHQ have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QLVE or SPHQ?

QLVE has higher volatility (6.73%) compared to SPHQ (4.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QLVE dropped -29.96% vs SPHQ's -57.83%.

Which ETF is better, QLVE or SPHQ?

On 5-year performance, SPHQ leads with 12.73% vs 7.60% for QLVE. On fees, SPHQ is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, SPHQ has been the lower-risk option at 4.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QLVE or SPHQ?

Over the 5-year period, SPHQ has performed better with a 12.73% return vs 7.60%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QLVE or SPHQ?

SPHQ is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for QLVE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QLVE or SPHQ?

QLVE has the higher dividend yield at 2.68%, compared with 1.10% for SPHQ.

What is the main difference between QLVE and SPHQ?

QLVE tracks Northern Trust Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility Index, while SPHQ tracks S&P 500 Quality Index. They also come from different issuers: Northern Trust and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for QLVE and 0.15% for SPHQ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPHQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.39 vs 1.18), 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.