QMAR vs. ITOT

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

QMAR (FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March) and ITOT (iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QMAR is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by First Trust, while ITOT is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P Total Market Index. QMAR is actively managed, while ITOT is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QMAR returned 11.18%/yr vs 12.06%/yr for ITOT. Their correlation of 0.88 means they have usually moved in the same direction. QMAR charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for ITOT.

Performance

QMAR vs. ITOT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with QMAR having a 12.60% return and ITOT slightly lower at 12.18%.

QMAR

• 1D: 0.62%
• 1M: 0.65%
• 6M: 11.79%
• YTD: 12.60%
• 1Y: 19.26%
• 3Y*: 15.58%
• 5Y*: 11.18%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.14%

ITOT

• 1D: 1.46%
• 1M: 1.37%
• 6M: 9.88%
• YTD: 12.18%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 20.38%
• 5Y*: 12.06%
• 10Y*: 14.61%
• ALL TIME*: 10.62%

*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)
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF	$218.20M	$235.22M	$304.20M
QMAR FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	$331.81K	$318.22K	$438.70K

QMAR vs. ITOT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
QMAR FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	12.60%	10.89%	16.11%	35.47%	-16.56%	12.87%
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF	12.18%	17.00%	23.80%	26.12%	-19.47%	19.08%

Correlation

The correlation between QMAR and ITOT 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.	0.85
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 22, 2021	0.88

The correlation between QMAR and ITOT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

QMAR vs. ITOT - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	QMAR	ITOT
Technology	60.2%	36.4%
Communication Services	13.3%	9.1%
Consumer Cyclical	10.9%	9.5%
Consumer Defensive	6.5%	4.3%
Healthcare	3.6%	9.5%
Industrials	2.7%	9.9%
Utilities	1.2%	2.2%
Basic Materials	1.0%	1.9%
Energy	0.5%	3.1%
Financial Services	0.2%	11.9%
Real Estate	0.1%	2.3%

Return for Risk

QMAR vs. ITOT — Risk / Return Rank

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

QMAR

QMAR Risk / Return Rank: 96
QMAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
QMAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
QMAR Omega Ratio Rank: 96
QMAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
QMAR Martin Ratio Rank: 97

ITOT

ITOT Risk / Return Rank: 78
ITOT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
ITOT Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
ITOT Omega Ratio Rank: 76
ITOT Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
ITOT Martin Ratio Rank: 83

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.

QMAR vs. ITOT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR) and iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT). 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.

	QMAR	ITOT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.78	1.81	+0.97
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.18	2.50	+1.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.60	1.32	+0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.02	2.66	+3.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	28.19	11.42	+16.77

QMAR vs. ITOT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QMAR Sharpe Ratio is 2.78, which is higher than the ITOT Sharpe Ratio of 1.81. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QMAR and ITOT, 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

QMAR vs. ITOT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QMAR drawdown since its inception was -19.83%, smaller than the maximum ITOT drawdown of -55.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QMAR and ITOT.

Drawdown Indicators

	QMAR	ITOT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.83%	-55.20%	+35.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.21%	-8.90%	+5.69%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.91%	-19.44%	+3.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.83%	-25.36%	+5.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.00%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.59%	0.00%	-0.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.22%	-6.93%	+3.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.68%	2.07%	-1.39%

Volatility

QMAR vs. ITOT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March (QMAR) is 2.62%, while iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT) has a volatility of 3.80%. This indicates that QMAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITOT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QMAR	ITOT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.62%	3.80%	-1.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.18%	10.35%	-4.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.98%	13.11%	-6.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.05%	17.48%	-3.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.74%	18.28%	-4.54%

QMAR vs. ITOT - Expense Ratio Comparison

QMAR has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than ITOT's 0.03% expense ratio.

Dividends

QMAR vs. ITOT - Dividend Comparison

QMAR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ITOT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.99%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ITOT iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF	0.99%	1.11%	1.23%	1.47%	1.66%	1.18%	1.41%	1.88%	2.14%	1.69%	1.83%	2.01%
QMAR FT Cboe Vest Nasdaq-100 Buffer ETF - March	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QMAR and ITOT in my portfolio?

QMAR and ITOT 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, QMAR or ITOT?

ITOT has higher volatility (3.80%) compared to QMAR (2.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QMAR dropped -19.83% vs ITOT's -55.20%.

Which ETF is better, QMAR or ITOT?

On 5-year performance, ITOT leads with 12.06% vs 11.18% for QMAR. On fees, ITOT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, QMAR has been the lower-risk option at 2.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QMAR or ITOT?

Over the 5-year period, ITOT has performed better with a 12.06% return vs 11.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QMAR or ITOT?

ITOT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for QMAR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, QMAR or ITOT?

ITOT has the higher dividend yield at 0.99%, compared with 0.00% for QMAR.

What is the main difference between QMAR and ITOT?

QMAR is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while ITOT is Large Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for QMAR and 0.03% for ITOT.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QMAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs 1.81), 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.