TY vs. QUAL
TY (Tri-Continental Corporation) is a stock, while QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) is Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. Over the past 10 years, TY returned 14.54%/yr vs 14.48%/yr for QUAL. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure.
Performance
TY vs. QUAL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TY achieves a 8.62% return, which is significantly higher than QUAL's 7.76% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with TY having a 14.54% annualized return and QUAL not far behind at 14.48%.
TY
- 1D
- 0.81%
- 1M
- 0.86%
- YTD
- 8.62%
- 6M
- 8.33%
- 1Y
- 23.12%
- 3Y*
- 19.46%
- 5Y*
- 10.61%
- 10Y*
- 14.54%
QUAL
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -0.38%
- YTD
- 7.76%
- 6M
- 6.49%
- 1Y
- 19.82%
- 3Y*
- 18.56%
- 5Y*
- 11.33%
- 10Y*
- 14.48%
TY vs. QUAL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TY Tri-Continental Corporation | 8.62% | 16.12% | 22.01% | 17.86% | -16.32% | 29.45% | 12.38% | 28.60% | -5.84% | 28.47% |
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | 7.76% | 12.65% | 22.29% | 30.88% | -20.50% | 26.94% | 17.04% | 33.89% | -5.70% | 22.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between TY and QUAL is 0.76, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.76 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 18, 2013 | 0.84 |
The correlation between TY and QUAL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
TY vs. QUAL — Risk / Return Rank
TY
QUAL
TY vs. QUAL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) 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.
| TY | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.67 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.29 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.42 | 2.20 | +1.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.18 | 9.97 | +4.21 |
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Drawdowns
TY vs. QUAL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TY drawdown since its inception was -67.71%, which is greater than QUAL's maximum drawdown of -34.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TY and QUAL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TY | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.71% | -34.06% | -33.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.79% | -9.03% | +2.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.09% | -18.00% | +1.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.78% | -28.23% | +7.45% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.57% | -34.06% | -4.51% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.95% | -2.74% | +0.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.59% | -4.09% | -11.50% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.63% | 1.99% | -0.36% |
Volatility
TY vs. QUAL - Volatility Comparison
Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) have volatilities of 3.87% and 4.02%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TY | QUAL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.87% | 4.02% | -0.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.04% | 9.62% | -1.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.08% | 12.10% | -2.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.25% | 17.38% | -3.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.53% | 18.10% | -1.57% |
Dividends
TY vs. QUAL - Dividend Comparison
TY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.03%, more than QUAL's 0.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QUAL iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | 0.88% | 0.94% | 1.02% | 1.23% | 1.59% | 1.20% | 1.39% | 1.60% | 2.00% | 1.76% | 1.96% | 1.63% |
TY Tri-Continental Corporation | 9.03% | 11.97% | 10.61% | 4.36% | 8.71% | 14.13% | 6.25% | 6.86% | 8.13% | 4.69% | 4.12% | 4.05% |
Frequently Asked Questions
TY and QUAL have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
QUAL has higher volatility (4.02%) compared to TY (3.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TY dropped -67.71% vs QUAL's -34.06%.
TY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.32 vs 1.65), 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.
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