XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XSUS.TO (iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF) and XQLT.TO (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF) are both Large Cap Growth Equities funds from iShares - XSUS.TO tracks the MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index while XQLT.TO tracks the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XSUS.TO returned 14.81%/yr vs 14.73%/yr for XQLT.TO. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XSUS.TO charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.32%/yr for XQLT.TO.

Performance

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.TO) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF (XQLT.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XSUS.TO achieves a 12.45% return, which is significantly higher than XQLT.TO's 10.01% return.

XSUS.TO

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 7.89%
• YTD: 12.45%
• 6M: 8.87%
• 1Y: 27.43%
• 3Y*: 21.61%
• 5Y*: 14.81%
• 10Y*: —

XQLT.TO

• 1D: 0.35%
• 1M: 6.81%
• YTD: 10.01%
• 6M: 8.23%
• 1Y: 22.80%
• 3Y*: 20.56%
• 5Y*: 14.73%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
XSUS.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF	12.45%	9.48%	32.85%	21.80%	-15.17%	26.44%	18.78%	7.74%
XQLT.TO iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF	10.01%	7.09%	32.37%	28.08%	-17.15%	27.90%	11.61%	9.78%

Correlation

The correlation between XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.91
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 2019	0.73

The correlation between XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (all time) to 0.91 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XSUS.TO	XQLT.TO
Technology	38.4%	37.0%
Financial Services	11.6%	11.8%
Communication Services	9.8%	11.0%
Consumer Cyclical	9.5%	9.3%
Healthcare	8.6%	8.8%
Industrials	8.3%	7.9%
Consumer Defensive	4.0%	4.9%
Energy	3.5%	4.0%
Utilities	2.4%	1.8%
Real Estate	2.1%	1.8%
Basic Materials	1.6%	1.7%

Return for Risk

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

XSUS.TO

XSUS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 63
XSUS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
XSUS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
XSUS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 71
XSUS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
XSUS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 54

XQLT.TO

XQLT.TO Risk / Return Rank: 57
XQLT.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
XQLT.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
XQLT.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 56
XQLT.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
XQLT.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 59

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.TO) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF (XQLT.TO). 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.

	XSUS.TO	XQLT.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	1.94	+0.36
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.16	2.81	+0.35
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.35	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.74	2.74	0.00
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.30	10.40	-1.10
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XSUS.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is comparable to the XQLT.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XSUS.TO	XQLT.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.30	1.94	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.99	0.95	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.96	0.93	+0.03

Drawdowns

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XSUS.TO drawdown since its inception was -28.32%, which is greater than XQLT.TO's maximum drawdown of -25.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XSUS.TO	XQLT.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.32%	-25.12%	-3.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.05%	-8.35%	-1.70%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.45%	-18.95%	-1.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.02%	-25.12%	+1.10%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.23%	-1.21%	+0.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.98%	-5.20%	+0.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.96%	2.20%	+0.76%

Volatility

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF (XSUS.TO) is 2.91%, while iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF (XQLT.TO) has a volatility of 3.85%. This indicates that XSUS.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XQLT.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XSUS.TO	XQLT.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.91%	3.85%	-0.94%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.19%	9.31%	-0.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.01%	11.85%	+0.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.06%	15.58%	-0.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.58%	16.44%	+0.14%

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XSUS.TO has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is lower than XQLT.TO's 0.32% expense ratio.

Dividends

XSUS.TO vs. XQLT.TO - Dividend Comparison

XSUS.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.74%, more than XQLT.TO's 0.63% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
XQLT.TO iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF	0.63%	0.69%	0.72%	0.94%	1.21%	0.87%	1.11%	1.23%
XSUS.TO iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF	0.74%	0.83%	0.81%	1.09%	0.96%	0.83%	0.92%	0.66%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, XSUS.TO or XQLT.TO?

On fees, XSUS.TO is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XSUS.TO or XQLT.TO?

XSUS.TO is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for XQLT.TO.

What is the main difference between XSUS.TO and XQLT.TO?

XSUS.TO tracks MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index, while XQLT.TO tracks MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality Index. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for XSUS.TO and 0.32% for XQLT.TO.