QUAL — iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF
US Quality / Factor Ranked #103 of 458 tracked ETFs · Issued by iShares
QUAL Price Performance — Growth of $10,000
Value of a $10,000 investment in QUAL over time, compared with SPY. Both lines are rebased to $10,000 on the first shared date. Based on total returns — prices are adjusted for dividends and splits, so this assumes distributions were reinvested. Hover or tap the chart for exact values.
QUAL Drawdown
The "underwater" chart: QUAL's decline from its highest prior value at each point in time. It shows how deep past losses ran and how long the fund took to recover to break-even.
What If You'd Invested in QUAL?
See what a lump sum in QUAL would have grown to, with the option to add a regular monthly contribution on top. Figures use total returns — dividends are assumed reinvested.
Past performance doesn't predict future results. Assumes contributions on the first trading day of each month, no trading costs or taxes, and reinvested distributions. History is limited to the range published in the site's daily return data.
Overview
The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (Ticker: QUAL) is a US-focused quality factor ETF, issued by iShares. It is positioned as the 103rd best-performing ETF among the 458 tracked by ETFValuer, earning a grade of B (score 69.8/100). The fund carries a low expense ratio of 0.15% and a dividend yield of 0.86%, indicating modest income potential. With a price of $223.22 and an AUM of $46.5B, the fund is well-positioned in the market, suggesting strong investor adoption and liquidity.
The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has shown a mix of short-term and long-term gains. Over the past year, the fund has delivered a strong 20.40% return, while over the past three years, it has seen a substantial 68.36% gain. The 1-month return of +3.34% and the 3-month return of +5.11% suggest a steady upward trend, with the 1-year return of +20.40% indicating a period of acceleration. The 1-day return of +0.41% and the 1-week return of -1.16% show some volatility, but the overall trend is positive, with the 6-month return of +9.64% and the year-to-date return of +12.50% further supporting a robust performance.
The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF is labeled as having low volatility, with a beta of 0.90, indicating that it tends to move in line with the broader market but with slightly less sensitivity. The Sharpe ratio of 1.26 suggests that the fund provides a good risk-adjusted return, as it offers a higher return per unit of risk taken. The maximum drawdown of -18.00% indicates that the fund experienced a significant decline in value, but it has since recovered. This combination of low volatility, a positive Sharpe ratio, and a moderate drawdown suggests that the fund is suitable for investors seeking a balanced approach with a focus on quality factors, offering both stability and potential for growth.
AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.
QUAL Top Holdings
| # | Holding | % of Net Assets | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVIDIA CORPORATION | 6.50% | $3.26B |
| 2 | APPLE INC. | 6.27% | $3.14B |
| 3 | MICROSOFT CORPORATION | 5.04% | $2.53B |
| 4 | META PLATFORMS, INC. | 3.49% | $1.75B |
| 5 | LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION | 3.22% | $1.62B |
| 6 | THE TJX COMPANIES, INC. | 3.19% | $1.60B |
| 7 | VISA INC. | 3.08% | $1.55B |
| 8 | ELI LILLY AND COMPANY | 2.92% | $1.46B |
| 9 | KLA CORPORATION | 2.78% | $1.40B |
| 10 | ALPHABET INC. | 2.53% | $1.27B |
Holdings as of 2026-04-30 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 39.0% of net assets — a rough gauge of concentration risk (the higher this figure, the more the fund's return depends on a handful of names). To see how QUAL's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.
Which Funds Overlap With QUAL
Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with QUAL's top 10 — DYNF overlaps most, holding 6 of the same companies as QUAL's top 10 (27.1% of QUAL's assets).
| ETF | Name | Shared Companies | QUAL Weight | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DYNF | iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF | 6 | 27.1% | NVIDIA CORPORATION, APPLE INC., MICROSOFT CORPORATION… |
| EFIV | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ESG ETF | 6 | 26.9% | NVIDIA CORPORATION, APPLE INC., MICROSOFT CORPORATION… |
| ESGU | iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF | 6 | 26.8% | NVIDIA CORPORATION, APPLE INC., MICROSOFT CORPORATION… |
| IWF | iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 6 | 26.8% | NVIDIA CORPORATION, APPLE INC., MICROSOFT CORPORATION… |
| VT | Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund ETF Shares | 5 | 23.8% | NVIDIA CORPORATION, APPLE INC., MICROSOFT CORPORATION… |
Compares the top 10 reported holdings of each fund, so it's a floor on true overlap — two S&P 500 trackers overlap ~100% even when only 10 names are listed. Use the Stock Overlap tool to search by individual company.
Market Backdrop
10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.69% (as of 2026-08-20) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 16.01 (as of 2026-08-20) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.
Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-07-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.
What QUAL's Fees Cost You
QUAL charges an expense ratio of 0.15% a year, deducted automatically from the fund's value. Small percentages compound into real money — adjust the figures below to see the impact on your own numbers.
Assumes a constant gross return and no additional contributions — a simplification, but it isolates exactly what the expense ratio costs. Try the full fee calculator to model contributions and compare any two funds.
QUAL Dividend Income Estimator
QUAL currently yields 0.86%. Enter an amount to see the income that implies, or set a monthly income target to see the investment it would take.
Based on the fund's current trailing yield, which varies with price and distributions — treat it as an estimate, not a guarantee. Yields are not adjusted for tax.
QUAL Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment
Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 17.50% and average daily volume is 1.7M/day. Tighter spreads and higher volume mean lower round-trip trading costs; this is a live-market snapshot and can widen during volatile sessions. AUM of $46.5B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.
Domicile & tax treatment: QUAL is a US-domiciled, SEC-registered ('40 Act) exchange-traded fund. Dividends and capital gains distributions are reported to US investors on Form 1099-DIV, and the fund is not subject to the PFIC reporting or UCITS-specific rules that apply to Irish- or Luxembourg-domiciled funds. Non-US investors should note that US-domiciled ETFs are generally subject to 30% US withholding tax on dividends (unless reduced by treaty) and to US estate tax exposure on the position — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs tracking the same index often avoid both, which is why non-US residents frequently prefer the UCITS equivalent where one exists. This is general information, not tax advice — consult a tax professional for your situation.
QUAL Performance History
| Period | Return |
|---|---|
| 1-Day | +0.41% |
| 1-Week | -1.16% |
| 1-Month | +3.34% |
| 3-Month | +5.11% |
| 6-Month | +9.64% |
| YTD | +12.50% |
| 1-Year | +20.40% |
| 3-Year | +68.36% |
How QUAL Compares to Other US Quality / Factor ETFs
| Rank | Grade | Ticker | Name | 1-Year | Exp. Ratio | AUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | B+ |
VLUE | iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF | +76.40% | 0.15% | $9.07B |
| #53 | B |
DYNF | iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF | +23.39% | 0.26% | $38.6B |
| #102 | B |
VFVA | Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF Shares | +33.42% | 0.13% | $912M |
| #103 | B |
QUAL | iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | +20.40% | 0.15% | $46.5B |
| #104 | B |
COWZ | Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | +28.88% | 0.49% | $18.7B |
| #106 | B |
SPMO | Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | +29.83% | 0.13% | $21.0B |
| #155 | B |
SPHQ | Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF | +20.14% | 0.15% | $19.4B |
| #169 | B |
MTUM | iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | +26.55% | 0.15% | $25.3B |
| #178 | B |
VFMO | Vanguard U.S. Momentum Factor ETF ETF Shares | +33.13% | 0.13% | $1.83B |
| #185 | B |
LRGF | iShares U.S. Equity Factor ETF | +19.40% | 0.08% | $3.58B |
| #206 | C |
EFAV | iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF | +13.33% | 0.2% | $5.44B |
| #215 | C |
USMV | iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | +8.67% | 0.15% | $23.6B |
| #221 | C |
EEMV | iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Min Vol Factor ETF | +20.58% | 0.25% | $3.45B |
| #237 | C |
VFQY | Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF Shares | +21.64% | 0.13% | $485M |
| #260 | C |
ACWV | iShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETF | +7.60% | 0.2% | $3.32B |
| #321 | C |
SPLV | Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF | +3.25% | 0.25% | $7.25B |