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Launched · SEC filings

Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF

QLVNYSE ArcaFlexSharesA

$81.95−0.27 (−0.33%)

As of Nov 2, 2026, 3:59 PM ET

A76/ 100

Rank 2 of 16 in US Low Volatility Index

A76/100Rank 2 of 16inUS Low Volatility Index
Intraday session: down, 78 prints from 82.22 to 81.95. Range 81.95 to 82.50. Use the arrow keys to read each point.82.1082.3082.4082.5010 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM
Expense ratio
0.08%*
Fund size
$189M
1Y total return
+17.0%
Yield · Last 12 months
1.43%
Holdings
122
Avg volume · 30D
8.83K sh
52W range
low $70.46high $82.40
Launched
Filings
SEC EDGAR

*After a fee waiver that ends Mar 1, 2027. Without it: 0.09%.

The ETF.net QLV Grade

A

Score 76 out of 100

Category
US Low Volatility Index⁠
Rank
2 of 16
Six-pillar profile for QLV. Scores out of 100: Cost 100, Risk 86, Mission 76, Tradability 67, Holdings 34, Durability 31. Strongest: Cost (100). Weakest: Durability (31). Leans toward Cost.

Score 76 of 100 falls in the A band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.

  • Cost

    The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.
    A100 out of 100
    Rank 1 of 16

  • Mission

    Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.
    A76 out of 100
    Rank 9 of 16

  • Risk

    How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.
    A86 out of 100
    Rank 1 of 16

  • Tradability

    How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.
    B67 out of 100
    Rank 4 of 16

  • Holdings

    How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.
    D34 out of 100
    Rank 13 of 16

  • Durability

    Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.
    D31 out of 100
    Rank 14 of 16

Our read on QLV

ETF.net Research

In short

ALow vol with a quality gate: the index cuts the weakest-scoring fifth of US large and mid caps, then optimizes what's left for calm. Fee is 0.08% net of a waiver through March 1, 2027.

Stated mandate

The fund seeks to track the Northern Trust Quality Low Volatility Index and provide exposure to U.S. companies selected for lower overall volatility and quality characteristics.

Why people hold it

  • The quality screen is the point: stocks are ranked on profitability, management efficiency and cash flow, and the bottom fifth is cut before the volatility work starts.sec.gov
  • 0.08% net of a waiver through March 1, 2027: below the category median, and under USMV at 0.15% and LGLV at 0.12%.
  • Sector, industry and single-stock limits inside the optimization push back on the utilities-and-staples pileup typical of low vol. Roughly 120 holdings.sec.gov
  • Sits in the top quartile of its US low volatility peer group, and pays quarterly.

Worth knowing

  • One of the less-traded funds in the category, so the bid-ask spread can matter more at the point of trade than the expense ratio.
  • Assets stay modest next to the category's multi-billion-dollar incumbents.
  • Low volatility here is relative, not absolute: the aim is calmer than the Northern Trust 1250 parent index, not shelter from a broad selloff.sec.gov

QLV Performance

Launched Jul 15, 2019

Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.

Not enough history yet.
QLV$11,704
SPY tracks large US stocks. It provides market context, rather than representing this fund’s strategy, asset class or investment benchmark.$11,199
Oct 31, 2025 to Oct 30, 2026. QLV $11,704. SPY $11,199. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$10,000$11,000Oct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

Returns run to the Oct 30, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.

Trailing total return for QLV. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
PeriodQLV
Year to date+15.4%
1 month+4.9%
3 months+5.8%
1 year+17.0%
3 yearsper year+19.0%
5 yearsper year+10.3%
10 yearsFund is under 10 years oldper yearNo data

With distributions reinvested.

Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.

Annual total returns for QLV
YearReturn barQLV
2026 YTD+15.4%
2025+12.3%
2024+18.1%
2023+13.7%
2022−10.0%
2021+26.1%
2020+9.7%

QLV in the news

QLV Dividends

Adds up every distribution paid per share over the last 12 months, divided by the last completed close. Distributions are counted by ex-date. Data through Oct 30, 2026.
1.43%Last 12 months
Payout per share
$1.18Last 12 months
Last payment
$0.28 per share
Paid on
Shares bought on or after this date do not qualify for this distribution.
Frequency
Quarterly

Distribution history

2019–2026

One bar per payment. 30 payments from 2019 to 2026 YTD. Sep 20, 2019 $0.08; Dec 20, 2019 $0.16; Mar 20, 2020 $0.12; Jun 19, 2020 $0.12; Sep 18, 2020 $0.13; Dec 18, 2020 $0.20; Mar 19, 2021 $0.11; Jun 18, 2021 $0.14; Sep 17, 2021 $0.13; Dec 17, 2021 $0.16; Mar 18, 2022 $0.15; Jun 17, 2022 $0.18; Sep 16, 2022 $0.22; Dec 16, 2022 $0.33; Mar 17, 2023 $0.14; Jun 16, 2023 $0.24; Sep 15, 2023 $0.19; Dec 15, 2023 $0.30; Dec 22, 2023 $0.02; Mar 15, 2024 $0.17; Jun 21, 2024 $0.30; Sep 20, 2024 $0.25; Dec 20, 2024 $0.35; Mar 21, 2025 $0.23; Jun 20, 2025 $0.28; Sep 19, 2025 $0.29; Dec 19, 2025 $0.36; Mar 20, 2026 $0.23; Jun 18, 2026 $0.31; Sep 18, 2026 $0.28. Use the arrow keys to read each point.20192020202120222023202420252026YTD
Ex-datePay dateAmount per share
Sep 18, 2026Sep 24, 2026$0.28
Jun 18, 2026Jun 25, 2026$0.31
Mar 20, 2026Mar 26, 2026$0.23
Dec 19, 2025Dec 26, 2025$0.36
Sep 19, 2025Sep 25, 2025$0.29
Jun 20, 2025Jun 26, 2025$0.28
Mar 21, 2025Mar 27, 2025$0.23
Dec 20, 2024Dec 27, 2024$0.35
Sep 20, 2024Sep 26, 2024$0.25
Jun 21, 2024Jun 27, 2024$0.30
Mar 15, 2024Mar 21, 2024$0.17
Dec 22, 2023Dec 29, 2023$0.02

See all 30 payments⁠

$10,000 in QLV 5 years ago paid $905 in dividends.⁠

QLV Risk

Risk pillarA86 out of 100Rank 1 of 16 in US Low Volatility Index
How much the fund’s monthly returns vary, scaled to a year.
8.6%
Annualised · 36 months to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: standard deviation

The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.

Return above 3-month US Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
1.56
vs 3-month T-bills · to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio

Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.

Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.

The largest fall from a peak to the low that followed.
−17.9%
Trough Oct 2022
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown

The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.

Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.

How strongly the fund’s returns move with its asset-class index.
0.58
vs its asset-class index
How it’s calculated: beta

The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.

FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.

QLV Cost

Cheapest in US Low Volatility Index

$1,689

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • QLV 0.08%

    $1,689

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • QLV 0.08%
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$500$1K$1.5K$2K051015202530QLV $1,689

Year by year

YearQLV
10$147
20$575
30$1,689
How the 0.08% is worked out

Full fee 0.09%− waiver 0.01%= you pay 0.08%

The waiver ends Mar 1, 2027. After that the fee is 0.09% unless FlexShares renews it. Source: prospectus, Aug 2026.

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