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ABFL vs QUAL

Abacus FCF Leaders ETF

ABFLCCboe

iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF

QUALACboe

Overlap

Expense ratio

QUAL −0.34pt a year

ABFL0.49%QUAL0.15%

Avg volume · 30D

QUAL 40.7×the volume

ABFL25.4KQUAL1.03M

10Y return · a year

QUAL +0.5pt

ABFL+14.1%QUAL+14.6%

ABFL vs QUAL Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+57.2%ABFL+66.2%QUAL

Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. ABFL +57.2%. QUAL +66.2%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−20%0%20%40%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026
Expense ratio
ABFL 0.49%
QUAL 0.15%, better
Fund size
ABFL $466M
QUAL $48B
1Y total return
ABFL +10.5%
QUAL +14.4%, better
Yield (12M)
ABFL 0.60%
QUAL 0.85%, better
Holdings
ABFL 56
QUAL 121
Avg volume (30D)
ABFL 25.4K sh
QUAL 1.03M sh, better
NAV per share
ABFL $80.68
QUAL $222.43
52W range

ETF.net Grade

ABFL: Cost 26, Risk 38, Mission 63, Tradability 61, Holdings 54, Durability 52. QUAL: Cost 84, Risk 64, Mission 94, Tradability 96, Holdings 35, Durability 96.
Pillar letters and Scores for ABFL, QUAL, with each pillar’s weight
PillarABFLQUAL
Cost30% weightD26A84Higher
Mission25% weightB63A94Higher
Risk15% weightD38B64Higher
Tradability15% weightB61A96Higher
Holdings10% weightC54HigherD35
Durability5% weightC52A96Higher

Rank among US Quality Index funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. ABFL and QUAL are both graded against the same 26 US Quality Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

US Quality Index⁠

Category · 26 funds
See all 26 ›

QUAL ranks 1st and ABFL 19th of 26 funds in the US Quality Index Category.

  1. Rank 1AJQUAJPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETFScore 81
  2. Rank 1AQUALiShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETFScore 81
  3. Rank 3AFQALFidelity Quality Factor ETFScore 75
  4. Rank 17CSFLOVictoryShares Small Cap Free Cash Flow ETFScore 49
  5. Rank 19CABFLAbacus FCF Leaders ETFScore 46
  6. Rank 20CFTCEFirst Trust New Constructs Core Earnings Leaders ETFScore 43

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

ABFLCAbacus FCF Leaders ETF

QUALAiShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF

In short

ABFL One of the original free-cash-flow ETFs, trading since 2016 under three different names and one unchanged idea: rank US large and mid caps by cash generated per dollar of invested capital, then own the leaders.

QUAL QUAL screens US large and mid caps for high return on equity, low debt and steady earnings, then does it sector by sector, so the portfolio stays spread across the market instead of piling into whichever sector looks healthiest.

Stated mandate

ABFL The SEC identifies ABFL as the renamed FCF US Quality ETF and states that the December 2024 name and ticker changes did not alter the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies.

QUAL The fund tracks an index of U.S. large- and mid-capitalization stocks selected for quality characteristics, including high return on equity, stable earnings, and low debt.

Why people hold it

  • ABFL Live since 2016, long before free cash flow became a crowded ETF theme. The December 2024 rename to Abacus changed the label, not the objective or the strategy.
  • 0.49% a year sits below the typical fund in its quality-focused peer group, which is unusual for an active, hand-built portfolio rather than a plain index tracker.abacusfcf.com
  • The screen is free cash flow return on invested capital: cash left after the bills, per dollar of capital deployed. Harder to dress up than reported earnings.abacusfcf.com
  • One of the strongest overall showings in its US quality and moat cohort, ahead of peers like EQTY and ABIG.
  • QUAL At 0.15%, it undercuts the typical quality-factor fund, where the cohort median sits at 0.29%.
  • Sector neutral by design: companies are ranked on return on equity, leverage and earnings variability against rivals in their own GICS sector.msci.comishares.com
  • Running since 2013, now a $25B-$100B fund that trades actively, with returns that stay close to its index.

Worth knowing

  • ABFL Thinly traded next to big index funds, so bid-ask spreads can widen and larger orders may move the price.
  • Cheaper quality exposure exists in the group: PSET charges 0.15%. Here you are paying for an active cash-flow screen.
  • Active and concentrated, so it can drift a long way from the Russell 3000 in either direction. Distributions come quarterly.
  • QUAL About 120 large and mid caps, leaning on the same familiar giants as a broad US index fund. This is a tilt on core equity, not new ground.
  • Sector neutrality cuts both ways: it keeps a foot in every sector rather than stepping away from ones with weak fundamentals.msci.com
  • Cheap, not cheapest. JQUA (0.12%) and VFQY (0.13%) shave a basis point or three off the fee.

Full ABFL profile⁠

Full QUAL profile⁠

ABFL vs QUAL Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

ABFL vs QUAL Cost

Overpaying ABFL vs QUAL

$6,655

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

  • ABFL 0.49%

    $9,792

  • QUAL 0.15%

    $3,137

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • ABFL 0.49%
  • QUAL 0.15%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2K$4K$6K$8K$10K051015202530ABFL $9,792QUAL $3,137

Year by year

YearABFLQUALOverpaying
10$883$274$609
20$3,394$1,071$2,323
30$9,792$3,137$6,655

Expense ratio

  • 0.49%ABFL
  • 0.15%QUAL, cheaper
  • Middle half of US Quality Index funds
  • Median 0.39%

QUAL 3rd cheapest of 26 funds

ABFL 17th cheapest of 26 funds

ABFL vs QUAL Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
ABFL 0.60%
QUAL 0.85%, better
Payout (12M)
ABFL $0.48
QUAL $1.89
Last payment
ABFL $0.11
QUAL $0.47
Ex-dividend
ABFL Sep 29, 2026
QUAL Sep 15, 2026
Paid on
ABFL Sep 30, 2026
QUAL Sep 18, 2026
Frequency
ABFL Quarterly
QUAL Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

ABFLQuarterly · 21 paymentsAll ABFL payments⁠
One bar per payment. 21 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Dec 28, 2017 $0.14; Dec 28, 2018 $0.19; Dec 30, 2019 $0.28; Dec 30, 2020 $0.19; Dec 30, 2021 $5.32; Dec 28, 2022 $0.63; Mar 3, 2023 $0.18; Jun 5, 2023 $0.14; Sep 6, 2023 $0.11; Dec 14, 2023 $0.11; Mar 5, 2024 $0.09; Jun 10, 2024 $0.11; Sep 27, 2024 $0.19; Dec 30, 2024 $0.08; Mar 28, 2025 $0.16; Jun 27, 2025 $0.12; Sep 29, 2025 $0.08; Dec 30, 2025 $0.09; Mar 30, 2026 $0.16; Jun 29, 2026 $0.12; Sep 29, 2026 $0.11. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$52017202020232026YTD
QUALQuarterly · 40 paymentsAll QUAL payments⁠
One bar per payment. 40 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Mar 24, 2017 $0.35; Jun 27, 2017 $0.39; Sep 26, 2017 $0.34; Dec 21, 2017 $0.38; Mar 22, 2018 $0.38; Jun 26, 2018 $0.38; Sep 26, 2018 $0.37; Dec 17, 2018 $0.41; Mar 20, 2019 $0.35; Jun 17, 2019 $0.45; Sep 24, 2019 $0.37; Dec 16, 2019 $0.44; Mar 25, 2020 $0.41; Jun 15, 2020 $0.36; Sep 23, 2020 $0.44; Dec 14, 2020 $0.41; Mar 25, 2021 $0.54; Jun 10, 2021 $0.38; Sep 24, 2021 $0.42; Dec 13, 2021 $0.41; Mar 24, 2022 $0.38; Jun 9, 2022 $0.42; Sep 26, 2022 $0.53; Dec 13, 2022 $0.48; Mar 23, 2023 $0.37; Jun 7, 2023 $0.38; Sep 26, 2023 $0.51; Dec 20, 2023 $0.45; Dec 28, 2023 $0.10; Mar 21, 2024 $0.37; Jun 11, 2024 $0.35; Sep 25, 2024 $0.54; Dec 17, 2024 $0.55; Mar 18, 2025 $0.39; Jun 16, 2025 $0.39; Sep 16, 2025 $0.47; Dec 16, 2025 $0.61; Mar 17, 2026 $0.42; Jun 15, 2026 $0.39; Sep 15, 2026 $0.47. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$52017202020232026YTD

ABFL vs QUAL Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

  • ABFL
  • QUAL
Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. Worst fall: QUAL −28.2% · Oct 2022. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−30%−20%−10%0%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
ABFL 13.1%QUAL 11.7%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
ABFL 0.96QUAL 1.32, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
ABFL −21.9%, betterQUAL −28.2%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
ABFL 0.89QUAL 0.90

ABFL and QUAL in the news

All news⁠

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