Skip to content

CFO vs QLV

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

CFOCNasdaq

Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF

QLVANYSE Arca

Overlap

Expense ratio

QLV −0.27pt a year

CFO0.35%QLV0.08%

Avg volume · 30D

QLV 1.7×the volume

CFO5.15KQLV8.83K

5Y return · a year

QLV +6.5pt

CFO+3.8%QLV+10.3%

CFO vs QLV Performance

Oct 29, 2021 – Oct 30, 2026

+20.4%CFO+63.3%QLV

Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. CFO +20.4%. QLV +63.3%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−20%0%40%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026
Expense ratio
CFO 0.35%
QLV 0.08%, better
Fund size
CFO $414M
QLV $189M
1Y total return
CFO +13.8%
QLV +17.0%, better
Yield (12M)
CFO 1.21%
QLV 1.43%, better
Holdings
CFO 501
QLV 122
Avg volume (30D)
CFO 5.15K sh
QLV 8.83K sh, better
NAV per share
CFO $81.90
QLV $82.16
52W range

ETF.net Grade

CFO: Cost 7, Risk 40, Mission 92, Tradability 34, Holdings 88, Durability 59. QLV: Cost 100, Risk 86, Mission 76, Tradability 67, Holdings 34, Durability 31.
Pillar letters and Scores for CFO, QLV, with each pillar’s weight
PillarCFOQLV
Cost30% weightF7A100Higher
Mission25% weightA92HigherA76
Risk15% weightC40A86Higher
Tradability15% weightD34B67Higher
Holdings10% weightA88HigherD34
Durability5% weightB59HigherD31

Rank among US Low Volatility Index funds

Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. CFO and QLV are both graded against the same 16 US Low Volatility Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

US Low Volatility Index⁠

Category · 16 funds
See all 16 ›

QLV ranks 2nd and CFO 12th of 16 funds in the US Low Volatility Index Category.

  1. Rank 1ALGLVState Street SPDR US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETFScore 78
  2. Rank 2AQLVNorthern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETFScore 76
  3. Rank 3AUSMViShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETFScore 75
  4. Rank 10CESMViShares ESG Optimized MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETFScore 49
  5. Rank 12CCFOVictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETFScore 47
  6. Rank 13CXMLVInvesco S&P MidCap Low Volatility ETFScore 46

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

CFOCVictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

QLVANorthern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF

In short

CFO Most low-vol ETFs tilt toward calm stocks and stay invested. CFO does that, then adds a rules-based escape hatch: after a big enough drop from the high, the index shifts most of the portfolio to cash, then steps back in by formula.

QLV Low 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

CFO The Fund seeks to track the performance of the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

QLV 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

  • CFO The exit is mechanical, not a judgment call: if the reference index ends a month 10% or more below its all-time high, the index moves 75% of the stock sleeve into cash equivalents.sec.gov
  • Re-entry is contrarian by design: it buys stocks back as the decline deepens (another 25% at 30% below the high, the rest at 40%) or once the index recovers to within 10% of it.sec.govvcm.com
  • Weighting runs on volatility, not size: roughly 500 large caps that earned money over the past year, with the steadiest names carrying the heaviest weights.vcm.com
  • Trading since 2014, so the cash switch has been tested by live drawdowns, not just a backtest. Distributions land monthly, unusual for an equity index fund.
  • QLV 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

  • CFO 0.39% a year is about double the typical low-volatility peer, where LGLV charges 0.12% and QLV 0.09%. The cash machinery is what the extra buys.
  • Triggers read month-end values only. A sharp slide and rebound inside a single month passes with no shift, and the exit fires after a decline is already on the board.sec.gov
  • It trades lighter than the household names in the low-vol aisle, so bid-ask spreads can run wider, particularly right at the open and close.
  • QLV 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

Full CFO profile⁠

Full QLV profile⁠

CFO vs QLV 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.

CFO vs QLV Cost

Overpaying CFO vs QLV

$5,437

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

  • CFO 0.35%

    $7,126

  • QLV 0.08%

    $1,689

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • CFO 0.35%
  • QLV 0.08%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2K$4K$6K$8K051015202530CFO $7,126QLV $1,689

Year by year

YearCFOQLVOverpaying
10$634$147$487
20$2,454$575$1,879
30$7,126$1,689$5,437

Expense ratio

  • 0.35%CFO
  • 0.08%QLV, cheaper
  • Middle half of US Low Volatility Index funds
  • Median 0.20%

QLV cheapest of 16 funds

CFO 14th cheapest of 16 funds

CFO vs QLV Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026
Yield (12M)
CFO 1.21%
QLV 1.43%, better
Payout (12M)
CFO $0.99
QLV $1.18
Last payment
CFO $0.08
QLV $0.28
Ex-dividend
CFO Oct 8, 2026
QLV Sep 18, 2026
Paid on
CFO Oct 9, 2026
QLV Sep 24, 2026
Frequency
CFO Monthly
QLV Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

CFOMonthly · 45 paymentsAll CFO payments⁠
One bar per payment. 45 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Feb 10, 2023 $0.08; Mar 10, 2023 $0.12; Apr 11, 2023 $0.09; May 10, 2023 $0.03; Jun 9, 2023 $0.12; Jul 10, 2023 $0.17; Aug 8, 2023 $0.08; Sep 6, 2023 $0.09; Oct 11, 2023 $0.11; Nov 8, 2023 $0.07; Dec 18, 2023 $0.10; Jan 11, 2024 $0.20; Feb 9, 2024 $0.04; Mar 11, 2024 $0.12; Apr 11, 2024 $0.06; May 9, 2024 $0.02; Jun 12, 2024 $0.11; Jul 10, 2024 $0.06; Aug 8, 2024 $0.04; Sep 11, 2024 $0.12; Oct 8, 2024 $0.07; Nov 7, 2024 $0.04; Dec 12, 2024 $0.09; Jan 8, 2025 $0.11; Feb 7, 2025 $0.05; Mar 10, 2025 $0.10; Apr 10, 2025 $0.10; May 8, 2025 $0.03; Jun 9, 2025 $0.11; Jul 10, 2025 $0.09; Aug 6, 2025 $0.04; Sep 8, 2025 $0.12; Oct 9, 2025 $0.09; Nov 7, 2025 $0.04; Dec 11, 2025 $0.11; Jan 8, 2026 $0.11; Feb 9, 2026 $0.04; Mar 10, 2026 $0.12; Apr 9, 2026 $0.08; May 8, 2026 $0.03; Jun 9, 2026 $0.13; Jul 9, 2026 $0.08; Aug 7, 2026 $0.04; Sep 9, 2026 $0.13; Oct 8, 2026 $0.08. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.2520232026YTD
QLVQuarterly · 16 paymentsAll QLV payments⁠
One bar per payment. 16 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. 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.$0$0.2520232026YTD

CFO vs QLV Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

  • CFO
  • QLV
Oct 29, 2021 to Oct 30, 2026. Worst fall: CFO −24.3% · Oct 2023. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−20%−15%−10%−5%0%Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
CFO 11.3%QLV 8.6%, better
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
CFO 0.88QLV 1.56, better
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
CFO −24.3%QLV −17.9%, better
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
CFO 0.65QLV 0.58

Popular comparisons

  • CFOCvsLGLVA

    VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF · State Street SPDR US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.35% · 0.12%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
  • QLVAvsLGLVA

    Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF · State Street SPDR US Large Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.08% · 0.12%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
  • CFOCvsUSMVA

    VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF · iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.35% · 0.15%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
  • QLVAvsUSMVA

    Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF · iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.08% · 0.15%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
  • CFOCvsSMLVB

    VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF · State Street SPDR US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.35% · 0.12%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
  • QLVAvsSMLVB

    Northern Trust US Quality Low Volatility ETF · State Street SPDR US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

    Expense ratio
    0.08% · 0.12%
    Category
    Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.