Compare · 2 funds side by side · dividends reinvested

QDEF and SPY

Story of the two · Growth5Y$10,000 five years agoDividends reinvested · both on one scale$17,504QDEF · best of the two

02 / 04

QDEF and SPY, Ranked

Today

FundFeeYieldYTD1 year3 yrs · yr5 yrs · yrWorst dropVolatilityAssetsAvg rank

Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETFIncome · Dividend stocks0.40%1.61%+10.6%+13.4%+20.7%+11.8%−7.0%10.3%$557M1.3

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETFLow-Cost Core · S&P 5000.09%1.03%+8.3%+9.7%+22.0%+11.3%−8.9%13.6%$805B1.8

Rank among the two1st → 2ndFee, drop and volatility: lower ranks higherAvg rank: mean of the 8 ranks · 1 is best

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · returns include dividends · since: QDEF 2012 · SPY 1993

Head to Head

Swap sides Versus in desk

Head to Head

Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF · $557M$17,504

QDEF

SPY

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF · $805B$17,099

$10,000 five years ago, dividends reinvested · they hold 43.9% in common

QDEFMeasureSPY

+10.6%Year to dateJan 1 → Nov 5+8.3%

+13.4%1 yearTotal return+9.7%

+20.7%3 years · per year$10,000 became $17,567 · $18,174+22.0%

+11.8%5 years · per year$10,000 became $17,504 · $17,099+11.3%

0.40%Expense ratio$40 · $9 a year on $10k · lower is better0.09%

1.61%Trailing 12-mo yield$161 · $103 a year on $10k1.03%

−7.0%Worst dropSmaller is better−8.9%

10.3%VolatilityLower is calmer13.6%

QDEFSPY Winner of the row, in its colourEach row: the bigger of the two fills its side

6–2QDEF wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · returns include dividends · 3Y and 5Y figures are per-year returns

More Ways to See the Pairs

QDEF vs SPY: Top 5 Holdings

Today

QDEF

25.4%in top 5

SPY

in top 527.7%

QDEFStockSPY

9.1%AAPL7.7%

6.2%NVDA7.3%

4.7%MSFT6.2%

not top 5AMZN3.9%

2.9%JNJnot top 5

not top 5GOOGL2.6%

2.4%AVGOnot top 5

Held in common43.9%

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · share of each fund

QDEF vs SPY Returns, Every Period

FlexSharesQDEF

+11.8%

5 years, per year

SPYSPDR

+11.3%

5 years, per year

QDEFSPYFaded: behind in that period

3–1QDEF wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · dividends in · faded = behind in that period

Income vs Core: QDEF vs SPY

YTD

FlexSharesQDEF

+10.6%

SPYSPDR

+8.3%

+10.6%Year to date+8.3%

−7.0%Worst drop · 1Y−8.9%

10.3%Volatility · 1Y13.6%

1.6%Yield1.0%

$557MAssets$805B

4–0QDEF wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · smaller drop and lower volatility win

Cost, Income and Risk

Fees: QDEF, SPY

Today

0.09%lowest, SPY

FundExpense ratioFee$10k

SPY0.09%$9

QDEF0.40%$40

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · fee on $10,000 a year

Yields: QDEF, SPY

1.61%highest, QDEF

FundTrailing yieldYield$10k

QDEF1.61%$161

SPY1.03%$103

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · trailing 12-month yield

Income After Fees on $10,000

$121most kept, QDEF

QDEF$161 − $40 = $121

SPY$103 − $9 = $94

KeptFee

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · yield in dollars minus the fee

Overlap: QDEF, SPY

Today

43.9%most shared, QDEF and SPY

QDEFSPY

QDEF—43.9%

SPY43.9%—

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · share held in common · outlined: the pair in versus

Return vs Bumpiness: 2 ETFs

+13.4%QDEF, at 10.3% volatility

QDEFWorst drop−7.0%10.3% vol

SPYWorst drop−8.9%13.6% vol

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026 · up and left is better

Paid More vs Made More

YTD

QDEFSPY

+10.6%Year to date+8.3%

1.6%Yield1.0%

+13.4%Past year+9.7%

0.40%Fee0.09%

3–1QDEF wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026

Popular Pairs Near These Two

SPYM vs SPY

YTD

SPDRSPYM

+8.4%

SPYSPDR

+8.3%

+8.4%Year to date+8.3%

1.1%Yield1.0%

$182BAssets$805B

2–0SPYM wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026

SCHD vs VIG

YTD

SchwabSCHD

+32.3%

VIGVanguard

+12.5%

+32.3%Year to date+12.5%

3.0%Yield1.5%

$123BAssets$109B

2–0SCHD wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026

JEPQ vs JEPI

YTD

J.P. MorganJEPQ

+8.5%

JEPIJ.P. Morgan

+5.2%

+8.5%Year to date+5.2%

12.2%Yield8.1%

$42.1BAssets$46.1B

2–0JEPQ wins

End-of-day Nov 5, 2026