ETF Evaluator:
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF ()
Follow This ETF
(as of Aug 26)
Best Performing in Diversified Emerging Mkts Over the Last Year
| 114.0% | Nomura Focused Emerging Mrkts Eq ETF (EMEQ) |
| 81.0% | FT EM Human Flourishing ETF (FTHF) |
| 68.7% | First Trust Bloomberg Emr Mkt Dem ETF (EMDM) |
| 67.8% | Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM) |
| 59.4% | Pacific NoS Global EM Equity Active ETF (GEME) |
Risk
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Risk
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ETF Details
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF Overview
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF (QLVE) is a passively managed International Equity Diversified Emerging Mkts exchange-traded fund (ETF). Flexshares Trust launched the ETF in 2019.
The investment seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Northern Trust Emerging Markets Quality Low Volatility IndexSM.
The underlying index is designed to construct a high-quality universe of companies, that in aggregate, possess lower overall absolute volatility characteristics relative to an eligible emerging market universe (the “Eligible Universe”). Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the underlying index and in ADRs and GDRs based on the securities in the underlying index.
About FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF (QLVE)
There are 3 members of the management team with an average tenure of 5.51 years: Robert Anstine (2019), Brendan Sullivan (2019) and Yair Walny (2024). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.
The ETF has 2 primary benchmarks: MSCI EM NR USD index with a weighting of 100% and Northern Trust EM Qlt Low Vol TR USD index with a weighting of 100%. FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has 165 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 37.7% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity ETF group. FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has 99.4% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is -0.1% There is 99.4% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has 0.7% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $16 million in total assets, which is below the $3 billion average for the Diversified Emerging Mkts category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
QLVE Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF expense ratio is low compared to funds in the Diversified Emerging Mkts category. FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has an expense ratio of 0.18%, which is 65% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a A. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 48%, which indicates that it holds its assets around / 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 44% for the Diversified Emerging Mkts category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF returned 0.6%, which earned it a grade of A, as the Diversified Emerging Mkts category had an average return of -3.0%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF has a trailing yield of 2.62%, which is above the 2.41% category average.
The fund normally distributes its income quarterly.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
FlexShares EMs Quality Lw Vol ETF Grades
Year to date, the ETF has returned 14.7%, 2.4 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of D. The fund has returned 24.4% over the past year (grade of D), 15.6% over the past three years (grade of D) and 8.2% per year over the past five years (grade of B).
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QLVE Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| QLVE Return (NAV) | 0.6% | 6.3% | 24.4% | 15.6% | 8.2% | na |
| QLVE Return (Price) | -1.0% | 4.7% | 23.8% | 15.2% | 7.8% | na |
| NAV +/- Price Return | 1.592% | 1.578% | 0.566% | 0.368% | 0.386% | na |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | -3.0% | 3.0% | 31.9% | 16.6% | 7.1% | 7.8% |
| QLVE Grade (NAV) | A | A | D | D | B | na |
| +/- Category (NAV) | 3.6% | 3.3% | -7.5% | -1.0% | 1.1% | na |
| QLVE Tax-Cost Ratio | na | na | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | na |
QLVE Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| QLVE Return (NAV) | 14.7% | 21.7% | 10.8% | 8.3% | -12.9% | 1.3% | 4.3% | na | na | na | na |
| QLVE Return (Price) | 13.7% | 22.1% | 10.2% | 8.5% | -13.1% | 0.9% | 4.2% | na | na | na | na |
| NAV +/- Price Ret | -0.068% | 0.015% | -0.056% | 0.024% | 0.015% | -0.288% | -0.029% | na | na | na | na |
| Diversified Emerging Mkts Avg | 17.1% | 29.2% | 6.7% | 12.8% | -18.8% | 2.3% | 12.7% | 18.2% | -14.6% | 33.7% | 10.9% |
| QLVE Grade (NAV) | D | D | B | D | A | D | D | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | -2.4% | -7.5% | 4.1% | -4.4% | 5.9% | -1.0% | -8.4% | na | na | na | na |
| Risk Measures | |
| Beta: | 0.83 |
| R-Squared: | 81% |
| Standard Deviation: | 12.8% |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.79 |
| Category Risk Rating: | Low |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.04 |
| Total Risk Rating: | Average |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Yield: | 2.6% |
| Total Assets: | $ 17 Mil |
| Share Class Assets: | $ 17 Mil |
| Turnover: | 48.0% |
| Expense Ratio: | 0.18% |
| Index Fund: | Yes |
| Index Tracked: | MSCI EM NR USD |
| Index Weighting: | 100% |
| Leveraged: | No |
| Socially Responsible Fund: | No |
| Capital Gains Distribution Frequency: | |
| Income Distribution Frequency: | Quarterly |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 3 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 7.1 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 5.5 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Anstine Robert (2019), Sullivan Brendan (2019), Walny Yair (2024) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 7/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 165 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 37.7% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 99.4% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | -0.1% |
| Foreign Stock: | 99.4% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 0.7% |
Purchase Information
| Legal Structure: | Open Ended Investment Company |
| Fund Family: | Flexshares Trust |
| Phone Number: | 855-353-9383 |
| Website: | www.flexshares.com |
| Inception Date: | July 15, 2019 |
Expenses and Fees
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.18% (Rating: Low) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.52% |
