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QLC

FlexShares US Quality Large Cap Index Fund (QLC)

Rating:74Outperform
Price Target:$102.00â–²(14.11% Upside)

QLC’s rating suggests it is a solid, higher-quality large-cap U.S. stock fund, supported by major positions in financially strong, growth-focused companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, Apple, and Nvidia, all benefiting from leadership in AI, cloud, and technology services. The fund’s reliance on several richly valued tech and AI names, some with mixed technical signals or short-term weakness like Amazon, means performance is sensitive to shifts in the technology sector, which is the main risk factor for investors to keep in mind.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-to-Date PerformanceThe fund has delivered strong gains so far this year, showing solid overall momentum.
Leading Technology and Growth NamesTop holdings like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Micron have generally shown strong or steady performance, helping drive the ETF’s returns.
Broad Sector DiversificationThe ETF spreads its investments across many sectors, which helps reduce the impact if any single industry faces a downturn.
Negative Factors
Heavy Tilt Toward TechnologyA large portion of the fund is invested in technology stocks, which can make the ETF more sensitive to swings in that sector.
Single-Country ExposureAll holdings are in U.S. companies, so investors do not get diversification benefits from other global markets.
Underperforming Key HoldingBroadcom, one of the larger positions, has shown weak performance this year, which can slightly drag on the fund’s results.

QLC vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
1.15B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.25%
Beta
1.00
Issuer
Northern Trust
Inception Date
Sep 24, 2015
Dividend Yield
0.97%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
Northern Trust Quality Large Cap Total Return

QLC Summary

QLC is an exchange-traded fund that follows the Northern Trust Quality Large Cap Index, focusing on big, established U.S. companies with strong finances and steady earnings. It holds well-known names like Apple and Nvidia, along with many others across technology, health care, financials, and more, giving investors broad diversification in one investment. Someone might consider QLC if they want long-term growth from high-quality large companies without picking individual stocks. A key risk is that it is heavily tilted toward large U.S. tech stocks, so its value can rise or fall sharply with the overall stock market and tech sector.

How much will it cost me?

QLC has an annual expense ratio of 0.25%, which means you’ll pay about $2.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. This cost is slightly higher than the cheapest broad U.S. index ETFs because QLC is a rules-based, quality-focused fund rather than a plain market-cap index, but it’s still reasonably low for a specialized strategy.

What would affect this ETF?

QLC is heavily invested in large U.S. technology and communication companies like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, so continued innovation, strong corporate profits, and a stable U.S. economy could boost its performance. On the other hand, rising interest rates, tighter regulations on big tech or banks, or an economic slowdown that hurts large U.S. companies across sectors such as consumer and financials could weigh on future returns.

QLC Top 10 Holdings

QLC is riding on the shoulders of Big Tech, with Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and the two Alphabet share classes forming a powerful but tech-heavy core. Apple and Microsoft have been steadily lifting the fund, while Amazon adds a quieter but positive push. On the flip side, Alphabet’s recent slump and a softer patch for Nvidia have taken some wind out of the ETF’s sails, showing that concentration in U.S. mega-cap tech cuts both ways. A dash of financials and health care, led by JPMorgan and Johnson & Johnson, helps balance the story but doesn’t steal the spotlight.

QLC top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
NVDANVDANvidia7.58%$86.53M$4.93T0.86%76Outperform
AAPLAAPLApple6.25%$71.36M$5.03T26.98%79Outperform
MSFTMSFTMicrosoft4.22%$48.19M$3.88T-0.73%79Outperform
GOOGLGOOGLAlphabet Class A3.26%$37.27M$3.41T-0.58%85Outperform
GOOGGOOGAlphabet Class C2.90%$33.08M$3.41T-1.31%82Outperform
AVGOAVGOBroadcom2.61%$29.79M$1.56T-13.38%76Outperform
AMZNAMZNAmazon2.38%$27.21M$2.59T7.85%71Outperform
MUMUMicron1.98%$22.65M$1.00T294.96%79Outperform
JPMJPMJPMorgan Chase1.93%$22.04M$895.92B8.92%72Outperform
JNJJNJJohnson & Johnson1.92%$21.96M$657.68B44.51%78Outperform

QLC Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price89.39

Price Trends

50DMA91.71Negative
100DMA91.05Negative
200DMA87.03Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.38Positive
RSI36.48Neutral
STOCH48.11Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For QLC, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 89.39 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 91.40, below the 50-day MA of 91.71, and above the 200-day MA of 87.03, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.38 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 36.48 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 48.11 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for QLC.

QLC Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

QLC against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
QLCQLC$89.39$102.00(14.11% Upside)$1.15B0.25%74Outperform
JQUAJQUA$75.52$89.36(18.32% Upside)$9.70B0.12%73Outperform
VONEVONE$341.66$429.22(25.63% Upside)$9.54B0.06%73Outperform
FELCFELC$42.70$52.74(23.52% Upside)$8.88B0.18%74Outperform
QYLDQYLD$17.89$23.77(32.87% Upside)$8.41B0.60%74Outperform
TCAFTCAF$42.82$53.80(25.64% Upside)$8.15B0.31%69Neutral

Performance Comparison

-10%0%10%20%QLCJQUAVONEFELCQYLDTCAFDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
QLC and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
QLCFlexShares US Quality Large Cap Index Fund89.3910.2212.90%
JQUAJPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETF75.5213.7022.17%
VONEVanguard Russell 1000 ETF341.6635.4811.59%
FELCFidelity Enhanced Large Cap Core ETF42.704.9713.16%
QYLDGlobal X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF17.892.4015.52%
TCAFT. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Equity ETF42.824.2811.12%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.