Should SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Launched on 04/15/2015, the SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF (QUS) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $1.50 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Blend segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Blend

Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Overall, they are usually a stable option, with less risk and more sure-fire cash flows than mid and small cap companies.

Typically holding a combination of both growth and value stocks, blend ETFs also demonstrate qualities seen in value and growth investments.

Costs

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.15%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.08%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector--about 24.20% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Microsoft Corp (MSFT) accounts for about 3.32% of total assets, followed by Apple Inc (AAPL) and Meta Platforms Inc Class A (META).

The top 10 holdings account for about 20.74% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

QUS seeks to match the performance of the MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI USA Factor Mix A-Series Capped Index seeks to measure the equity market performance of large and mid-cap companies across the U.S. equity market.

The ETF has added about 3.12% so far this year and was up about 11.50% in the last one year (as of 06/03/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $140.84 and $163.91.

The ETF has a beta of 0.89 and standard deviation of 14.95% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 579 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, QUS is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) track a similar index. While SPDR S&P 500 ETF has $605.43 billion in assets, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has $648.28 billion. SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% and VOO charges 0.03%.

Bottom-Line

Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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