MAR vs QUAL: Correlation
How closely do Marriott International (MAR) and iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.60, which is strong.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MAR and QUAL?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of MAR and QUAL correlate at 0.60, strong. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.28) runs below the 3-year figure (0.60). Stretching to 5 years gives 0.58, with an annualized covariance of 206.7 %².
By 3-year correlation, QUAL places #13 of the 40 assets tracked against MAR. Over the last 12 months MAR came out ahead by 12.6 percentage points (+32.3% against +19.7%). Do not treat this figure as fixed: across three years the rolling one-year correlation ranged all the way from 0.29 to 0.79. One caveat on sizing: MAR is 1.8 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
MAR vs QUAL: side by side
| MAR (Marriott International) | QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +32.3% | +19.7% |
| 5-year return | +173.2% | +68.0% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 24.6% | 14.0% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.97 | 0.93 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -30.5% | -18.0% |
| Market cap | $92.3B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 36.7 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.76% | 0.86% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.15% |
| Assets under management | – | $46.5B |
| Sector / category | Consumer Discretionary | ETF · US Style |
QUAL, iShares's Large Blend fund, carries $46.5B under management, 123 holdings, a 0.15% expense ratio, a 0.86% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MAR | QUAL |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -9.3% | -20.5% |
| 2023 | +53.1% | +30.9% |
| 2024 | +24.9% | +22.3% |
| 2025 | +12.3% | +12.7% |
| 2026 | +14.7% | +13.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MAR and QUAL good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.60 means MAR and QUAL share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MAR and QUAL?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.60 over 3 years, with 0.28 over the last year and 0.58 over 5 years.
Is QUAL a good diversifier for MAR?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.60 means MAR and QUAL share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.60 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/mar-vs-qual.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/mar-vs-qual/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: MAR correlations · QUAL correlations
