QUAL vs ROST: Correlation
How closely do iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) and Ross Stores (ROST) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.46, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are QUAL and ROST?
On 3 years of weekly data the QUAL/ROST correlation comes out at 0.46, moderate. The past 12 months show a weaker link (0.23) than the 3-year average (0.46). The 5-year figure is 0.56, and annualized covariance runs at 153.8 %².
Within QUAL's tracked universe of 106 assets, ROST comes in at #76 by 3-year correlation. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with ROST ahead by 34.6 points (+19.7% versus +54.3%). Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.23 to 0.69. Note the risk asymmetry: ROST runs 1.7 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
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.
QUAL vs ROST: side by side
| QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) | ROST (Ross Stores) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +19.7% | +54.3% |
| 5-year return | +68.0% | +105.0% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 14.0% | 24.0% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.93 | 0.66 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -18.0% | -21.1% |
| Market cap | – | $73.7B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 27.8 |
| Dividend yield | 0.86% | 0.72% |
| Expense ratio | 0.15% | – |
| Assets under management | $46.5B | – |
| Sector / category | ETF · US Style | Consumer Discretionary |
On the fund side, QUAL sits in the Large Blend category at iShares, with $46.5B under management, 123 holdings, a 0.15% expense ratio, a 0.86% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | QUAL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -20.5% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | +30.9% | +20.6% |
| 2024 | +22.3% | +10.4% |
| 2025 | +12.7% | +20.4% |
| 2026 | +13.5% | +28.1% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Fund exposure
A structural note: 1.44% of QUAL is ROST itself, so the fund partly moves with the stock by construction.
Are QUAL and ROST good diversifiers for each other?
A fair diversifier. At 0.46, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
FAQ
What is the correlation between QUAL and ROST?
The QUAL/ROST correlation stands at 0.46 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.23, 5 years: 0.56), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is ROST a good diversifier for QUAL?
A fair diversifier. At 0.46, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
What does a correlation of 0.46 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.46 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/qual-vs-rost.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/qual-vs-rost/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: QUAL correlations · ROST correlations
