QUAL vs SBUX: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) and Starbucks (SBUX) carry a correlation of 0.50, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are QUAL and SBUX?
On 3 years of weekly data the QUAL/SBUX correlation comes out at 0.50, moderate. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.41 over 1 year against 0.50 over 3. The 5-year figure is 0.52, and annualized covariance runs at 236.7 %².
Within QUAL's tracked universe of 106 assets, SBUX comes in at #70 by 3-year correlation. The trailing year gives SBUX the advantage: +19.7% versus +25.5%, a 5.8-point spread. The rolling one-year correlation moved between 0.32 and 0.66 over the past three years, a moderate range. One caveat on sizing: SBUX is 2.4 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.
QUAL vs SBUX: side by side
| QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) | SBUX (Starbucks) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +19.7% | +25.5% |
| 5-year return | +68.0% | +4.5% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 14.0% | 34.2% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.93 | 1.10 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -18.0% | -32.0% |
| Market cap | – | $122.3B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 62.7 |
| Dividend yield | 0.86% | 2.29% |
| Expense ratio | 0.15% | – |
| Assets under management | $46.5B | – |
| Sector / category | ETF · US Style | Consumer Discretionary |
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 | QUAL | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -20.5% | -13.2% |
| 2023 | +30.9% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | +22.3% | -2.5% |
| 2025 | +12.7% | -5.3% |
| 2026 | +13.5% | +29.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are QUAL and SBUX good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.50 means QUAL and SBUX 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 QUAL and SBUX?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between QUAL and SBUX is 0.50 over 3 years, 0.41 over 1 year and 0.52 over 5 years.
Is SBUX a good diversifier for QUAL?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.50 means QUAL and SBUX share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.50 mean?
A reading of 0.50 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/qual-vs-sbux.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/qual-vs-sbux/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: QUAL correlations · SBUX correlations
