# Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF): ETF Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: FlexShares · Asset class: Equity - Strategy: Passive Index · Inception: 2012-12-14 Designed for investors prioritizing a cautious strategy within the realm of high-quality U.S. companies, this fund aims to mirror the overall financial returns—including both capital appreciation and income generation—of the underlying Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index. This goal is measured before any management fees or operating expenses are deducted. ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $91.19 | | Expense Ratio | 0.40% | | Assets Under Management | $554.0M | | NAV | $91.20 | | Holdings Count | 157 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | 1.56% | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | $1.42 /share | | Distribution Frequency | Quarterly | | 52-Week Range | $77.97 – $91.97 | | Beta | 0.83 | ## Latest Distribution - Amount: $0.3384 /share - Ex-date: 2026-09-18 - Pay date: 2026-09-24 ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does QDEF invest in? Designed for investors prioritizing a cautious strategy within the realm of high-quality U.S. companies, this fund aims to mirror the overall financial returns—including both capital appreciation and income generation—of the underlying Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive Index. This goal is measured before any management fees or operating expenses are deducted. ### What is the expense ratio of QDEF? Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) charges an expense ratio of 0.40%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### How big is QDEF? Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) manages $554.0M in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is QDEF actively managed or an index fund? QDEF is a passive index fund. It tracks a published benchmark by holding the constituents in their published weights. Index funds typically charge low expense ratios (QDEF's is 0.40%) because there's no security selection cost. ### When was QDEF launched? Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) launched in December 2012 and is managed by FlexShares. ### How has QDEF performed? QDEF's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon. ### Does QDEF pay a dividend? Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF (QDEF) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.56%. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab. ### How often does QDEF pay dividends? Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF pays dividends Quarterly. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page. ### What is QDEF's dividend yield? QDEF's trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.56%, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price. ### When is QDEF's next ex-dividend date? The most recently announced ex-dividend date for QDEF was 2026-09-18. The next ex-date typically follows Quarterly; once announced it appears at the top of the dividend history table on this page. ### How much will QDEF's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.40% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees. ### How does QDEF charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from QDEF's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price. ### Why does QDEF cost more than a fund like VOO? QDEF is a passive index fund (current expense ratio 0.40%). Differences from broad-market ETFs like VOO usually come from index licensing fees, asset class (bond funds typically run cheaper than equity), or fund scale (smaller funds spread fixed operating costs across less AUM). ### Are there cheaper alternatives to QDEF? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as QDEF (0.40%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want. ## More on Dividend Data - Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/qdef/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.