QEFA vs VSMV Fund Comparison

A comparison between QEFA and VSMV based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on QEFA vs VSMV

Here's an in depth look at the differences between SPDR MSCI EAFE StrategicFactors ETF($QEFA) and VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF($VSMV).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

  • qefa
  • ETF
  • International Stocks
  • Large Blend

SPDR MSCI EAFE StrategicFactors ETF

Expenses: 0.30% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Large Blend International Stocks fund. See why »

  • vsmv
  • ETF
  • US Stocks
  • Large Value

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

Expenses: 0.35% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Large Value US Stocks fund. See why »

Both $QEFA and $VSMV are categorized as ETFs. ETFs have an added bonus over mutual funds of being more widely available. Mutual funds are often limited to only the issuing investment brokerage. Since these are both ETFs, you may be able to find these at a wider number of investment apps and websites.

The biggest disadvantage of ETFs is that some platforms only allow you to purchase ETFs in whole shares. So if an ETF is going for $75, you may need to invest in increments of $75. Most 401(k)'s allow for investing down to the penny, but you'll want to verify your platform allows for "fractional ETF Shares".

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

QEFAVSMV
Market Score 4.5 /10 2.5 /10
Category Score 10.0 /10 8.0 /10
Total14.510.5

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

For each fund we've created a "diversification score" – a metric to indicate how closely each funds asset allocation matches it's benchmark. For example, an S&P 500 fund would have a diversification score of 10 if it's fully in line with the actual S&P 500.

The diversification score for QEFA is 7.0/10, while VSMV has a diversification score of 0.0/10.

In other words, QEFA more closely matches it's benchmark.

Winner: $QEFA

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, QEFA has an expense ratio of 0.30% while VSMV has an expense ratio of 0.35%. In this case, both of these funds have a similar fee.

Winner: $QEFA (barely)

Fund Size Comparison

Both QEFA and VSMV have a similar number of assets under management. QEFA has 348 Million in assets under management, while VSMV has 156 Million.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as small funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? QEFA or VSMV?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. QEFA is a International StocksLarge Blend fund, while VSMV is a US StocksLarge Value fund.

If you're aiming to build a diversified, low-fee, tax-optimized portfolio you likely won't be choosing between these two funds since they're different enough.

Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives QEFA a score of 68 and VSMV a score of 57.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$QEFA

SPDR MSCI EAFE StrategicFactors ETF

68

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Diversification Score7/10
Expense Ratio Score8/10
Expense Rating7/10
Market Score4/10
Category Score10/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeETF
Inception DateJun-4-2014
ExchangeNYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio0.300%
Net Assets348 Million
Yield3.37%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketInternational Stocks
CategoryLarge Blend
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 5.89%
  • Communication Services 7.76%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 11.16%
  • Consumer Defensive 14.59%
  • Energy 2.77%
  • Financial Services 16.56%
  • Healthcare 14.95%
  • Industrials 13.69%
  • Real Estate 2.57%
  • Technology 5.82%
  • Utilities 4.24%
Regions
  • Africa/Middle East 0.88%
  • Asia Developed 5.63%
  • Asia Emerging 0.08%
  • Australasia 6.23%
  • Europe Developed 44.17%
  • Japan 27.13%
  • North America 0.53%
  • United Kingdom 15.35%

$VSMV

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

57

Read More
Ratings
Rating TypeRating
Diversification Score0/10
Expense Ratio Score9/10
Expense Rating7/10
Market Score3/10
Category Score8/10
Overview
OverviewDetails
Fund TypeETF
ExchangeNASDAQ
Expense Ratio0.350%
Net Assets156 Million
Yield2.30%
Holdings
DescriptionInfo
MarketUS Stocks
CategoryLarge Value
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.00%
  • Communication Services 3.64%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 12.59%
  • Consumer Defensive 20.37%
  • Energy 0.78%
  • Financial Services 12.03%
  • Healthcare 17.07%
  • Industrials 13.70%
  • Real Estate 1.60%
  • Technology 18.20%
  • Utilities 0.01%
Regions
  • Europe Developed 0.00%
  • North America 100.00%
  • United Kingdom 0.00%

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