QUAL vs SPY
iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF compared with State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on yield, payout growth, payment schedule, cost and risk.
QUAL
iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF
TTM yield · Quarterly
SPY
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
TTM yield · Quarterly
Quick take
- SPY yields more today: 1.00% vs 0.69% (forward).
- SPY has grown its payout faster: 6.2%/yr vs 1.3%/yr over the last 5 years.
- Both pay every quarter.
- SPY has the longer streak of annual increases: 12 years vs 2.
- Over the last year SPY delivered the higher total return: +19.4% vs +18.8% (price change plus payouts).
- SPY is cheaper to own: 0.09% vs 0.15% expense ratio.
- SPY has the steadier distribution: consistency 93/100 vs 70/100.
Generated from the latest data on both pages. Not a recommendation.
Side by side
| Metric | QUAL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $222.58 | $762.40 |
| TTM yield | 0.85% | 0.99% |
| Forward yield | 0.69% | 1.00% |
| Annual payout per share | $1.544 | $7.616 |
| Payment frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Next ex-date | Sep 14, 2026 (est.) | Sep 17, 2026 (est.) |
| Expense ratio | 0.15% | 0.09% |
| 1-year payout growth | +0.9% | +5.0% |
| 5-year payout CAGR | +1.3% | +6.2% |
| Consecutive years of increases | 2 years | 12 years |
| Payout consistency (last 12) | 70/100 | 93/100 |
| 1-year total return | +18.8% | +19.4% |
| 1-year price return | +17.8% | +18.2% |
| Size (market cap / AUM) | 47.7B | 811.9B |
| Years paying | 13.0 | 33.5 |
| Sector / category | Large Blend | Large Blend |
✓ marks the more favourable figure where one exists (higher yield, growth, streak, consistency, return and size; lower cost, payout ratio and risk).
$10,000 invested today
| QUAL | SPY | |
|---|---|---|
| Shares | 44.9 | 13.1 |
| Income per year | $69 | $100 |
| Income per month (avg) | $6 | $8 |
At forward yields, before taxes. Model QUAL · Model SPY
Next payments
| Ex-date | Pay date | Per share | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| QUAL Sep 14, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 | $0.386 | Est. |
| QUAL Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | $0.386 | Est. |
| QUAL Mar 15, 2027 | Mar 29, 2027 | $0.386 | Est. |
| SPY Sep 17, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | $1.904 | Est. |
| SPY Dec 17, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | $1.904 | Est. |
| SPY Mar 18, 2027 | Apr 1, 2027 | $1.904 | Est. |
Annual payouts per share
QUALSPY
Regular payments only; the current year is year to date. Per-share amounts are not directly comparable when share prices differ, so read this chart for growth trends.
FAQ
Which has the higher dividend yield, QUAL or SPY?
SPY currently has the higher trailing yield: QUAL yields 0.85% and SPY yields 0.99%. Yield changes daily with price, so check the live figures above.
How often do QUAL and SPY pay?
QUAL pays every quarter and SPY pays every quarter. QUAL's next ex-date is Sep 14, 2026 and SPY's is Sep 17, 2026.
Which has grown its dividend faster, QUAL or SPY?
SPY has grown its payout faster: 6.2%/yr vs 1.3%/yr over the last 5 years.
Is QUAL or SPY better for income?
It depends on what you are optimising for. QUAL and SPY differ in yield, growth, payment schedule and risk profile; the table above puts every metric side by side so you can weigh them for your own goals. This page is data, not advice.