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QUAL

iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF
TREND FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE HISTORY
2026-09-09
Executive Summary
The quantitative backtest for QUAL (iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF) using the Excess Return MMA CA* strategy in a Investing context demonstrated its primary role in risk mitigation, experiencing a maximum drawdown of -21.3% (compared to the benchmark's drawdown of -34.1%). Over the evaluated period, this protective approach generated a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.0%, compared to a Buy-and-Hold benchmark return of 13.2%. The strategy executed 30 total trades.

* Excess Return MMA CA: Multi-Moving Average (Triple-Band) model utilizing sophisticated long/short cross durations optimized against volatility, with a month-end dynamic Cash Alternative sleeve rotation.

🛡️ QUAL Drawdown Shield & Downside Protection

Why Drawdown Dictates Longevity →
Peak Drawdown Defense
-21.3% (vs -34.1% B&H)
+12.8% shallower drawdown
Downside Efficiency
1.01 Sortino
+0.16 vs 0.85 B&H
Capital Sheltered from Risk
17.2% of Time
Earning Treasury yield during downturns
* Drawdown Shield demonstrates how systematic trend-following bounded historical drawdowns and protected principal capital compared to passive Buy & Hold.

📊 QUAL Quality Metrics & KPI Summary

Metric 1Y5Y10YFull
StrategyB&HStrategyB&HStrategyB&HStrategyB&H
Max Drawdown-9.03%-9.03%-21.31%-28.23%-21.31%-34.06%-21.31%-34.06%
Sharpe Ratio1.201.270.560.590.960.740.820.70
Sortino Ratio1.811.950.740.831.200.901.010.85
CAGR15.49%16.67%6.80%10.79%12.97%14.38%10.96%13.23%
% Time Invested97.8%100.0%75.3%100.0%83.2%100.0%82.8%100.0%
Trades / Year0.00.02.20.02.20.02.70.0

Cumulative Growth Performance

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Hydrating Performance Trajectory... Loading historical performance data
Figure 1: Cumulative Trajectory Analysis. Logarithmic growth comparison of QUAL under the Excess Return MMA CA strategy (Investing) versus Buy & Hold. The strategy produced a 11.0% CAGR with a -21.3% Max Drawdown across 30 trade signals (compared to Buy & Hold's 13.2% CAGR and -34.1% Max Drawdown).

Return Distribution Analysis

Histogram of monthly return distribution for QUAL under Excess Return MMA CA strategy in Investing context, illustrating downside risk mitigation and return skewness.
Figure 2: Monthly Return Distribution Profile. Monthly return distribution for QUAL under Excess Return MMA CA (Investing). Visualizes return frequency, volatility clustering, and tail-risk truncation relative to standard buy-and-hold returns.
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Loading Top Diversifiers for QUAL...

Top 5 non-correlated asset sleeves evaluated on 1Y daily percentage returns (Pearson r). Compare them side-by-side in Compare Studio to analyze portfolio diversification.

Diversifier Asset Category 1Y Correlation (r) Action
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Trade History

This log shows every signal-driven transition. Completed trades reflect standard market cycles. An Open or Mark-to-Market exit denotes an active position (either in the primary asset or a cash/yield sleeve) valued at the current price for reporting purposes. Interest entries record yield accrued from cash or cash alternatives (like BIL) during out-of-market defensive periods.

Entry DateExit DateTypeAllocationEntry PriceExit PriceNet Return %Exit Reason
🔒 Active Positions & Recent Execution Signals Hidden
Trading on delayed data carries high execution risk. Current allocations, pending next-day rebalances, and active execution signals (last 60 days) require a Premium subscription.
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2025-06-03 2025-10-02 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.02 1.88% Interest Income
2025-05-16 2025-06-02 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.20% Interest Income
2025-04-30 2025-05-16 Completed 33.33% $164.77 $175.96 6.74% Signal
2025-03-12 2025-05-01 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.37% Interest Income
2025-04-07 2025-04-30 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.02 1.64% Interest Income
2025-04-07 2025-04-30 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.02 1.64% Interest Income
2023-11-08 2025-04-07 Completed 33.33% $132.46 $149.03 12.45% Stop
2023-04-11 2025-04-07 Completed 33.33% $120.11 $149.03 24.02% Stop
2023-12-27 2025-03-12 Completed 33.33% $143.88 $170.18 18.22% Signal
2023-11-21 2023-12-27 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.64% Interest Income
2023-01-18 2023-11-21 Completed 33.33% $114.97 $136.61 18.76% Signal
2023-09-27 2023-11-08 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.61% Interest Income
2023-07-19 2023-09-27 Completed 33.33% $134.65 $127.82 -5.12% Stop
2023-06-02 2023-07-19 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.84% Interest Income
2023-04-04 2023-06-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.71% Interest Income
2023-04-04 2023-04-11 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.08% Interest Income
2022-12-02 2023-04-03 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.02 1.87% Interest Income
2022-12-02 2023-04-03 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.02 1.87% Interest Income
2022-12-02 2023-01-18 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.86% Interest Income
2022-10-28 2022-12-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.33% Interest Income
2022-10-04 2022-12-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.52% Interest Income
2022-10-04 2022-12-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.52% Interest Income
2022-10-18 2022-10-28 Completed 33.33% $104.44 $106.40 1.83% Signal
2022-10-04 2022-10-18 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.10% Interest Income
2022-09-26 2022-10-03 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.40% Interest Income
2022-09-02 2022-10-03 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.05% Interest Income
2022-09-02 2022-10-03 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.05% Interest Income
2022-06-07 2022-09-26 Completed 33.33% $115.90 $102.05 -11.99% Stop
2022-05-09 2022-09-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.34% Interest Income
2022-03-02 2022-09-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.37% Interest Income
2022-05-13 2022-06-07 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.02% Interest Income
2022-03-21 2022-05-13 Completed 33.33% $125.77 $112.84 -10.33% Stop
2022-02-16 2022-05-09 Completed 33.33% $124.53 $114.60 -8.03% Signal
2022-03-02 2022-03-21 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.00% Interest Income
2022-02-28 2022-03-01 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.11% Interest Income
2022-02-25 2022-03-01 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.08% Interest Income
2022-02-16 2022-02-28 Completed 33.33% $124.53 $122.09 -2.01% Signal
2020-04-01 2022-02-25 Completed 33.33% $72.43 $120.99 66.97% Stop
2022-01-25 2022-02-16 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.03% Interest Income
2022-01-25 2022-02-16 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.03% Interest Income
2020-08-11 2022-01-25 Completed 33.33% $96.77 $123.53 27.59% Stop
2020-06-25 2022-01-25 Completed 33.33% $87.79 $123.53 40.64% Stop
2020-07-01 2020-08-11 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.28% Interest Income
2020-03-24 2020-07-01 Completed 33.33% $67.44 $89.33 32.40% Signal
2020-06-02 2020-06-25 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.62% Interest Income
2020-04-09 2020-06-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.01% Interest Income
2020-03-24 2020-04-09 Completed 33.33% $67.44 $80.95 19.98% Signal
2020-03-10 2020-04-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.07% Interest Income
2020-03-03 2020-03-24 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.36% Interest Income
2020-03-03 2020-03-24 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.36% Interest Income
2019-01-15 2020-03-10 Completed 33.33% $71.45 $81.87 14.52% Stop
2020-03-02 2020-03-02 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.05% Interest Income
2020-03-02 2020-03-02 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.05% Interest Income
2019-06-26 2020-03-02 Completed 33.33% $83.19 $85.82 3.11% Stop
2019-03-27 2020-03-02 Completed 33.33% $79.81 $85.82 7.48% Stop
2019-06-04 2019-06-26 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.20% Interest Income
2019-04-08 2019-06-04 Completed 33.33% $81.79 $78.42 -4.17% Stop
2019-03-04 2019-04-08 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.42% Interest Income
2019-03-04 2019-03-27 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.24% Interest Income
2019-02-01 2019-03-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.17% Interest Income
2018-12-10 2019-03-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.01 0.58% Interest Income
2019-01-11 2019-02-01 Completed 33.33% $71.55 $75.23 5.09% Signal
2018-12-20 2019-01-15 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.19% Interest Income
2018-12-18 2019-01-11 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.17% Interest Income
2015-09-17 2018-12-20 Completed 33.33% $53.03 $68.71 29.51% Stop
2016-03-21 2018-12-18 Completed 33.33% $55.99 $70.75 26.30% Stop
2018-07-18 2018-12-10 Completed 33.33% $77.07 $72.47 -6.02% Signal
2018-05-21 2018-07-18 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.24% Interest Income
2016-04-27 2018-05-21 Completed 33.33% $56.90 $75.47 32.56% Signal
2016-04-04 2016-04-27 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.24% Interest Income
2016-03-03 2016-04-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.02% Interest Income
2016-03-02 2016-03-21 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.02% Interest Income
2015-11-25 2016-03-03 Completed 33.33% $56.57 $54.39 -3.90% Signal
2016-02-02 2016-03-01 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.01% Interest Income
2016-01-13 2016-02-01 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.09% Interest Income
2015-09-17 2016-01-13 Completed 33.33% $53.03 $52.98 -0.14% Signal
2015-11-03 2015-11-25 Interest (FLOT) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.10% Interest Income
2015-09-02 2015-11-02 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.02% Interest Income
2015-09-02 2015-09-17 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.02% Interest Income
2015-09-02 2015-09-17 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 -0.02% Interest Income
2015-08-25 2015-09-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.02% Interest Income
2015-08-25 2015-09-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.02% Interest Income
2015-08-25 2015-09-01 Interest (BIL) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.02% Interest Income
2015-07-14 2015-08-25 Completed 33.33% $54.93 $50.64 -7.85% Stop
2015-07-14 2015-08-25 Completed 33.33% $54.93 $50.64 -7.85% Stop
2015-07-14 2015-08-25 Completed 33.33% $54.93 $50.64 -7.85% Stop
2015-07-10 2015-07-14 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.01% Interest Income
2015-07-10 2015-07-14 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.01% Interest Income
2015-07-10 2015-07-14 Interest (SHV) 33.33% $1.00 $1.00 0.01% Interest Income

Next Steps: Portfolio Integration & Comparative Analysis

Single-ticker trend following is designed to truncate tail risk inside a broader portfolio. View where QUAL ranks across 40+ tracked assets, evaluate correlation against non-correlated diversifiers, or model it inside a custom all-weather asset mix.

📊 View Full 40-Asset Backtest Matrix → 🛠️ Build Custom Portfolio with QUAL → ⚖️ Compare QUAL vs Non-Correlated Assets →