LQD vs QLTA: Differences, Returns & Fees
LQD's duration was 8.1 years on May 31, 2026 and QLTA's 6.5 on Jul 31, 2026; LQD charges 0.14% to QLTA's 0.15%. Net assets on Oct 9, 2026: $28.5bn for iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF and $1.2bn for iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF.
LQD costs 0.01 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.0 point; LQD is far larger, $28.5bn against $1.2bn.
| LQD | QLTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.14% | 0.15% |
| Net assets | $28.5bn | $1.2bn |
| Total return, 1 year | −3.4% | −2.4% |
| What it tracks | US investment grade bonds | Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Aaa - A Capped Index |
| Holdings in common | 51% | |
| Below its high | 7.8%, high on Sep 22, 2021 | 6.6%, high on Aug 6, 2020 |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, LQD and QLTA hold 51% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.
half
51% in common
On the same fields
LQD and QLTA on the fields both publish, as of Oct 9, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
About LQD
LQD tracks an index of US investment grade bonds. Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned −3.4% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.14% a year. It sat 7.8% below its high of Sep 22, 2021 on Oct 9, 2026.
About QLTA
QLTA tracks an index. Over the year to Oct 9, 2026 it returned −2.4% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.15% a year. It sat 6.6% below its high of Aug 6, 2020 on Oct 9, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, LQD or QLTA?
- In the year to Oct 9, 2026, with distributions reinvested, LQD returned −3.4% and QLTA −2.4%.
- Which is cheaper, LQD or QLTA?
- LQD is cheaper, by 0.01 percentage points a year. That is about $1 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure; a link is not an endorsement. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, LQD against QLTA, data as of Oct 9, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/lqd-vs-qlta
ETFIQ. (Oct 9, 2026). LQD against QLTA. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/lqd-vs-qlta
[LQD against QLTA (ETFIQ, Oct 9, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/lqd-vs-qlta)
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