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ETF Profiles

What Is the SQS ETF? A Complete Guide to Returns, Fees, Holdings, and Alternative ETFs

Updated May 5, 2026

An actively managed ETF that invests in high-quality global growth stocks, combining qualitative fundamentals with innovative growth themes.

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What Is This ETF?

The fund uses an active strategy that first screens for companies with high profitability and strong management efficiency, then concentrates its investments in stocks with long-term growth drivers such as technological innovation and demographic change.

It suits investors who want to focus on companies with sound financial structures and credible growth momentum rather than simply tracking a broad market index.

It is an actively managed ETF launched in 2026 by Sapient (Sapient Capital).

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How Does It Invest?

ItemDetails
Management styleActive (stock selection)
Investment universeGlobal high-quality growth stocks
Rebalancing frequencyAs needed (active strategy)
Distribution frequencyDividend policy undecided, or annual distributions
Total expense ratio0.80%

Stocks are selected by analyzing profitability metrics together with the innovation themes that underpin future growth. The fund reviews a broad range, from large-cap technology stocks to blue-chip companies with dominant positions in their industries, and holds them at appropriate weights.

  • A balance of financial quality (Quality) and growth (Growth)
  • Flexible stock selection spanning the entire global market
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Size and Costs

Assets under management (AUM) stand at $1.4B, and the total expense ratio (Expense Ratio) is 0.80% per year.

As an actively managed product, it carries higher fees than passive index ETFs, but it pursues a strategy that responds nimbly to changes in the market.

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Performance and Trends

1-Year Price Performance
Dividend & Yield
No dividend or yield data available
52-Week Price Range
$27
Low $24 High $29
vs. low +16.84% vs. high -5.34%

Since launch, the fund has seen positive inflows on the back of strength in artificial intelligence and Big Tech companies, and it has drawn particular attention at a time when market preference for high-quality growth stocks has increased.

Despite being a newly launched ETF, it is growing its assets quickly on the strength of a solid investment philosophy, and interest from professional investors is gradually expanding.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

The portfolio is centered on high-quality stocks and pursues qualitative growth, but its high concentration in specific growth sectors can lead to volatility.

💪 Key Strengths

Stock selection strategy
Only high-quality companies that pass strict qualitative criteria are selected, which strengthens investor confidence.
Flexible response
Drawing on the advantages of active management, the fund can adjust its portfolio quickly when market conditions change or new growth themes emerge.
Long-term growth potential
By focusing on themes expected to deliver structural rather than short-lived growth, the fund aims for long-term results.

⚠️ Points to Watch

Growth stock volatility
With a high weighting in Big Tech and high-growth stocks, losses can deepen when interest rates shift or the technology sector corrects.
Manager risk
Because the fund is actively managed, performance depends heavily on the fund manager's stock selection decisions.
Cost burden
Management fees are relatively high compared with passive factor ETFs, which can weigh on returns over a long holding period.
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Alternative ETFs and Related Products

QUAL, SPHQ, and JQUA shown in the table are representative passive alternatives that use the quality factor, and their fees are relatively lower than those of SQS. If you want more aggressive growth, QGRW can be an alternative, and if you want direct market index exposure, you can choose VOO or IVV. For stability that combines dividend growth, DGRW is also worth considering.

Peer Comparison ETFs
TickerNamePriceChangeAUMTotal Expense RatioDividend Yield1Y
QUALQUALiShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF$223.55+0.3%$48.2B0.15%0.85%+13.6%
SPHQSPHQInvesco S&P 500 Quality ETF$83.59+0.7%$18.5B0.15%1.04%+12.1%
DGRWDGRWWisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund$98.63+0.4%$16.9B0.28%1.2%+9.8%
JQUAJQUAJPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETF$76.42+0.7%$9.4B0.12%1.04%+20.9%
QGRWQGRWWisdomTree U.S. Quality Growth Fund$66.55+0.9%$3.2B0.28%0.08%+13.3%
Top Holdings
TickerNameWeightPriceChangeMarket CapP/EDividend Yield
NVDANVIDIA Corp0.18%$216.00+2.4%$5.21T27.30.36%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc0.09%$316.80-1.1%$3.87T15.90.26%
GOOGAlphabet Inc0.08%$314.19-1.0%$3.84T15.80.26%
AAPLApple Inc0.15%$343.91-1.1%$5.02T39.40.32%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc0.11%$249.09+0.4%$2.69T20.0-
MSFTMicrosoft Corp0.05%$532.60+1.5%$3.96T29.70.74%
LLYLilly(Eli) & Co0.05%$1279.14+0.5%$1.20T43.50.53%
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Investor Checkpoints

These are the key points to check before investing in SQS. You should take a close look at the characteristics of active management, the cost structure, and the portfolio's current concentration in growth stocks.

CheckpointWhat to CheckCurrent Status
💵 Management feeCheck cost efficiency versus competing productsHolding steady
📊 Holdings concentrationCheck the weighting of top Big Tech companiesSomewhat high
📈 Management performanceWhether it has achieved excess returns versus its benchmark indexNeeds monitoring

A slump in a particular growth sector could significantly affect the performance of the entire portfolio. If the active strategy runs counter to market trends, there is a risk of underperforming passive products.

It is an active solution suited to investors seeking long-term alpha returns built on proven high-quality companies. It works well as a growth-focused portfolio strategy for those who can tolerate high volatility.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All investment responsibility lies with the investor.

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