Smart Beta Compass

Factor Performance and Flows

Recent performance of specific factor-driven indices that are tracked by relevant European-listed Smart Beta ETFs and the flows in both European and US-listed Smart Beta ETF categories by their relevant factor exposure.

9 min read
Ryan Reardon profile picture
Senior Equity ETF Strategist

The charts in this section show the relative performance of each index against a single cap-weighted market benchmark in three critical geographic regions: World/Global, USA, and Eurozone/Europe.

The market bounce in Q2 marked a return to Growth and Momentum. US and European equities advanced in Q2. While Europe lagged, small caps were the best performer within the region. The quarter was positive across geographic benchmarks: MSCI World (+11.5%), S&P 500® (+10.8%), EURO STOXX® (+5.3%), and MSCI Europe (+2.5%).

Growth significantly outperformed in US, while Momentum was strong in both the US and Europe. The S&P Developed Market Quality Aristocrats Index outperformed in Q2 due to the overweight allocation to Technology +173 basis points (bps), underweight allocation to Energy (+66bps), and positive stock selection in Consumer Staples (+66bps).1

The MSCI Europe Small Cap Index outperformed the MSCI Europe Index in Q2 due positive stock selection in Health Care (+202bps), Consumer Discretionary (+131bps), and Financials (+101bps), as well as the overweight allocation to Real Estate (+75bps).2

Smart Beta ETF flows

The figures in this section show the nominal net assets gathered by each category, across all geographic regions, over four relevant time periods. We highlight the top two and bottom two factor categories in each time period.

ETF flows continued in Dividend stocks. Size, Volatility, and Value were out of favour.

European and US ETF investors took significant steps in positioning for income using dividend factor ETFs. European investors pulled cash from Size and Low Vol, while US investors opted to sell Value and Growth.

Figure 10: European-listed Smart Beta flows (US$M)

Factor category June 2025 year to date last 12 months YTD (% of AUM)
Dividend 356 2,914 4,493 +8.12%
Growth -0 -172 -281 -11.32%
Low Volatility -1,313 445 67 +5.58%
Momentum 70 606 762 +11.92%
Multifactor 257 882 1,767 +11.41%
Quality -391 -775 -1,229 -6.60%
Size -2,189 -5,590 14,068 -11.32%
Value -29 704 -856 +4.45%
Total -3,240 -988 18,790 -0.73%

Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P., as of 30 June 2025. The top two (green) and bottom two (red) categories are highlighted in each time period. Flows are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon thereafter.

Figure 11: US-listed Smart Beta flows (US$M)

Factor category June 2025 year to date  last 12 months YTD (% of AUM) 
Dividend 2,213 13,645 35,448 +2.99%
Growth -729 -1,618 -2,680 -14.43%
Low Volatility -451 -1,388 -6,761 -2.72%
Momentum 1,861 7,562 15,264 +21.32%
Multifactor 1,020 5,104 5,920 +5.69%
Quality 245 3,152 7,553 +2.85%
Size -699 -1,090 13,961 -1.37%
Value -1,255 -4,639 -967 -3.61%
Total 2,160 20,728 67,738 +7.52%

Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P., as of 30 June 2025. The top two (green) and bottom two (red) categories are highlighted in each time period. Flows are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon thereafter.

SPDR® ETFs Smart Beta Range

range ETF ISIN fund assets
($M)
Total Expense Ratio year to date fund flows
($M) 
Xetra
(Primary Ticker, €) 
London Stock Exchange SIX Swiss
(CHF)
Borsa Italiana
(€)
Euronext
(€)
Dividend Aristocrats SPDR® S&P® Global Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B9CQXS71 1312.912 0.45 -2 ZPRG GBDV (£)
GLDV ($) 
GLDV GLDV  
  SPDR® S&P® U.S. Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B6YX5D40 3,469 0.35 -3.38 SPYD USDV (£)
UDVD ($) 
USDV USDV  
  SPDR® S&P® U.S. Dividend Aristocrats EUR Hdg UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B979GK47 51 0.40 -5 SPPD   USDE USDE  
  SPDR® S&P® Euro Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B5M1WJ87 1,434 0.30 +201 SPYW EUDV (£)
EUDI (€) 
EUDV EUDV EUDV
  SPDR® S&P® UK Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B6S2Z822 130 0.30 -5 SPYG UKDV (£)  UKDV    
  SPDR® S&P® Pan Asia Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B9KNR336 202 0.55 +3 ZPRA PADV (£)
ASDV ($) 
PADV PADV  
  SPDR® S&P® Emerging Markets Dividend UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00B6YX5B26 151 0.55 +8 SPYV EMDV (£)
EDVD ($) 
EMDV EMDV  
Screened SPDR® S&P® Global Dividend Aristocrats Screened UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00BYTH5S21 21 0.45 -0 ZPD3 GEDV ($)      GEDV
  SPDR® S&P® U.S. Dividend Aristocrats Screened UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00BYTH5R14 24 0.35 -4 ZPD6 UGDV (£)
UEDV ($)
  UEDV UEDV
  SPDR® S&P® Euro Dividend Aristocrats Screened UCITS ETF (Dist) IE00BYTH5T38 11 0.30 +3 ZPD9       EEDV
Quality SPDR® S&P Developed Quality Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Acc)  IE000IISJT64 28 0.35 +22 QDEV  QDEV ($)       
  SPDR® S&P 500® Quality Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Acc)  IE000FJJZA01 6 0.25 +0 QUS5  QUS5 ($)      
Low Volatility SPDR® S&P® 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF (Acc) IE00B802KR88 122 0.35 -3 SPY1 USLV (£)
LOWV ($) 
LOWV LOWV LOWV
  SPDR® EURO STOXX® Low Volatility UCITS ETF (Acc) IE00BFTWP510 58 0.30 +33 ZPRL   ELOW ELOW ELOW
Value SPDR® MSCI World Value UCITS ETF (Acc) IE00BJXRT813 164 0.25 +77   VALW (£)
WVAL ($) 
    WVAL*
  SPDR® MSCI USA Value UCITS ETF IE00BSPLC520 147 0.20 -3 ZPRU UVAL (£)
USVL ($) 
UVAL    
  SPDR® MSCI USA Small Cap Value Weighted UCITS ETF IE00BSPLC413 631 0.30 +35 ZPRV USSC ($)      
  SPDR® MSCI Europe Value UCITS ETF IE00BSPLC306 37 0.20 +6 ZPRW EVAL (£)  EVAL    
  SPDR® MSCI Europe Small Cap Value Weighted UCITS ETF IE00BSPLC298 347 0.30 +57 ZPRX EUSV (£)       

Source: State Street Global Advisors, as of 01 July 2025. The AUM is converted to USD from the base currency for non-USD denominated funds. *Primary ticker (if not listed on Xetra).

Standard performance

Fund/Index name 1 month 3 months 6 months year-to-
date
1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years since inception
Inception date 15 May 2013                  
SPDR S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF 3.03 5.32 9.13 9.13 16.97 6.92 10.49 4.98 5.22
S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Quality Income Index1 3.03 5.30 9.13 9.13 16.78 6.80 10.47 4.99 5.27
Difference 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.19 0.12 0.02 -0.01 -0.05
Inception date 14 October 2011                  
SPDR S&P US Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF 1.46 0.68 3.97 3.97 9.20 6.88 10.75 9.05 10.60
S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index 1.44 0.62 3.93 3.93 9.13 6.77 10.65 8.98 10.58
Difference 0.02 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.07 0.11 0.10 0.07 0.08
Inception date 14 June 2019                  
SPDR S&P U.S. Dividend Aristocrats EUR Hedge UCITS ETF  1.23 -0.07 2.78 2.78 6.80 4.06 8.28 - 5.19
S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats EUR Dynamic Hedged Index 1.19 -0.01 2.87 2.87 6.84 4.12 8.25 - 4.98
Difference 0.04 -0.06 -0.09 -0.09 -0.04 -0.06 0.03 - 0.21
Inception date 28 February 2012                  
SPDR S&P Euro Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF -1.88 4.69 15.23 15.23 17.03 15.65 10.05 6.18 8.06
S&P Euro High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index -1.95 4.13 14.71 14.71 16.72 15.21 9.60 5.78 7.66
Difference 0.07 0.56 0.52 0.52 0.31 0.44 0.45 0.40 0.40
Inception date 28 February 2012                  
SPDR S&P UK Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF 1.39 7.53 8.55 8.55 15.60 8.46 6.40 3.34 5.04
S&P UK High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index 1.59 7.85 8.96 8.96 16.33 9.04 6.95 3.88 5.57
Difference -0.20 -0.32 -0.41 -0.41 -0.73 -0.58 -0.55 -0.54 -0.53
Inception date 15 May 2013                  
SPDR S&P Pan Asia Dividend Aristrocrats UCITS ETF 2.79 10.35 14.75 14.75 18.70 10.57 7.22 5.31 4.89
S&P Pan Asia Dividend Aristocrats Index  2.85 10.25 14.82 14.82 19.03 10.91 7.69 5.83 5.41
Difference -0.06 0.10 -0.07 -0.07 -0.33 -0.34 -0.47 -0.52 -0.52
Inception date 14 October 2011                  
SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF 5.88 14.33 14.77 14.77 14.94 12.13 9.78 3.64 1.41
S&P Emerging Markets High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index2 5.92 14.76 15.62 15.62 16.05 13.37 10.82 4.74 2.45
Difference -0.04 -0.43 -0.85 -0.85 -1.11 -1.24 -1.04 -1.10 -1.04
Inception date 03 June 2021                  
SPDR S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats ESG UCITS ETF 3.10 4.45 7.50 7.50 14.85 8.64 - - 4.88
S&P Global ESG Dividend Aristocrats Quality Income Index 3.12 4.41 7.52 7.52 14.96 8.67 - - 4.93
Difference -0.02 0.04 -0.02 -0.02 -0.11 -0.03 - - -0.05
Inception date 03 June 2021                  
SPDR S&P U.S. Dividend Aristocrats Screened UCITS ETF 1.26 -0.22 1.81 1.81 4.59 5.52 - - 3.33
S&P ESG High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index 1.24 -0.26 1.73 1.73 4.47 5.43 - - 3.23
Difference 0.02 0.04 0.08 0.08 0.12 0.09 - - 0.10
Inception date 03 June 2021                  
SPDR S&P Euro Dividend Aristocrats ESG UCITS ETF -2.39 2.62 12.07 12.07 16.13 13.72 - - 6.65
S&P Euro ESG High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index -2.43 2.14 11.56 11.56 15.70 13.33 - - 6.29
Difference 0.04 0.48 0.51 0.51 0.43 0.39 - - 0.36
Inception date 03 October 2012                  
SPDR S&P 500 Low Volatility UCITS ETF -0.81 -2.05 4.87 4.87 13.74 7.37 9.70 8.91 9.58
S&P 500 Low Volatility Index -0.83 -2.14 4.79 4.79 13.67 7.30 9.67 8.91 9.58
Difference 0.02 0.09 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.00 0.00
Inception date 24 March 2014                  
SPDR EURO STOXX Low Volatility UCITS ETF -1.74 4.92 15.36 15.36 19.99 11.43 8.65 6.15 7.51
EUROSTOXX Low Risk Weighted 100 Index -1.80 4.50 15.04 15.04 19.53 11.11 8.36 5.89 7.24
Difference 0.06 0.42 0.32 0.32 0.46 0.32 0.29 0.26 0.27
Inception date 03 September 2020                  
SPDR MSCI World Value UCITS ETF  3.84 9.42 15.51 15.51 14.73 15.29 - - 12.81
MSCI World Value Exposure Select Index 3.83 9.29 15.41 15.41 14.62 15.25 - - 12.80
Difference 0.01 0.13 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.04 - - 0.01
Inception date 18 February 2015                  
SPDR MSCI USA Value UCITS ETF 6.03 5.95 6.81 6.81 5.85 9.68 11.97 8.05 7.60
MSCI USA Value Exposure Select Index3 6.03 5.88 6.70 6.70 5.63 9.46 11.78 7.89 7.45
Difference 0.00 0.07 0.11 0.11 0.22 0.22 0.19 0.16 0.15
Inception date 18 February 2015                  
SPDR MSCI Europe Value UCITS ETF -0.08 4.23 14.55 14.55 17.57 14.23 14.56 6.39 6.26
MSCI Europe Value Exposure Select Index4 -0.05 3.94 14.26 14.26 17.30 13.92 14.33 6.17 6.03
Difference -0.03 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.27 0.31 0.23 0.22 0.23
Inception date 18 February 2015                  
SPDR MSCI USA Small Cap Value Weighted UCITS ETF 4.92 6.03 -0.71 -0.71 9.94 11.97 17.65 8.56 8.17
MSCI USA Small Cap Value Weighted Index 4.92 6.01 -0.76 -0.76 -0.91 11.98 17.74 8.72 8.33
Difference 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.05 0.03 -0.01 -0.09 -0.16 -0.16
Inception date 18 February 2015                  
SPDR MSCI Europe Small Cap Value Weighted UCITS ETF 1.29 9.66 16.03 16.03 17.74 13.44 14.54 6.04 6.34
MSCI Europe Small Cap Value Weighted Index 1.27 9.46 15.86 15.86 17.51 13.22 14.57 6.10 6.40
Difference 0.02 0.20 0.17 0.17 0.23 0.22 -0.03 -0.06 -0.06
Inception date 25 November 2013                  
SPDR MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF 4.71 11.34 7.12 7.12 13.94 11.86 10.76 7.32 7.30
MSCI World Small Cap Index 4.73 11.58 7.42 7.42 14.47 12.16 10.98 7.57 7.50
Difference -0.02 -0.24 -0.30 -0.30 -0.53 -0.30 -0.22 -0.25 -0.20
Inception date 01 July 2014                  
SPDR Russell 2000 US Small Cap UCITS ETF 5.37 8.31 -2.01 -2.01 7.26 9.48 9.63 6.71 6.69
Russell 2000 Index 5.39 8.39 -1.98 -1.98 7.27 9.54 9.62 6.70 6.54
Difference -0.02 -0.08 -0.03 -0.03 -0.01 -0.06 0.01 0.01 0.15
Inception date 31 March 2005                  
SPDR MSCI Europe Small Cap UCITS ETF 0.90 10.30 11.65 11.65 12.16 10.39 9.69 6.11 7.97
MSCI Europe Small Cap Index 0.88 10.01 11.46 11.46 12.16 10.27 9.56 6.16 8.14
Difference 0.02 0.29 0.19 0.19 0.00 0.12 0.13 -0.05 -0.17
Inception date 16 May 2011                  
SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap UCITS ETF 5.61 16.83 10.35 10.35 7.65 13.25 13.35 5.80 3.95
MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index 5.71 17.17 10.74 10.74 8.40 13.81 13.86 5.97 4.21
Difference -0.10 -0.34 -0.39 -0.39 -0.75 -0.56 -0.51 -0.17 -0.26

Source: State Street Global Advisors, as of 30 June 2025. The performance figures contained herein are calculated in base currency and provided on a net of fees basis and do reflect the deduction of advisory or other fees. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate, so you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be higher or lower than that quoted. All results are historical and assume the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. Visit www.ssga.com for most recent month-end performance. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. Index returns reflect all items of income, gain and loss and the reinvestment of dividends and other income as applicable.

1. Index returns reflect the S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Index prior to 31st January 2020, when the fund changed to tracking current benchmark.

2. Index returns reflect the S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Opportunities Index prior to 7th February 2020, when the fund changed to tracking current benchmark.

3. Index returns reflect the MSCI USA Value Weighted Index prior to 11th July 2018, when the fund changed to tracking current benchmark.

4. Index returns reflect the MSCI Europe Value Weighted Index prior to 11th July 2018, when the fund changed to tracking current benchmark.

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