Guardian’s Quality Growth ETFs Mark 5 Years of Strong Returns
Guardian Capital’s GIQU and GIQG ETFs mark 5 years of strong performance, blending quality growth with defensive strategies powered by AI.
Investors are increasingly looking for solutions that can sustainably and systematically grow their wealth. For equity-oriented investors, solutions that reflect both quality and defensive attributes have demonstrated their ability to compound wealth over time and help achieve financial prosperity. Recently, Guardian Capital’s Guardian i³ US Quality Growth Fund (Tickers: GIQU/GIQU.B) and Guardian i³ Global Quality Growth ETF (Tickers: GIQG/GIQG.B) attained a 5-year performance track record.
Launched on August 10th, 2025, both solutions offer exposure to high-quality and defensive US equities with sustainable earnings growth, avoiding areas of weakness. As stated in Guardian Capital’s prospectus, the fund managers utilize a quantitative approach, including AI technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, and large language models, to analyze multiple fundamental and alternative factors. As shown in the chart below, the performance of these ETF funds over the past 5 years has been impressive, despite the market downturns that have occurred.
Looking Below The Surface
Although both ETFs follow a similar investment process, as their names indicate, GIQU and GIQG focus on different equity asset classes—US equities and global equities, respectively. This difference is reflected in the geographic exposure of each fund (i.e., GIQU: Americas: 94.99%, Greater Europe: 4.93% vs. GIQG: Americas: 77.40%, Greater Europe: 20.98%, Greater Asia: 1.61%) as of June 30th, 2025.
However, when conducting a holdings comparison of both funds, there is a significant overlap in holdings, with 27 common holdings being shared between the two ETFs as of June 2025. For context, GIQG has approximately 45 holdings, while GIQU has 40.
The material overlap in holdings for both ETFs is understandable, as the underlying investment strategy for each emphasizes high-quality and defensive global equities – attributes that apply to large-cap US companies, especially big tech firms. As highlighted in a previous article, the importance and influence of big tech companies within capital markets, and society at large, is increasing. As these firms continue to expand the scale and scope of their services to clients and consumers worldwide, they have become ‘baseline holdings’ within growth-oriented investment solutions, as they have consistently demonstrated their ability to enhance their value proposition and reward investors.
Takeaway
For Canadian investors seeking a growth-oriented solution, the systematic investment strategy utilized within Guardian i³ US Quality Growth Fund (Tickers: GIQU/GIQU.B) and Guardian i³ Global Quality Growth ETF (Tickers: GIQG/GIQG.B) has demonstrated its efficacy over the past 5 years. Given the compelling performance exhibited thus far, these solutions may serve as valuable components in an investor’s portfolio.
Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.
