A QQQ
QQQ 100% QQQ vs QLD ETF Comparison
Set your investment period and amount to compare the returns, growth and risk of two ETFs.
B QLD
QLD 100% Data as of 2026-10-23
Key comparison
Compare growth, loss risk, and cost in the same rows first.
| Portfolio A · QQQ 100% | Portfolio B · QLD 100% |
|---|---|
CAGR +19.4% | CAGR +30.6% |
Final Balance $68,031 | Final Balance $178,851 |
Volatility +18.8% | Volatility +38.4% |
MDD · daily -35.1% | MDD · daily -63.7% |
Sharpe Ratio 0.95 | Sharpe Ratio 0.86 |
Weighted expense ratio 0.18% | Weighted expense ratio 0.89% |
Result summary
QLD had the higher CAGR. QQQ had the smaller maximum drawdown.
- QQQ: CAGR 19.40%, daily maximum drawdown -35.12%.
- QLD: CAGR 30.57%, daily maximum drawdown -63.68%.
Key points in this comparison
- Maximum drawdown was -35.1% for QQQ and -63.7% for QLD; QLD fell further. After its deepest decline, QLD took 917 days to get back to its previous peak.
- In 2023, returns were QLD +117.7% and QQQ +54.9%, a gap of 62.8 percentage points.
- The monthly-return correlation is 1.00: the two portfolios moved almost in step.
Period & basis
2016-01-04 – 2026-10-23
Historical results for this period.Cumulative performance
Compare growth paths and cumulative returns over the same period.
Portfolio value
Compare portfolio value and cumulative contributions on the same dates.
| ETF | Total Return | CAGR | Total invested |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | +580.3% | +19.4% | 10000 |
| B | +1688.5% | +30.6% | 10000 |
Risk and recovery
Compare the volatility taken for return with the loss path investors actually experienced.
Risk vs Return
Lower-left is safer, upper-right is higher risk/reward. Ideal: upper-left.
| Compared portfolios | CAGR | Volatility (Ann.) | Sharpe Ratio | MDD · daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 19.4% | 18.79% | 0.95 | -35.12% |
| B | 30.57% | 38.41% | 0.86 | -63.68% |
Drawdown paths
Compare how far each portfolio's daily closing value fell from its prior peak over the same period.
| Compared portfolios | MDD · daily |
|---|---|
| A | -35.12 |
| B | -63.68 |
Returns and major declines
Compare annual returns and daily peak, trough, and recovery dates.
Annual Returns Comparison
Check consistency across annual, quarterly, decade, and rolling windows.
| Metric | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 2026· Partial year | +20.8% | +36.0% |
| 2025 | +20.8% | +30.4% |
| 2024 | +25.6% | +42.8% |
| 2023 | +54.9% | +117.7% |
| 2022 | -32.6% | -60.5% |
| 2021 | +27.4% | +54.7% |
| 2020 | +48.6% | +88.9% |
| 2019 | +39.0% | +81.7% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | -8.3% |
| 2017 | +32.7% | +70.3% |
| 2016 | +7.1% | +10.0% |
Worst Drawdown Periods
| Peak date | Trough date | Recovery date | Drawdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-27 | 2022-11-03 | 2023-12-13 | -35.1% |
| 2020-02-19 | 2020-03-16 | 2020-06-03 | -28.6% |
| 2018-08-29 | 2018-12-24 | 2019-04-12 | -22.8% |
| Peak date | Trough date | Recovery date | Drawdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-19 | 2022-12-28 | 2024-05-24 | -63.7% |
| 2020-02-19 | 2020-03-20 | 2020-07-01 | -51.7% |
| 2018-08-29 | 2018-12-24 | 2019-07-10 | -42.5% |
Stress Test: Market Crashes
Return of each ETF during major historical market drawdown events| Event | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| Q4 2018 Selloff | -21.9% | -41.0% |
| COVID-19 Crash | -27.9% | -51.5% |
| 2022 Rate Hike Bear Market | -34.3% | -61.2% |
Risk and recovery
Review drawdowns, downside risk, volatility regimes, and recovery speed.
| Portfolio A | Portfolio B |
|---|---|
Holdings 1 | Holdings 1 |
Effective holdings 1.00 | Effective holdings 1.00 |
Largest weight +100.0% | Largest weight +100.0% |
Weighted dividend yield 0.44% | Weighted dividend yield 0.14% |
Monthly observations 129 | Monthly observations 129 |
MDD · month-end -32.6% | MDD · month-end -60.5% |
Downside deviation +3.1% | Downside deviation +6.5% |
Worst Year -32.6% | Worst Year -60.5% |
Longest drawdown 716 days | Longest drawdown 917 days |
Average recovery 109 days | Average recovery 137 days |
Ulcer Index +9.1% | Ulcer Index +19.3% |
Pain Index +4.7% | Pain Index +11.1% |
Historical VaR 95% +8.4% | Historical VaR 95% +17.5% |
CVaR 95% +9.7% | CVaR 95% +20.0% |
Effective holdings measures weight concentration. It does not represent overlap among the ETFs' underlying holdings.
Risk-adjusted and benchmark
Compare excess return, sensitivity, and tracking behavior against the same benchmark.
| Portfolio A | Portfolio B |
|---|---|
Sortino 1.62 | Sortino 1.46 |
Calmar · 3Y month-end 2.78 | Calmar · 3Y month-end 2.30 |
Omega ratio 2.17 | Omega ratio 1.96 |
Martin ratio 2.13 | Martin ratio 1.59 |
Excess Return +4.6% | Excess Return +15.8% |
Alpha +3.3% | Alpha +3.2% |
Information ratio 0.63 | Information ratio 0.80 |
Beta 1.14 | Beta 2.33 |
Tracking error +8.1% | Tracking error +25.4% |
Benchmark correlation 0.91 | Benchmark correlation 0.91 |
Up Capture +122.2% | Up Capture +282.4% |
Down Capture +103.1% | Down Capture +177.4% |
Period consistency
Check consistency across annual, quarterly, decade, and rolling windows.
| Portfolio A | Portfolio B |
|---|---|
Total Return +580.3% | Total Return +1688.5% |
Win Rate +65.1% | Win Rate +64.3% |
Best Year +54.9% | Best Year +117.7% |
Gain/Loss Ratio 1.16 | Gain/Loss Ratio 1.09 |
1-year rolling minimum -32.6% | 1-year rolling minimum -60.5% |
1-year positive windows +89.0% | 1-year positive windows +83.9% |
3-year rolling minimum +8.5% | 3-year rolling minimum +4.9% |
3-year positive windows +100.0% | 3-year positive windows +100.0% |
5-year rolling minimum +12.1% | 5-year rolling minimum +13.9% |
5-year positive windows +100.0% | 5-year positive windows +100.0% |
10-year rolling minimum +19.0% | 10-year rolling minimum +29.7% |
10-year positive windows +100.0% | 10-year positive windows +100.0% |
1-year rolling Sharpe minimum -1.33 | 1-year rolling Sharpe minimum -1.43 |
1-year rolling Sharpe average 1.25 | 1-year rolling Sharpe average 1.12 |
1-year rolling Sharpe maximum 3.77 | 1-year rolling Sharpe maximum 3.59 |
Period return comparison
Check consistency across annual, quarterly, decade, and rolling windows.
| Metric | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q4 | -4.8% | -9.9% |
| 2026 Q3 | +0.6% | -1.1% |
| 2026 Q2 | +27.7% | +58.7% |
| 2026 Q1 | -5.9% | -13.3% |
| 2025 Q4 | +2.5% | +2.7% |
| 2025 Q3 | +9.0% | +16.6% |
| 2025 Q2 | +17.8% | +32.6% |
| 2025 Q1 | -8.1% | -17.9% |
| 2024 Q4 | +4.9% | +7.5% |
| 2024 Q3 | +2.0% | +0.9% |
| 2024 Q2 | +8.1% | +14.2% |
| 2024 Q1 | +8.6% | +15.2% |
| 2023 Q4 | +14.6% | +28.2% |
| 2023 Q3 | -2.9% | -7.5% |
| 2023 Q2 | +15.3% | +29.9% |
| 2023 Q1 | +20.7% | +41.5% |
| 2022 Q4 | -0.1% | -4.1% |
| 2022 Q3 | -4.5% | -11.5% |
| 2022 Q2 | -22.5% | -42.4% |
| 2022 Q1 | -8.8% | -19.2% |
| 2021 Q4 | +11.3% | +22.3% |
| 2021 Q3 | +1.1% | +1.3% |
| 2021 Q2 | +11.2% | +22.5% |
| 2021 Q1 | +1.8% | +1.8% |
| 2020 Q4 | +13.1% | +25.6% |
| 2020 Q3 | +12.4% | +24.1% |
| 2020 Q2 | +30.3% | +64.9% |
| 2020 Q1 | -10.3% | -26.5% |
| 2019 Q4 | +12.9% | +26.1% |
| 2019 Q3 | +1.3% | +0.7% |
| 2019 Q2 | +4.2% | +6.8% |
| 2019 Q1 | +16.7% | +33.9% |
| 2018 Q4 | -16.7% | -33.2% |
| 2018 Q3 | +8.4% | +16.4% |
| 2018 Q2 | +7.4% | +13.5% |
| 2018 Q1 | +3.0% | +3.9% |
| 2017 Q4 | +7.3% | +14.2% |
| 2017 Q3 | +5.9% | +11.4% |
| 2017 Q2 | +4.3% | +7.5% |
| 2017 Q1 | +12.0% | +24.6% |
| 2016 Q4 | +0.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 Q3 | +10.7% | +21.6% |
| 2016 Q2 | -1.3% | -3.5% |
| 2016 Q1 | -2.1% | -5.8% |
| Metric | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | +19.9% | +29.1% |
| 2010s | +18.5% | +32.9% |
Return characteristics
Compare monthly distributions, momentum, asymmetry, and seasonality.
| Portfolio A | Portfolio B |
|---|---|
Skewness -0.19 | Skewness -0.11 |
Excess kurtosis 0.12 | Excess kurtosis 0.09 |
Longest winning streak 7 | Longest winning streak 7 |
Longest losing streak 4 | Longest losing streak 4 |
Average monthly return +1.7% | Average monthly return +3.0% |
Monthly return autocorrelation -0.07 | Monthly return autocorrelation -0.06 |
1M momentum +3.3% | 1M momentum +6.0% |
3M momentum +0.6% | 3M momentum -1.1% |
6M momentum +28.4% | 6M momentum +57.0% |
12M momentum +23.8% | 12M momentum +39.6% |
Worst 5% -8.4% | Worst 5% -17.5% |
Median +2.0% | Median +3.5% |
Best 5% +10.6% | Best 5% +21.4% |
- ETF2 Up / ETF1 Down
- 0
- Both Up
- 83
- Both Down
- 46
- ETF1 Up / ETF2 Down
- 1
- Total
- 130 months
Questions about these results
How did the same initial investment grow?
From 2016-01-04 to 2026-10-23, an initial $10,000 ended at $68,031 for QQQ and $178,851 for QLD. Annualized returns were 19.40% and 30.57%, respectively.
How did the results differ during market crises?
During 2022 Rate Hike Bear Market, returns were -34.3% for QQQ and -61.2% for QLD. During COVID-19 Crash, returns were -27.9% for QQQ and -51.5% for QLD.
What are the expense ratios and annual costs?
Weighted expense ratios are 0.18% for QQQ and 0.89% for QLD. Applied to the initial $10,000, estimated annual costs are $18 and $89.
What are the dividend yields and their basis?
The yields are 0.44% for QQQ and 0.14% for QLD. They use distributions from the last 365 days divided by the last closing price and do not predict future distributions.