HELO vs QQQ
JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, HELO or QQQ?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. HELO is less concentrated, with 40.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | HELO | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.50% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $4.9B | $506.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.57% | 0.42% |
| Holdings | 156 | 321 |
| YTD Return | +4.91% | +19.30%Best |
| 1Y Return | +7.68% | +22.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +11.88% | +26.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +15.42% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 7.3%Best | 17.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -10.9%Best | -22.8% |
| $10,000 over 3 years | $14,128 | $20,489Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 40.1%Best | 46.7% |
| Fund Family | J.P. Morgan Asset Management | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 28, 2023 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 29, 2023 to Oct 14, 2026 (3 years).
HELO vs QQQ growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 3 years both funds cover.
HELO vs QQQ Performance
JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) is an ETF from J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year HELO returned +7.68% while QQQ returned +22.47%. Year to date, HELO is up 4.91% versus a gain of 19.30% for QQQ.
Over three years, HELO compounded at +11.88% per year against +26.18% for QQQ.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.1% compared with 7.3% for HELO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -10.9% for HELO and -22.8% for QQQ. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
HELO charges 0.50% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $50 vs $18 annually, a gap of $32 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HELO currently yields 0.57% against 0.42% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
52.2% of HELO's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 73.7% of QQQ's money is in holdings HELO also owns.
Most of QQQ is already inside HELO. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
40 positions in common, counted across the 146 positions we hold weights for in HELO and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 156 and 321.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 54 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for HELO (23.4% of the fund), and 104 for HELO that do not appear in QQQ (46.6%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in HELO | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.17% | 8.33% | 0.16% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.01% | 7.35% | 0.34% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 6.29% | 5.76% | 0.53% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.26% | 4.07% | 0.19% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.70% | 5.02% | 3.32% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc-cl A | 3.16% | 3.05% | 0.11% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 2.31% | 3.26% | 0.95% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 1.28% | 4.17% | 2.89% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.64% | 2.53% | 0.11% |
| GOOGAlphabet, Inc.- Cl C | 2.26% | 2.85% | 0.59% |
73.7% of QQQ is already inside HELO.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, HELO or QQQ?
HELO has an expense ratio of 0.50% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $32 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, HELO or QQQ?
Over the past year HELO returned +7.68% vs +22.47% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, HELO or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 17.1% annualized versus 7.3% for HELO. Worst drawdown: HELO -10.9% vs QQQ -22.8%.
Should I hold both HELO and QQQ?
HELO and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between HELO and QQQ?
73.7% of QQQ's money is in holdings HELO also owns. 73.7% of QQQ's is in holdings HELO also owns. They hold 40 positions in common, counted across the 146 positions we hold weights for in HELO and 101 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, HELO or QQQ?
HELO yields 0.57% while QQQ yields 0.42%, so HELO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than HELO?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. HELO is less concentrated, with 40.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.