IOO vs QQQ

IOO vs QQQ

Which is better, IOO or QQQ?

Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. IOO led over 5Y, QQQ over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.6%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: splitLess Concentrated: QQQ

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

MetricIOOQQQ
Expense Ratio0.40%0.18%Best
AUM$9.4B$506.1B
Dividend Yield0.81%0.42%
Holdings116321
YTD Return+14.39%+19.30%Best
1Y Return+22.25%+22.47%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+25.83%+26.18%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+16.18%Best+15.42%
Volatility (annualized)15.8%Best21.6%
Max Drawdown-57.9%Best-73.0%
$10,000 over 5 years$21,167Best$20,484
Top 10 Weight59.6%46.7%Best
Fund FamilyiShares by BlackRock (US)Invesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Growth
InceptionDec 5, 2000Mar 10, 1999

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 8, 2000 to Oct 14, 2026 (25.8 years).

IOO 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 25.8 years both funds cover.

IOO vs QQQ Performance

iShares Global 100 ETF (IOO) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year IOO returned +22.25% while QQQ returned +22.47%. Year to date, IOO is up 14.39% versus a gain of 19.30% for QQQ.

Over three years, IOO compounded at +25.83% per year against +26.18% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +16.18% and +15.42% respectively. Across the full 26-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +9.75% annualized vs +5.81%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.6% compared with 15.8% for IOO. 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 -57.9% for IOO and -73.0% 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 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

IOO charges 0.40% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $40 vs $18 annually, a gap of $22 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IOO currently yields 0.81% against 0.42% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

IOO already in QQQ60.6%
QQQ already in IOO44.2%

60.6% of IOO's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 44.2% of QQQ's money is in holdings IOO also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

16 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in IOO and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 116 and 321.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 77 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for IOO (52.8% of the fund), and 40 for IOO that do not appear in QQQ (25.5%).

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

StockWeight in IOOWeight in QQQDifference
NVDANvidia Corp.13.53%8.33%5.20%
AAPLApple, Inc11.68%7.35%4.33%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 379.22%5.76%3.46%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc5.90%4.07%1.83%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc-cl A4.81%3.05%1.76%
GOOGAlphabet, Inc.- Cl C3.86%2.85%1.01%
AVGOBroadcom Inc3.96%2.53%1.43%
INTCIntel Corp.1.45%2.64%1.19%
WMTWalmart, Inc.1.13%2.11%0.98%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares1.04%1.77%0.73%

60.6% of IOO is already inside QQQ.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

IOOQQQ

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, IOO or QQQ?

IOO has an expense ratio of 0.40% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $22 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, IOO or QQQ?

Over the past year IOO returned +22.25% vs +22.47% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (26 years), IOO annualized +5.81% vs +9.75% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, IOO or QQQ?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 21.6% annualized versus 15.8% for IOO. Worst drawdown: IOO -57.9% vs QQQ -73.0%.

Should I hold both IOO and QQQ?

IOO and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, 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 IOO and QQQ?

60.6% of IOO's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 44.2% of QQQ's is in holdings IOO also owns. They hold 16 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in IOO and 101 in QQQ.

Which pays a higher dividend, IOO or QQQ?

IOO yields 0.81% while QQQ yields 0.42%, so IOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than IOO?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. IOO led over 5Y, QQQ over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 59.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.