QGRO vs QQQ
American Century US Quality Growth ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, QGRO or QQQ?
QQQ has been ahead.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.90. QGRO is less concentrated, with 29.4% 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 | QGRO | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.29% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $2.0B | $506.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.20% | 0.42% |
| Holdings | 427 | 321 |
| YTD Return | +2.25% | +19.30%Best |
| 1Y Return | +3.82% | +22.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +19.90% | +26.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +10.36% | +15.42%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.2%Best | 20.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -32.6%Best | -35.1% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $16,370 | $20,484Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 29.4%Best | 46.7% |
| Fund Family | American Century Investments | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 10, 2018 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 12, 2018 to Oct 14, 2026 (8.1 years).
QGRO 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 8.1 years both funds cover.
QGRO vs QQQ Performance
American Century US Quality Growth ETF (QGRO) is an ETF from American Century Investments and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year QGRO returned +3.82% while QQQ returned +22.47%. Year to date, QGRO is up 2.25% versus a gain of 19.30% for QQQ.
Over three years, QGRO compounded at +19.90% per year against +26.18% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +10.36% and +15.42% respectively. Across the full 8-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +19.16% annualized vs +14.35%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.6% compared with 19.2% for QGRO. 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 -32.6% for QGRO and -35.1% 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 0.90. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QGRO charges 0.29% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $29 vs $18 annually, a gap of $11 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QGRO currently yields 0.20% against 0.42% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
42.1% of QGRO's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 60.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings QGRO also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
44 positions in common, counted across the 188 positions we hold weights for in QGRO and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 427 and 321.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 49 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for QGRO (36.2% of the fund), and 142 for QGRO that do not appear in QQQ (55.8%).
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 QGRO | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPLApple, Inc | 3.76% | 7.35% | 3.59% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 3.18% | 5.76% | 2.58% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 2.36% | 5.02% | 2.66% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 2.88% | 4.07% | 1.19% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc-cl A | 3.32% | 3.05% | 0.27% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. | 0.96% | 4.17% | 3.21% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 1.47% | 3.26% | 1.79% |
| PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc | 2.68% | 1.80% | 0.88% |
| LRCXLam Research Corp | 1.56% | 1.72% | 0.16% |
| STXSeagate Technology Holdings Plc | 2.14% | 0.87% | 1.27% |
60.1% of QQQ is already inside QGRO.
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, QGRO or QQQ?
QGRO has an expense ratio of 0.29% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $11 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QGRO or QQQ?
Over the past year QGRO returned +3.82% vs +22.47% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (8 years), QGRO annualized +14.35% vs +19.16% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QGRO or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 20.6% annualized versus 19.2% for QGRO. Worst drawdown: QGRO -32.6% vs QQQ -35.1%.
Should I hold both QGRO and QQQ?
QGRO and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.90, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between QGRO and QQQ?
60.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings QGRO also owns. 60.1% of QQQ's is in holdings QGRO also owns. They hold 44 positions in common, counted across the 188 positions we hold weights for in QGRO and 101 in QQQ.
Which pays a higher dividend, QGRO or QQQ?
QGRO yields 0.20% while QQQ yields 0.42%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than QGRO?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.90. QGRO is less concentrated, with 29.4% 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.