QQQ vs STNC

QQQ vs STNC

Which is better, QQQ or STNC?

Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. STNC is less concentrated, with 35.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.7%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: STNC

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

MetricQQQSTNC
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.85%
AUM$506.1B$91M
Dividend Yield0.42%0.95%
Holdings32198
YTD Return+19.30%Best+9.15%
1Y Return+22.47%Best+13.09%
3Y Return (annualized)+26.18%Best+13.48%
5Y Return (annualized)+15.42%Best+7.03%
Volatility (annualized)20.3%15.0%Best
Max Drawdown-35.1%-22.3%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$20,484Best$14,045
Top 10 Weight46.7%35.5%Best
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Hennessy Funds
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMar 10, 1999Mar 15, 2021

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 16, 2021 to Oct 14, 2026 (5.6 years).

QQQ vs STNC 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 5.6 years both funds cover.

QQQ vs STNC Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Hennessy Sustainable ETF (STNC) is an ETF from Hennessy Funds. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while STNC returned +13.09%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 9.15% for STNC.

Over three years, QQQ compounded at +26.18% per year against +13.48% for STNC; over five years the annualized figures are +15.42% and +7.03% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +16.56% annualized vs +7.68%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.3% compared with 15.0% for STNC. 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 -35.1% for QQQ and -22.3% for STNC. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while STNC charges 0.85%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $85 annually, a gap of $67 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 0.95% for STNC.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in STNC18.7%
STNC already in QQQ19.1%

18.7% of QQQ's money is in holdings STNC also owns. 19.1% of STNC's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.

STNC and QQQ share little of their money.

11 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 47 in STNC, against full books of 321 and 98.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 34 positions for STNC that do not appear in our book for QQQ (77.2% of the fund), and 82 for QQQ that do not appear in STNC (77.6%).

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

StockWeight in QQQWeight in STNCDifference
MUMicron Technology, Inc.5.02%2.37%2.65%
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc4.17%2.75%1.42%
AMATApplied Materials, Inc.1.70%2.80%1.10%
SBUXStarbucks Corp0.45%3.09%2.64%
STXSeagate Technolo0.87%2.34%1.47%
INTCIntel Corporation2.64%0.38%2.26%
WMTWalmart, Inc.2.11%0.82%1.29%
MCHPMicrochip Technology Inc.0.18%2.06%1.88%
EXCExelon0.17%1.47%1.30%
PEPPepsico Inc.0.72%0.55%0.17%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of QQQ and STNC you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

QQQSTNC

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or STNC?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while STNC charges 0.85%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $67 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or STNC?

Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +13.09% for STNC, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), QQQ annualized +16.56% vs +7.68% for STNC. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or STNC?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 20.3% annualized versus 15.0% for STNC. Worst drawdown: QQQ -35.1% vs STNC -22.3%.

Should I hold both QQQ and STNC?

QQQ and STNC have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, 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 QQQ and STNC?

19.1% of STNC's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 19.1% of STNC's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 47 in STNC.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or STNC?

QQQ yields 0.42% while STNC yields 0.95%, so STNC currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is STNC better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. STNC is less concentrated, with 35.5% 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.