QQQ vs VMAX
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs Hartford US Value ETF
Which is better, QQQ or VMAX?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Value.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. VMAX is less concentrated, with 19.0% 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 | QQQ | VMAX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.29% |
| AUM | $506.1B | $3M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 2.17% |
| Holdings | 321 | 127 |
| YTD Return | +19.30%Best | +16.66% |
| 1Y Return | +22.47%Best | +21.02% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +26.18% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.42% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.8% | 12.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -22.8% | -19.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.9 years | $19,452Best | $16,927 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.7% | 19.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | Hartford Funds |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Dec 5, 2023 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 6, 2023 to Oct 14, 2026 (2.9 years).
QQQ vs VMAX 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 2.9 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs VMAX Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Hartford US Value ETF (VMAX) is an ETF from Hartford Funds. Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% while VMAX returned +21.02%. Year to date, QQQ is up 19.30% versus a gain of 16.66% for VMAX.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.8% compared with 12.2% for VMAX. 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 -22.8% for QQQ and -19.1% for VMAX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.41. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while VMAX charges 0.29%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $29 annually, a gap of $11 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.42% against 2.17% for VMAX.
Holdings Overlap
43.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings VMAX also owns. 14.5% of VMAX's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
16 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 125 in VMAX, against full books of 321 and 127.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 106 positions for VMAX that do not appear in our book for QQQ (84.2% of the fund), and 77 for QQQ that do not appear in VMAX (53.1%).
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 QQQ | Weight in VMAX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.33% | 1.55% | 6.78% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.35% | 1.32% | 6.03% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 5.76% | 0.31% | 5.45% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 5.02% | 0.58% | 4.44% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 3.26% | 1.98% | 1.28% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.07% | 0.59% | 3.48% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc-cl A | 3.05% | 1.61% | 1.44% |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | 2.11% | 0.59% | 1.52% |
| GILDGilead Sciences Inc | 0.77% | 1.34% | 0.57% |
| QCOMQualcomm Inc. | 0.81% | 0.92% | 0.11% |
43.1% of QQQ is already inside VMAX.
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, QQQ or VMAX?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while VMAX charges 0.29%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $11 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or VMAX?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.47% vs +21.02% for VMAX, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or VMAX?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 16.8% annualized versus 12.2% for VMAX. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs VMAX -19.1%.
Should I hold both QQQ and VMAX?
QQQ and VMAX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.41, 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 VMAX?
43.1% of QQQ's money is in holdings VMAX also owns. 14.5% of VMAX's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 16 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 125 in VMAX.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or VMAX?
QQQ yields 0.42% while VMAX yields 2.17%, so VMAX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VMAX better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. VMAX is less concentrated, with 19.0% 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.