AMID vs QQQ

AMID vs QQQ

Which is better, AMID or QQQ?

Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. AMID is less concentrated, with 31.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: AMID

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

MetricAMIDQQQ
Expense Ratio0.52%0.18%Best
AUM$114M$483.5B
Dividend Yield0.33%0.44%
Holdings47107
YTD Return+5.60%+17.95%Best
1Y Return+3.90%+21.77%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+10.74%+25.63%Best
5Y Return (annualized)-+15.24%
Volatility (annualized)17.8%Best18.9%
Max Drawdown-23.1%-22.8%Best
$10,000 over 4.1 years$14,704$22,560Best
Top 10 Weight31.7%Best46.5%
Fund FamilyAlpha ArchitectInvesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap BlendLarge Cap Growth
InceptionAug 17, 2022Mar 10, 1999

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 4.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 17, 2022 to Sep 18, 2026 (4.1 years).

AMID 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 4.1 years both funds cover.

AMID vs QQQ Performance

Argent Mid Cap ETF (AMID) is an ETF from Alpha Architect and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year AMID returned +3.90% while QQQ returned +21.77%. Year to date, AMID is up 5.60% versus a gain of 17.95% for QQQ.

Over three years, AMID compounded at +10.74% per year against +25.63% for QQQ. Across the full 4-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +21.95% annualized vs +9.86%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.9% compared with 17.8% for AMID. 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 -23.1% for AMID 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 0.65. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

AMID charges 0.52% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $52 vs $18 annually, a gap of $34 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, AMID currently yields 0.33% against 0.44% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

AMID already in QQQ6.3%
QQQ already in AMID1.2%

6.3% of AMID's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 1.2% of QQQ's money is in holdings AMID also owns.

AMID and QQQ share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 47 positions we hold weights for in AMID and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 47 and 107.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 93 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for AMID (96.4% of the fund), and 40 for AMID that do not appear in QQQ (85.9%).

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 AMIDWeight in QQQDifference
CTASCintas Corp.2.36%0.35%2.01%
FTNTFortinet Inc2.10%0.53%1.57%
MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc1.82%0.29%1.53%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

AMIDQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, AMID or QQQ?

AMID has an expense ratio of 0.52% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $34 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, AMID or QQQ?

Over the past year AMID returned +3.90% vs +21.77% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (4 years), AMID annualized +9.86% vs +21.95% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, AMID or QQQ?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 18.9% annualized versus 17.8% for AMID. Worst drawdown: AMID -23.1% vs QQQ -22.8%.

Should I hold both AMID and QQQ?

AMID and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.65, 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 AMID and QQQ?

6.3% of AMID's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 1.2% of QQQ's is in holdings AMID also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 47 positions we hold weights for in AMID and 102 in QQQ.

Which pays a higher dividend, AMID or QQQ?

AMID yields 0.33% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than AMID?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. AMID is less concentrated, with 31.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.