DFP vs QQQ
Flaherty & Crumrine Dynamic Preferred and Income Fund Inc. vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, DFP or QQQ?
Preferred Stock against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | DFP | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.18% |
| AUM | $455M | $483.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.98% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | 245 | 107 |
| YTD Return | -0.57% | +15.86%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.20% | +22.63%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +12.90% | +24.15%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -0.19% | +14.16%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 20.7% | 19.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -66.8% | -53.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $9,905 | $19,390Best |
| Fund Family | Flaherty & Crumrine | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Preferred Stock | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | May 24, 2013 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 12, 2007 to Sep 10, 2026 (19.2 years).
DFP 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
DFP vs QQQ Performance
Flaherty & Crumrine Dynamic Preferred and Income Fund Inc. (DFP) is an ETF from Flaherty & Crumrine and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year DFP returned -0.20% while QQQ returned +22.63%. Year to date, DFP is down 0.57% versus a gain of 15.86% for QQQ.
Over three years, DFP compounded at +12.90% per year against +24.15% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are -0.19% and +14.16% respectively. Across the full 19-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +15.08% annualized vs +1.05%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
DFP has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.7% compared with 19.0% for QQQ. 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 -66.8% for DFP and -53.5% 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 0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.2% of QQQ's money is in holdings DFP also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for DFP, our book for it lists positions totalling 125.2% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 250 days apart, DFP as of Nov 28, 2025 and QQQ as of Aug 5, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 185 positions we hold weights for in DFP and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 245 and 107.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in DFP | Weight in QQQ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| XELXcel Energy Inc. | 0.40% | 0.21% | 0.19% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of DFP and QQQ you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which performed better, DFP or QQQ?
Over the past year DFP returned -0.20% vs +22.63% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (19 years), DFP annualized +1.05% vs +15.08% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, DFP or QQQ?
DFP has been the more volatile fund at 20.7% annualized versus 19.0% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: DFP -66.8% vs QQQ -53.5%.
Should I hold both DFP and QQQ?
DFP and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.46, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, DFP or QQQ?
DFP yields 6.98% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so DFP currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than DFP?
QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.