GCAD vs QQQ

GCAD vs QQQ

Which is better, GCAD or QQQ?

Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.

GCAD has a lower expense ratio. GCAD led over 1Y and 3Y, QQQ over the full window.

Lower Fees: GCADHigher Returns: split

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

MetricGCADQQQ
Expense Ratio0.10%Best0.18%
AUM$42M$437.3B
Dividend Yield1.96%0.43%
Holdings115208
YTD Return+5.62%+12.98%Best
1Y Return+13.07%Best+11.59%
3Y Return (annualized)+28.04%Best+23.05%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.74%
Volatility (annualized)16.9%Best17.4%
Max Drawdown-19.2%Best-22.8%
$10,000 over 3.9 years$22,619$26,866Best
Fund FamilyGabelli FundsInvesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Growth
InceptionJan 3, 2023Mar 10, 1999

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 4, 2023 to Nov 11, 2026 (3.9 years).

GCAD 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 3.9 years both funds cover.

GCAD vs QQQ Performance

Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense Fund (GCAD) is an ETF from Gabelli Funds and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year GCAD returned +13.07% while QQQ returned +11.59%. Year to date, GCAD is up 5.62% versus a gain of 12.98% for QQQ.

Over three years, GCAD compounded at +28.04% per year against +23.05% for QQQ. Across the full 4-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +28.84% annualized vs +23.28%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.4% compared with 16.9% for GCAD. 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 -19.2% for GCAD 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 0.40. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GCAD charges 0.10% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $10 vs $18 annually, a gap of $8 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GCAD currently yields 1.96% against 0.43% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in GCAD4.9%

At least 4.9% of QQQ's money is in holdings GCAD also owns.

Stated as a floor: for GCAD, our book for it covers 95.0% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

QQQ and GCAD share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 51 positions we hold weights for in GCAD and 101 in QQQ, against full books of 115 and 208.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GCADWeight in QQQDifference
HONAHoneywell Aerospace Inc5.02%0.22%4.80%
SPCXSpace Exploration Technologies0.71%2.71%2.00%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc.0.81%1.96%1.15%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

GCADQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GCAD or QQQ?

GCAD has an expense ratio of 0.10% while QQQ charges 0.18%. GCAD is the cheaper option, by $8 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GCAD or QQQ?

Over the past year GCAD returned +13.07% vs +11.59% for QQQ, so GCAD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (4 years), GCAD annualized +23.28% vs +28.84% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GCAD or QQQ?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 17.4% annualized versus 16.9% for GCAD. Worst drawdown: GCAD -19.2% vs QQQ -22.8%.

Should I hold both GCAD and QQQ?

GCAD and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.40, 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 GCAD and QQQ?

At least 4.9% of QQQ's money is in holdings GCAD also owns. Our book for GCAD is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 51 positions we hold weights for in GCAD and 101 in QQQ.

Which pays a higher dividend, GCAD or QQQ?

GCAD yields 1.96% while QQQ yields 0.43%, so GCAD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than GCAD?

GCAD has a lower expense ratio. GCAD led over 1Y and 3Y, QQQ over the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.