GNR vs QQQ
State Street SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, GNR or QQQ?
Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. GNR led over 1Y, QQQ over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. GNR is less concentrated, with 35.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.
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 | GNR | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.40% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $5.2B | $483.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.34% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | 112 | 107 |
| YTD Return | +25.71%Best | +15.18% |
| 1Y Return | +37.71%Best | +19.65% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.21% | +24.60%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.35% | +13.94%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.6% | 17.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -60.6% | -35.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $17,901 | $19,204Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 35.5%Best | 46.5% |
| Fund Family | SPDR State Street Global Advisors | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 13, 2010 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 14, 2010 to Sep 15, 2026 (16 years).
GNR 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.
GNR vs QQQ Performance
State Street SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) is an ETF from SPDR State Street Global Advisors and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year GNR returned +37.71% while QQQ returned +19.65%. Year to date, GNR is up 25.71% versus a gain of 15.18% for QQQ.
Over three years, GNR compounded at +15.21% per year against +24.60% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +12.35% and +13.94% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +18.60% annualized vs +4.10%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
GNR has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.6% compared with 17.3% 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 -60.6% for GNR and -35.1% 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 0.52. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GNR charges 0.40% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $40 vs $18 annually, a gap of $22 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GNR currently yields 2.34% against 0.44% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
0.7% of GNR's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 0.5% of QQQ's money is in holdings GNR also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
2 positions in common, counted across the 95 positions we hold weights for in GNR and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 112 and 107.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 94 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for GNR (97.0% of the fund), and 42 for GNR that do not appear in QQQ (42.5%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of GNR 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 is cheaper, GNR or QQQ?
GNR has an expense ratio of 0.40% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $22 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, GNR or QQQ?
Over the past year GNR returned +37.71% vs +19.65% for QQQ, so GNR leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), GNR annualized +4.10% vs +18.60% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, GNR or QQQ?
GNR has been the more volatile fund at 19.6% annualized versus 17.3% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: GNR -60.6% vs QQQ -35.1%.
Should I hold both GNR and QQQ?
GNR and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.52, 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, GNR or QQQ?
GNR yields 2.34% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so GNR currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than GNR?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. GNR led over 1Y, QQQ over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. GNR is less concentrated, with 35.5% 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.