HERD vs QQQ

HERD vs QQQ

Which is better, HERD or QQQ?

Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. HERD led over 1Y, QQQ over 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher 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

MetricHERDQQQ
Expense Ratio0.74%0.18%Best
AUM$108M$486.1B
Dividend Yield2.73%0.44%
Holdings7107
YTD Return+18.50%Best+17.54%
1Y Return+26.31%Best+25.59%
3Y Return (annualized)+16.43%+24.63%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+11.10%+14.18%Best
Volatility (annualized)18.3%Best20.3%
Max Drawdown-39.4%-35.1%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$16,927$19,407Best
Top 10 Weight-46.5%
Fund FamilyPacer ETFsInvesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap ValueLarge Cap Growth
InceptionMay 3, 2019Mar 10, 1999

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 7, 2019 to Sep 4, 2026 (7.3 years).

HERD 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 7.3 years both funds cover.

HERD vs QQQ Performance

Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF (HERD) is an ETF from Pacer ETFs and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year HERD returned +26.31% while QQQ returned +25.59%. Year to date, HERD is up 18.50% versus a gain of 17.54% for QQQ.

Over three years, HERD compounded at +16.43% per year against +24.63% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +11.10% and +14.18% respectively. Across the full 7-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +20.77% annualized vs +13.38%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.3% compared with 18.3% for HERD. 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 -39.4% for HERD 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 0.65. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

HERD charges 0.74% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $74 vs $18 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HERD currently yields 2.73% against 0.44% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 6 holdings in HERD and 102 in QQQ, totalling 100.0% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 6 positions we hold weights for in HERD and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 7 and 107.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 96 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for HERD (97.5% of the fund), and 6 for HERD that do not appear in QQQ (100.0%).

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

HERDQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, HERD or QQQ?

HERD has an expense ratio of 0.74% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, HERD or QQQ?

Over the past year HERD returned +26.31% vs +25.59% for QQQ, so HERD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (7 years), HERD annualized +13.38% vs +20.77% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, HERD or QQQ?

QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 20.3% annualized versus 18.3% for HERD. Worst drawdown: HERD -39.4% vs QQQ -35.1%.

Should I hold both HERD and QQQ?

HERD 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.

Which pays a higher dividend, HERD or QQQ?

HERD yields 2.73% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so HERD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than HERD?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. HERD led over 1Y, QQQ over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.