JRI vs QQQ
Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, JRI or QQQ?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Growth.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. 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 | JRI | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 3.97% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | - | $486.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.87% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | 413 | 107 |
| YTD Return | -2.78% | +17.44%Best |
| 1Y Return | +0.23% | +24.69%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +16.40% | +24.76%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +4.77% | +14.22%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 20.0% | 17.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -64.3% | -35.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $12,624 | $19,441Best |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Apr 25, 2012 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 25, 2012 to Sep 8, 2026 (14.4 years).
JRI 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.
JRI vs QQQ Performance
Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (JRI) is an ETF from Nuveen and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year JRI returned +0.23% while QQQ returned +24.69%. Year to date, JRI is down 2.78% versus a gain of 17.44% for QQQ.
Over three years, JRI compounded at +16.40% per year against +24.76% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +4.77% and +14.22% respectively. Across the full 14-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +18.28% annualized vs +0.85%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
JRI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.0% compared with 17.5% 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 -64.3% for JRI 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 0.58. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JRI charges 3.97% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $397 vs $18 annually, a gap of $379 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JRI currently yields 11.87% against 0.44% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.7% of QQQ's money is in holdings JRI also owns.
Stated as a floor: for JRI, our book for it covers 69.9% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 187 days apart, JRI as of Jan 30, 2026 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.
3 positions in common, counted across the 247 positions we hold weights for in JRI and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 413 and 107.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JRI 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, JRI or QQQ?
JRI has an expense ratio of 3.97% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $379 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JRI or QQQ?
Over the past year JRI returned +0.23% vs +24.69% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (14 years), JRI annualized +0.85% vs +18.28% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JRI or QQQ?
JRI has been the more volatile fund at 20.0% annualized versus 17.5% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: JRI -64.3% vs QQQ -35.1%.
Should I hold both JRI and QQQ?
JRI and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.58, 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, JRI or QQQ?
JRI yields 11.87% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so JRI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than JRI?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. 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.