MID vs QQQ

MID vs QQQ

Which is better, MID or QQQ?

Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Growth.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 52.3%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: QQQ

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

MetricMIDQQQ
Expense Ratio0.39%0.18%Best
AUM$103M$483.5B
Dividend Yield0.14%0.44%
Holdings35107
YTD Return+7.52%+21.18%Best
1Y Return+4.06%+24.36%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+16.97%+27.99%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+3.38%+15.39%Best
Volatility (annualized)20.4%Tie20.4%Tie
Max Drawdown-40.1%-35.1%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$11,808$20,457Best
Top 10 Weight52.3%46.5%Best
Fund FamilyAmerican Century InvestmentsInvesco (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap GrowthLarge Cap Growth
InceptionJul 15, 2020Mar 10, 1999

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 15, 2020 to Sep 23, 2026 (6.2 years).

MID 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 6.2 years both funds cover.

MID vs QQQ Performance

American Century Mid Cap Growth Impact ETF (MID) is an ETF from American Century Investments and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year MID returned +4.06% while QQQ returned +24.36%. Year to date, MID is up 7.52% versus a gain of 21.18% for QQQ.

Over three years, MID compounded at +16.97% per year against +27.99% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +3.38% and +15.39% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +18.99% annualized vs +9.73%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

MID and QQQ have been equally volatile, both at 20.4% annualized.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -40.1% for MID 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 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MID charges 0.39% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $39 vs $18 annually, a gap of $21 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MID currently yields 0.14% against 0.44% for QQQ.

Holdings Overlap

MID already in QQQ18.4%
QQQ already in MID1.4%

18.4% of MID's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 1.4% of QQQ's money is in holdings MID also owns.

MID and QQQ share little of their money.

6 positions in common, counted across the 34 positions we hold weights for in MID and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 35 and 107.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 90 positions for QQQ that do not appear in our book for MID (96.2% of the fund), and 25 for MID that do not appear in QQQ (74.8%).

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.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in MIDWeight in QQQDifference
MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc5.47%0.29%5.18%
CDNSCadence Design Systems Inc.4.76%0.41%4.35%
ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.3.14%0.13%3.01%
IDXXIdexx Labs2.24%0.20%2.04%
DXCMDexcom Inc.1.51%0.14%1.37%
AXONAxon Enterprise Inc1.31%0.22%1.09%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

MIDQQQ

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MID or QQQ?

MID has an expense ratio of 0.39% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $21 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MID or QQQ?

Over the past year MID returned +4.06% vs +24.36% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), MID annualized +9.73% vs +18.99% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MID or QQQ?

MID and QQQ have been equally volatile, both at 20.4% annualized. Worst drawdown: MID -40.1% vs QQQ -35.1%.

Should I hold both MID and QQQ?

MID and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, 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 MID and QQQ?

18.4% of MID's money is in holdings QQQ also owns. 1.4% of QQQ's is in holdings MID also owns. They hold 6 positions in common, counted across the 34 positions we hold weights for in MID and 102 in QQQ.

Which pays a higher dividend, MID or QQQ?

MID yields 0.14% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so QQQ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is QQQ better than MID?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 52.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.