PDT vs QQQ
John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Which is better, PDT or QQQ?
Equity-oriented 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 | PDT | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.41% | 0.18%Best |
| AUM | $690M | $483.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.12% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | 144 | 107 |
| YTD Return | +0.26% | +16.87%Best |
| 1Y Return | -2.61% | +22.98%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.77% | +24.98%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.17% | +14.39%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.4%Best | 30.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -62.6%Best | -83.0% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,599 | $19,586Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | Invesco (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Equity-oriented Balanced | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Dec 21, 1989 | Mar 10, 1999 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 10, 1999 to Sep 11, 2026 (27.5 years).
PDT 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.
PDT vs QQQ Performance
John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (PDT) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US). Over the past year PDT returned -2.61% while QQQ returned +22.98%. Year to date, PDT is up 0.26% versus a gain of 16.87% for QQQ.
Over three years, PDT compounded at +15.77% per year against +24.98% for QQQ; over five years the annualized figures are +1.17% and +14.39% respectively. Across the full 28-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +13.01% annualized vs +1.86%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 30.6% compared with 17.4% for PDT. 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 -62.6% for PDT and -83.0% 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 0.26. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PDT charges 2.41% per year while QQQ charges 0.18%. On a $10,000 position that is $241 vs $18 annually, a gap of $223 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PDT currently yields 7.12% against 0.44% for QQQ.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.7% of QQQ's money is in holdings PDT also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for PDT, our book for it lists positions totalling 119.6% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 186 days apart, PDT as of Jan 31, 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 99 positions we hold weights for in PDT and 102 in QQQ, against full books of 144 and 107.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PDT 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, PDT or QQQ?
PDT has an expense ratio of 2.41% while QQQ charges 0.18%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $223 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PDT or QQQ?
Over the past year PDT returned -2.61% vs +22.98% for QQQ, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (28 years), PDT annualized +1.86% vs +13.01% for QQQ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PDT or QQQ?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 30.6% annualized versus 17.4% for PDT. Worst drawdown: PDT -62.6% vs QQQ -83.0%.
Should I hold both PDT and QQQ?
PDT and QQQ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.26, 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, PDT or QQQ?
PDT yields 7.12% while QQQ yields 0.44%, so PDT currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is QQQ better than PDT?
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.