QQQ vs SCD

QQQ vs SCD

Which is better, QQQ or SCD?

Large Cap Growth against Equity-oriented Balanced.

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

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: 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

MetricQQQSCD
Expense Ratio0.18%Best2.67%
AUM$483.5B$403M
Dividend Yield0.44%8.30%
Holdings107158
YTD Return+15.86%Best+8.74%
1Y Return+22.63%Best+8.09%
3Y Return (annualized)+24.15%Best+16.02%
5Y Return (annualized)+14.16%Best+10.65%
Volatility (annualized)18.3%Best20.9%
Max Drawdown-53.5%Best-71.3%
$10,000 over 5 years$19,390Best$16,587
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Franklin Templeton Investments (US)
CategoryEquityAllocation/Balanced
StyleLarge Cap GrowthEquity-oriented Balanced
InceptionMar 10, 1999Feb 24, 2004

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 25, 2004 to Sep 10, 2026 (22.5 years).

QQQ vs SCD 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.

QQQ vs SCD Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and LMP Capital and Income Fund Inc. (SCD) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US). Over the past year QQQ returned +22.63% while SCD returned +8.09%. Year to date, QQQ is up 15.86% versus a gain of 8.74% for SCD.

Over three years, QQQ compounded at +24.15% per year against +16.02% for SCD; over five years the annualized figures are +14.16% and +10.65% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, QQQ has the edge at +14.22% annualized vs +1.09%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SCD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.9% compared with 18.3% 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 -53.5% for QQQ and -71.3% for SCD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.68. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SCD charges 2.67%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $267 annually, a gap of $249 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 8.30% for SCD.

Holdings Overlap

QQQ already in SCD28.5%

At least 28.5% of QQQ's money is in holdings SCD also owns.

Only one direction is shown: for SCD, our book for it lists positions totalling 122.3% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.

QQQ and SCD share little of their money.

The two holdings books were reported 159 days apart, QQQ as of Aug 5, 2026 and SCD as of Feb 27, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

11 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 138 in SCD, against full books of 107 and 158.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in QQQWeight in SCDDifference
AAPLApple, Inc7.27%3.09%4.18%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 375.76%2.54%3.22%
GOOGAlphabet Inc3.13%2.63%0.50%
AVGOBroadcom Inc3.16%2.25%0.91%
METAMeta Platforms, Inc.2.78%1.45%1.33%
WMTWalmart, Inc.2.41%1.69%0.72%
MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd0.81%2.26%1.45%
QCOMQualcomm Inc.0.73%1.77%1.04%
ASML:ASAsml Holding Adr Representing Nv0.68%1.40%0.72%
AMGNAmgen Inc.0.97%0.72%0.25%

28.5% of QQQ is already inside SCD.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

QQQSCD

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or SCD?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SCD charges 2.67%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $249 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or SCD?

Over the past year QQQ returned +22.63% vs +8.09% for SCD, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), QQQ annualized +14.22% vs +1.09% for SCD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or SCD?

SCD has been the more volatile fund at 20.9% annualized versus 18.3% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -53.5% vs SCD -71.3%.

Should I hold both QQQ and SCD?

QQQ and SCD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.68, 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 QQQ and SCD?

At least 28.5% of QQQ's money is in holdings SCD also owns. Our book for SCD is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 138 in SCD.

Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SCD?

QQQ yields 0.44% while SCD yields 8.30%, so SCD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCD better than QQQ?

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.