QQQ vs SEEM
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs SEI Select Emerging Markets Equity ETF
Which is better, QQQ or SEEM?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SEEM led over 1Y and the full window. SEEM is less concentrated, with 35.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.
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 | QQQ | SEEM |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.60% |
| AUM | $483.5B | $674M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 2.61% |
| Holdings | 107 | 276 |
| YTD Return | +17.95% | +23.21%Best |
| 1Y Return | +21.77% | +32.62%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +25.63% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.24% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.8% | 16.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -22.8% | -14.0%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.9 years | $14,666 | $16,407Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5% | 35.3%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | SEI EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Oct 10, 2024 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 10, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.9 years).
QQQ vs SEEM 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 1.9 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs SEEM Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and SEI Select Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SEEM) is an ETF from SEI EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS. Over the past year QQQ returned +21.77% while SEEM returned +32.62%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.95% versus a gain of 23.21% for SEEM.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.8% compared with 16.8% for SEEM. 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 -22.8% for QQQ and -14.0% for SEEM. 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
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SEEM charges 0.60%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $60 annually, a gap of $42 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 2.61% for SEEM.
Holdings Overlap
0.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings SEEM also owns. 0.3% of SEEM's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 250 in SEEM, against full books of 107 and 276.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 5 positions for SEEM that do not appear in our book for QQQ (1.1% of the fund), and 96 for QQQ that do not appear in SEEM (97.5%).
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
| Stock | Weight in QQQ | Weight in SEEM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDD:IEPdd Holdings Inc. | 0.27% | 0.25% | 0.02% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QQQ and SEEM 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, QQQ or SEEM?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SEEM charges 0.60%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $42 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or SEEM?
Over the past year QQQ returned +21.77% vs +32.62% for SEEM, so SEEM leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), QQQ annualized +22.33% vs +29.77% for SEEM. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SEEM?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 18.8% annualized versus 16.8% for SEEM. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs SEEM -14.0%.
Should I hold both QQQ and SEEM?
QQQ and SEEM 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, QQQ or SEEM?
QQQ yields 0.44% while SEEM yields 2.61%, so SEEM currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SEEM better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SEEM led over 1Y and the full window. SEEM is less concentrated, with 35.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.