QQQ vs SEPI
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs Shelton Equity Premium Income ETF
Which is better, QQQ or SEPI?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SEPI led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.3%.
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 | SEPI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.54% |
| AUM | $483.5B | $185M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 7.32% |
| Holdings | 107 | 151 |
| YTD Return | +17.95%Best | +15.49% |
| 1Y Return | +21.77% | +22.57%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +25.63% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.24% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 21.9% | 10.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -12.0% | -7.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $12,450 | $12,451Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5%Best | 47.3% |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | Shelton Capital Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Sep 8, 2025 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 8, 2025 to Sep 18, 2026 (1 years).
QQQ vs SEPI 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 years both funds cover.
QQQ vs SEPI Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Shelton Equity Premium Income ETF (SEPI) is an ETF from Shelton Capital Management. Over the past year QQQ returned +21.77% while SEPI returned +22.57%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.95% versus a gain of 15.49% for SEPI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 21.9% compared with 10.5% for SEPI. 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 -12.0% for QQQ and -7.7% for SEPI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.88. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SEPI charges 0.54%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $54 annually, a gap of $36 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 7.32% for SEPI.
Holdings Overlap
48.0% of QQQ's money is in holdings SEPI also owns. 45.9% of SEPI's money is in holdings QQQ also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
13 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 40 in SEPI, against full books of 107 and 151.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 27 positions for SEPI that do not appear in our book for QQQ (55.3% of the fund), and 83 for QQQ that do not appear in SEPI (49.5%).
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 SEPI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.44% | 4.67% | 3.77% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.27% | 5.82% | 1.45% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.76% | 4.60% | 1.16% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 4.43% | 5.32% | 0.89% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 3.45% | 5.82% | 2.37% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.67% | 3.67% | 1.00% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.36% | 4.46% | 1.10% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.16% | 2.93% | 0.23% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.78% | 3.07% | 0.29% |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | 2.41% | 1.61% | 0.80% |
48.0% of QQQ is already inside SEPI.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, QQQ or SEPI?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SEPI charges 0.54%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $36 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or SEPI?
Over the past year QQQ returned +21.77% vs +22.57% for SEPI, so SEPI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), QQQ annualized +24.50% vs +24.51% for SEPI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or SEPI?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 21.9% annualized versus 10.5% for SEPI. Worst drawdown: QQQ -12.0% vs SEPI -7.7%.
Should I hold both QQQ and SEPI?
QQQ and SEPI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.88, 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 SEPI?
48.0% of QQQ's money is in holdings SEPI also owns. 45.9% of SEPI's is in holdings QQQ also owns. They hold 13 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 40 in SEPI.
Which pays a higher dividend, QQQ or SEPI?
QQQ yields 0.44% while SEPI yields 7.32%, so SEPI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SEPI better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. SEPI led over 1Y and the full window. QQQ is less concentrated, with 46.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.