QQQ vs SMCF

QQQ vs SMCF

Which is better, QQQ or SMCF?

Large Cap Growth against Small Cap Blend.

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. SMCF is less concentrated, with 35.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.5%.

Lower Fees: QQQHigher Returns: QQQLess Concentrated: SMCF

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

MetricQQQSMCF
Expense Ratio0.18%Best0.29%
AUM$486.1B$3M
Dividend Yield0.44%3.18%
Holdings10776
YTD Return+17.54%+22.44%Best
1Y Return+25.59%Best+22.52%
3Y Return (annualized)+24.63%-
5Y Return (annualized)+14.18%-
Volatility (annualized)16.9%Best17.5%
Max Drawdown-22.8%Best-28.0%
$10,000 over 2.7 years$17,988Best$16,427
Top 10 Weight46.5%35.3%Best
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Themes ETFs
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap GrowthSmall Cap Blend
InceptionMar 10, 1999Dec 13, 2023

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.7 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 13, 2023 to Sep 4, 2026 (2.7 years).

QQQ vs SMCF 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 2.7 years both funds cover.

QQQ vs SMCF Performance

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Themes US Small Cap Cash Flow Champions ETF (SMCF) is an ETF from Themes ETFs. Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% while SMCF returned +22.52%. Year to date, QQQ is up 17.54% versus a gain of 22.44% for SMCF.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SMCF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.5% compared with 16.9% 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 -22.8% for QQQ and -28.0% for SMCF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.29. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

QQQ charges 0.18% per year while SMCF charges 0.29%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $29 annually, a gap of $11 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 3.18% for SMCF.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 102 holdings in QQQ and 75 in SMCF, totalling 99.9% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.

0 positions in common, counted across the 102 positions we hold weights for in QQQ and 75 in SMCF, against full books of 107 and 76.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 66 positions for SMCF that do not appear in our book for QQQ (91.4% of the fund), and 96 for QQQ that do not appear in SMCF (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.

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

QQQSMCF

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, QQQ or SMCF?

QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while SMCF charges 0.29%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $11 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, QQQ or SMCF?

Over the past year QQQ returned +25.59% vs +22.52% for SMCF, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, QQQ or SMCF?

SMCF has been the more volatile fund at 17.5% annualized versus 16.9% for QQQ. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs SMCF -28.0%.

Should I hold both QQQ and SMCF?

QQQ and SMCF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.29, 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 SMCF?

QQQ yields 0.44% while SMCF yields 3.18%, so SMCF currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SMCF better than QQQ?

QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. SMCF 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.