QQQ vs WCMI
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 vs First Trust WCM International Equity ETF
Which is better, QQQ or WCMI?
QQQ has been ahead.
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. WCMI is less concentrated, with 41.9% 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 | WCMI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.18%Best | 0.85% |
| AUM | $483.5B | $2.0B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.44% | 0.53% |
| Holdings | 107 | 97 |
| YTD Return | +16.87%Best | +13.67% |
| 1Y Return | +22.98%Best | +21.18% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +24.98% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.39% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.9% | 13.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -22.8% | -12.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.9 years | $14,876Best | $14,243 |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.5% | 41.9%Best |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | First Trust Portfolios (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Mar 10, 1999 | Mar 31, 2020 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 7, 2024 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.9 years).
QQQ vs WCMI 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 WCMI Performance
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and First Trust WCM International Equity ETF (WCMI) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US). Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% while WCMI returned +21.18%. Year to date, QQQ is up 16.87% versus a gain of 13.67% for WCMI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QQQ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.9% compared with 13.4% for WCMI. 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 -12.8% for WCMI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.66. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QQQ charges 0.18% per year while WCMI charges 0.85%. On a $10,000 position that is $18 vs $85 annually, a gap of $67 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QQQ currently yields 0.44% against 0.53% for WCMI.
Holdings Overlap
0.3% of QQQ's money is in holdings WCMI also owns. 0.6% of WCMI'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 44 in WCMI, against full books of 107 and 97.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 7 positions for WCMI that do not appear in our book for QQQ (10.1% of the fund), and 95 for QQQ that do not appear in WCMI (97.0%).
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 WCMI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDD:IEPdd Holdings Inc | 0.27% | 0.58% | 0.31% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QQQ and WCMI 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 WCMI?
QQQ has an expense ratio of 0.18% while WCMI charges 0.85%. QQQ is the cheaper option, by $67 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QQQ or WCMI?
Over the past year QQQ returned +22.98% vs +21.18% for WCMI, so QQQ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), QQQ annualized +23.25% vs +20.46% for WCMI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QQQ or WCMI?
QQQ has been the more volatile fund at 18.9% annualized versus 13.4% for WCMI. Worst drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs WCMI -12.8%.
Should I hold both QQQ and WCMI?
QQQ and WCMI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.66, 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 WCMI?
QQQ yields 0.44% while WCMI yields 0.53%, so WCMI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WCMI better than QQQ?
QQQ has a lower expense ratio. QQQ led over 1Y and the full window. WCMI is less concentrated, with 41.9% 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.