Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
QQQ vs SHLD: how they differ
Over the year QQQ returned more, +23.0% against −4.8%, and QQQ charges 0.18% against 0.50%.
Invesco QQQ Trust and Global X Defense Tech ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, QQQ and SHLD hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in QQQ | Only in SHLD |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA Corp 8.52% | PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC-A 10.28% |
| Apple Inc 7.72% | RTX CORPORATION 9.40% |
| Microsoft Corp 5.89% | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP 8.73% |
| Micron Technology Inc 4.90% | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP 8.26% |
| Amazon.com Inc 4.36% | NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP 7.86% |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc 3.65% | BAE SYSTEMS PLC 4.54% |
| Alphabet Inc 3.12% | HANWHA AEROSPACE CO LTD 4.04% |
| Meta Platforms Inc 3.07% | RHEINMETALL AG 3.82% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Sep 10, 2026 and Sep 11, 2026.
| QQQ Invesco QQQ Trust | SHLD Global X Defense Tech ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Thematic ETF |
| Issuer | Invesco | Global X |
| What it is | Nasdaq-100 | Defense |
| Total return, 1 year | +23.0% | −4.8% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +5.5 pts | −22.4 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | 0.50% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 96.7% | 40.5% |
| Holdings | 105 | 52 |
QQQ in plain words
QQQ is an index equity fund tracking the Nasdaq-100. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +23.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.18% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 105 positions, with the top ten at 47.0%. It sat 4.1% below its high of Jun 2, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
SHLD in plain words
By weight, 40% of SHLD's portfolio is stocks that are also in the S&P 500; its active share against the S&P 500 is 99%. The top ten holdings are 64% of the fund across 52 positions, as published by its issuer for Sep 11, 2026. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 the fund returned −4.8% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for the S&P 500, so a holder was behind by 22.4 pts. It sits 20.6% below its all-time high of Mar 9, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, QQQ or SHLD?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, QQQ returned +23.0% and SHLD returned −4.8%, so QQQ returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, QQQ or SHLD?
- QQQ charges 0.18% a year and SHLD charges 0.50%, so QQQ is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do QQQ and SHLD overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 97% of QQQ and 40% of SHLD by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
- Are QQQ and SHLD the same kind of fund?
- No. QQQ is an index ETF and SHLD is a thematic ETF, so they are built for different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and what each actually holds.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, QQQ against SHLD, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/qqq-vs-shld Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources