ARDC vs. QQQI

Last updated Aug 3, 2026

ARDC (Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc.) is a stock, while QQQI (NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by Neos. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, ARDC returned -4.12% vs 17.94% for QQQI. Their 0.31 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. ARDC charges 5.26%/yr vs 0.68%/yr for QQQI.

Performance

ARDC vs. QQQI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc. (ARDC) and NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ARDC achieves a -0.97% return, which is significantly lower than QQQI's 6.90% return.

ARDC

• 1D: 0.32%
• 1M: -2.17%
• 6M: -2.88%
• YTD: -0.97%
• 1Y: -4.12%
• 3Y*: 9.45%
• 5Y*: 4.88%
• 10Y*: 7.88%
• ALL TIME*: 5.60%

QQQI

• 1D: 0.68%
• 1M: -3.08%
• 6M: 5.69%
• YTD: 6.90%
• 1Y: 17.94%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 18.07%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
ARDC Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc.	$1.13M	$1.55M	$1.50M
QQQI NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF	$341.25M	$334.46M	$358.36M

ARDC vs. QQQI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ARDC Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc.	-0.97%	-3.10%	20.79%
QQQI NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF	6.90%	18.62%	19.44%

Correlation

The correlation between ARDC and QQQI is 0.40, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.40
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 30, 2024	0.31

Return for Risk

ARDC vs. QQQI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ARDC

ARDC Risk / Return Rank: 26
ARDC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 22
ARDC Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
ARDC Omega Ratio Rank: 20
ARDC Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
ARDC Martin Ratio Rank: 33

QQQI

QQQI Risk / Return Rank: 43
QQQI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
QQQI Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
QQQI Omega Ratio Rank: 39
QQQI Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
QQQI Martin Ratio Rank: 52

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ARDC vs. QQQI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc. (ARDC) and NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	ARDC	QQQI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.49	0.98	-1.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.62	1.42	-2.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.93	1.18	-0.26
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.30	1.67	-1.97
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.58	6.03	-6.61

ARDC vs. QQQI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ARDC Sharpe Ratio is -0.49, which is lower than the QQQI Sharpe Ratio of 0.98. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ARDC and QQQI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

ARDC vs. QQQI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ARDC drawdown since its inception was -45.40%, which is greater than QQQI's maximum drawdown of -20.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARDC and QQQI.

Drawdown Indicators

	ARDC	QQQI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-45.40%	-20.00%	-25.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.57%	-9.61%	-5.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.78%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.48%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.40%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.50%	-5.92%	-2.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.65%	-2.27%	-4.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.01%	2.67%	+5.34%

Volatility

ARDC vs. QQQI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc. (ARDC) is 2.49%, while NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI) has a volatility of 6.53%. This indicates that ARDC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ARDC	QQQI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.49%	6.53%	-4.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.50%	13.66%	-6.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.61%	16.35%	-6.74%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.78%	17.75%	-3.97%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.86%	17.75%	-0.89%

ARDC vs. QQQI - Expense Ratio Comparison

ARDC has a 5.26% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQI's 0.68% expense ratio.

Dividends

ARDC vs. QQQI - Dividend Comparison

ARDC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.90%, less than QQQI's 14.38% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ARDC Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation Fund, Inc.	10.90%	10.19%	9.33%	9.85%	10.31%	7.16%	8.40%	8.40%	9.35%	7.58%	8.45%	10.51%
QQQI NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF	14.38%	13.82%	12.85%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ARDC and QQQI in my portfolio?

ARDC and QQQI have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ARDC or QQQI?

QQQI has higher volatility (6.53%) compared to ARDC (2.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ARDC dropped -45.40% vs QQQI's -20.00%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QQQI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.98 vs -0.49), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.