CDNS vs. QLD

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

CDNS (Cadence Design Systems, Inc.) is a stock, while QLD (ProShares Ultra QQQ) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index (200%). Over the past 10 years, CDNS returned 31.92%/yr vs 35.29%/yr for QLD. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

CDNS vs. QLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) and ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CDNS achieves a 26.12% return, which is significantly lower than QLD's 31.05% return. Over the past 10 years, CDNS has underperformed QLD with an annualized return of 31.92%, while QLD has yielded a comparatively higher 35.29% annualized return.

CDNS

• 1D: 4.80%
• 1M: 8.70%
• YTD: 26.12%
• 6M: 16.88%
• 1Y: 32.76%
• 3Y*: 19.80%
• 5Y*: 25.79%
• 10Y*: 31.92%

QLD

• 1D: 3.03%
• 1M: 0.58%
• YTD: 31.05%
• 6M: 26.63%
• 1Y: 69.67%
• 3Y*: 46.32%
• 5Y*: 23.57%
• 10Y*: 35.29%

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

CDNS vs. QLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CDNS Cadence Design Systems, Inc.	26.12%	4.03%	10.31%	69.55%	-13.80%	36.59%	96.70%	59.52%	3.97%	65.82%
QLD ProShares Ultra QQQ	31.05%	30.36%	42.82%	117.72%	-60.52%	54.67%	88.90%	81.69%	-8.31%	70.34%

Correlation

The correlation between CDNS and QLD is 0.63, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.63
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.72
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 21, 2006	0.68

The correlation between CDNS and QLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (1 year) to 0.75 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CDNS vs. QLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CDNS

CDNS Risk / Return Rank: 65
CDNS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
CDNS Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
CDNS Omega Ratio Rank: 64
CDNS Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
CDNS Martin Ratio Rank: 64

QLD

QLD Risk / Return Rank: 63
QLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
QLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
QLD Omega Ratio Rank: 62
QLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
QLD Martin Ratio Rank: 59

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CDNS vs. QLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) and ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD). 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.

	CDNS	QLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.85	2.10	-1.25
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.42	2.52	-1.10
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.34	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.14	2.79	-1.65
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.42	9.64	-7.22
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CDNS vs. QLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CDNS Sharpe Ratio is 0.85, which is lower than the QLD Sharpe Ratio of 2.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CDNS and QLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CDNS	QLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85	2.10	-1.25
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72	0.53	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94	0.79	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.24	0.58	-0.34

Drawdowns

CDNS vs. QLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CDNS drawdown since its inception was -93.13%, which is greater than QLD's maximum drawdown of -83.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CDNS and QLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	CDNS	QLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.13%	-83.13%	-10.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-28.85%	-25.13%	-3.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.05%	-42.29%	+13.24%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.59%	-63.68%	+34.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.12%	-63.68%	+31.56%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.32%	-8.24%	+2.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-39.64%	-18.16%	-21.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.60%	7.25%	+6.35%

Volatility

CDNS vs. QLD - Volatility Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) has a higher volatility of 16.58% compared to ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD) at 13.78%. This indicates that CDNS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CDNS	QLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	16.58%	13.78%	+2.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	31.69%	26.34%	+5.35%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	39.02%	33.42%	+5.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.20%	44.95%	-8.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	34.13%	44.68%	-10.55%

Dividends

CDNS vs. QLD - Dividend Comparison

CDNS has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.13%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CDNS Cadence Design Systems, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
QLD ProShares Ultra QQQ	0.13%	0.17%	0.25%	0.33%	0.31%	0.00%	0.00%	0.13%	0.06%	0.02%	0.21%	0.11%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CDNS and QLD in my portfolio?

CDNS and QLD have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CDNS or QLD?

CDNS has higher volatility (16.58%) compared to QLD (13.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CDNS dropped -93.13% vs QLD's -83.13%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.10 vs 0.85), 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.