COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

COW.TO (iShares Global Agriculture Index ETF) and QQQQ.TO (Mackenzie NASDAQ 100 Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - COW.TO is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Manulife Investment Management Global Agriculture Index, while QQQQ.TO is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Both are passively managed. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. COW.TO charges 0.72%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for QQQQ.TO.

Performance

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares Global Agriculture Index ETF (COW.TO) and Mackenzie NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (QQQQ.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, COW.TO achieves a 15.84% return, which is significantly lower than QQQQ.TO's 21.51% return.

COW.TO

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -2.01%
• YTD: 15.84%
• 6M: 13.53%
• 1Y: 9.79%
• 3Y*: 8.62%
• 5Y*: 4.24%
• 10Y*: 8.59%

QQQQ.TO

• 1D: 0.62%
• 1M: 13.62%
• YTD: 21.51%
• 6M: 18.69%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
COW.TO iShares Global Agriculture Index ETF	15.84%	-9.81%
QQQQ.TO Mackenzie NASDAQ 100 Index ETF	21.51%	7.64%

Correlation

The correlation between COW.TO and QQQQ.TO is 0.01, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 25, 2025	0.01

Return for Risk

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

COW.TO

COW.TO Risk / Return Rank: 19
COW.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
COW.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
COW.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 18
COW.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
COW.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 18

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.

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Global Agriculture Index ETF (COW.TO) and Mackenzie NASDAQ 100 Index ETF (QQQQ.TO). 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.

	COW.TO	QQQQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.63	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.03	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.94	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.94	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	COW.TO	QQQQ.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.63	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.23	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	2.87	-2.51

Drawdowns

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum COW.TO drawdown since its inception was -55.00%, which is greater than QQQQ.TO's maximum drawdown of -11.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COW.TO and QQQQ.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	COW.TO	QQQQ.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.00%	-11.95%	-43.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.51%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.51%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.82%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.62%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.17%	0.00%	-7.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.94%	-3.38%	-10.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.06%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	COW.TO	QQQQ.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.85%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.44%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.68%	17.07%	-1.39%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.87%	17.07%	+1.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.30%	17.07%	+2.23%

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

COW.TO has a 0.72% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQQ.TO's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

COW.TO vs. QQQQ.TO - Dividend Comparison

COW.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.07%, more than QQQQ.TO's 0.09% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
COW.TO iShares Global Agriculture Index ETF	2.07%	2.40%	1.43%	1.62%	2.03%	0.69%	1.02%	1.02%	1.07%	0.58%	1.10%	1.78%
QQQQ.TO Mackenzie NASDAQ 100 Index ETF	0.09%	0.11%	0.00%	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 COW.TO and QQQQ.TO in my portfolio?

COW.TO and QQQQ.TO have a correlation of 0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, COW.TO or QQQQ.TO?

On fees, QQQQ.TO is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, COW.TO or QQQQ.TO?

QQQQ.TO is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.72% for COW.TO.

What is the main difference between COW.TO and QQQQ.TO?

COW.TO is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while QQQQ.TO is Nasdaq-100. COW.TO tracks Manulife Investment Management Global Agriculture Index, while QQQQ.TO tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Mackenzie. Their fees differ too: 0.72% for COW.TO and 0.25% for QQQQ.TO.