FDN vs. QTEC

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN) and First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC).

FDN and QTEC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FDN is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones Internet Index. It was launched on Jun 23, 2006. QTEC is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index. It was launched on Apr 19, 2006. Both FDN and QTEC are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

FDN vs. QTEC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN) and First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

FDN vs. QTEC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FDN First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index	-13.06%	10.70%	30.35%	51.48%	-45.54%	6.55%	52.55%	19.25%	6.17%	37.64%
QTEC First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund	-6.18%	22.28%	7.32%	67.02%	-39.83%	26.89%	38.76%	48.22%	-4.62%	37.78%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDN achieves a -13.06% return, which is significantly lower than QTEC's -6.18% return. Over the past 10 years, FDN has underperformed QTEC with an annualized return of 13.03%, while QTEC has yielded a comparatively higher 17.96% annualized return.

FDN

• 1D: 3.51%
• 1M: -3.87%
• YTD: -13.06%
• 6M: -16.37%
• 1Y: 5.35%
• 3Y*: 16.54%
• 5Y*: 0.92%
• 10Y*: 13.03%

QTEC

• 1D: 4.32%
• 1M: -3.99%
• YTD: -6.18%
• 6M: -5.94%
• 1Y: 24.44%
• 3Y*: 18.33%
• 5Y*: 7.88%
• 10Y*: 17.96%

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

FDN vs. QTEC - Expense Ratio Comparison

FDN has a 0.52% expense ratio, which is lower than QTEC's 0.57% expense ratio.

QTEC

First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund

FDN

First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index

Return for Risk

FDN vs. QTEC — Risk / Return Rank

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

FDN

FDN Risk / Return Rank: 18
FDN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
FDN Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
FDN Omega Ratio Rank: 20
FDN Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
FDN Martin Ratio Rank: 17

QTEC

QTEC Risk / Return Rank: 54
QTEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
QTEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
QTEC Omega Ratio Rank: 52
QTEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
QTEC Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

FDN vs. QTEC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN) and First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC). 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.

	FDN	QTEC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.22	0.83	-0.61
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.49	1.37	-0.88
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.19	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.22	1.48	-1.26
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.63	4.60	-3.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FDN vs. QTEC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDN Sharpe Ratio is 0.22, which is lower than the QTEC Sharpe Ratio of 0.83. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDN and QTEC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FDN	QTEC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22	0.83	-0.61
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.03	0.27	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51	0.66	-0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.51	0.00

Correlation

The correlation between FDN and QTEC is 0.83, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

FDN vs. QTEC - Dividend Comparison

Neither FDN nor QTEC has paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FDN First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
QTEC First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund	0.00%	0.00%	0.02%	0.14%	0.15%	0.02%	0.44%	0.68%	0.91%	0.80%	1.29%	0.99%

Drawdowns

FDN vs. QTEC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDN drawdown since its inception was -61.55%, roughly equal to the maximum QTEC drawdown of -58.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDN and QTEC.

Drawdown Indicators

	FDN	QTEC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.55%	-58.86%	-2.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-21.31%	-16.03%	-5.28%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-53.97%	-45.54%	-8.43%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-53.97%	-45.54%	-8.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-18.55%	-12.40%	-6.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.85%	-9.96%	-1.89%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.58%	5.17%	+2.41%

Volatility

FDN vs. QTEC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN) is 7.28%, while First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC) has a volatility of 8.53%. This indicates that FDN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QTEC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FDN	QTEC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.28%	8.53%	-1.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.94%	18.16%	-3.22%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.25%	29.48%	-5.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.31%	29.06%	-1.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.56%	27.35%	-1.79%