ITA vs. QQQY
ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) and QQQY (Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while QQQY is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by Defiance. ITA is passively managed, while QQQY is actively managed. Over the past year, ITA returned 25.56% vs 30.60% for QQQY. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ITA charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.99%/yr for QQQY.
Performance
ITA vs. QQQY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ITA achieves a 5.92% return, which is significantly lower than QQQY's 14.65% return.
ITA
- 1D
- -0.95%
- 1M
- 1.69%
- YTD
- 5.92%
- 6M
- 11.28%
- 1Y
- 25.56%
- 3Y*
- 26.35%
- 5Y*
- 16.26%
- 10Y*
- 14.86%
QQQY
- 1D
- 1.28%
- 1M
- -0.02%
- YTD
- 14.65%
- 6M
- 14.20%
- 1Y
- 30.60%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ITA vs. QQQY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 5.92% | 48.64% | 15.81% | 16.27% |
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF | 14.65% | 14.96% | 7.70% | 7.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between ITA and QQQY is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 14, 2023 | 0.44 |
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Return for Risk
ITA vs. QQQY — Risk / Return Rank
ITA
QQQY
ITA vs. QQQY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY). 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.
| ITA | QQQY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.90 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.40 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.62 | 2.76 | -1.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.35 | 11.59 | -7.24 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ITA | QQQY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.22 | 2.12 | -0.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 1.11 | -0.61 |
Drawdowns
ITA vs. QQQY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ITA drawdown since its inception was -59.72%, which is greater than QQQY's maximum drawdown of -19.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITA and QQQY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ITA | QQQY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.72% | -19.05% | -40.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.82% | -11.14% | -4.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.82% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.72% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.25% | -4.06% | -5.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.46% | -2.91% | -6.55% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.89% | 2.65% | +3.24% |
Volatility
ITA vs. QQQY - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a higher volatility of 7.09% compared to Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY) at 6.53%. This indicates that ITA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ITA | QQQY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.09% | 6.53% | +0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.68% | 12.41% | +5.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.12% | 14.55% | +6.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.07% | 15.03% | +5.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.17% | 15.03% | +8.14% |
ITA vs. QQQY - Expense Ratio Comparison
ITA has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is lower than QQQY's 0.99% expense ratio.
Dividends
ITA vs. QQQY - Dividend Comparison
ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.47%, less than QQQY's 35.66% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.47% | 0.55% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.82% | 1.07% | 1.54% | 1.13% | 0.91% | 1.07% | 1.04% |
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF | 35.66% | 45.34% | 83.34% | 20.64% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ITA and QQQY have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ITA has higher volatility (7.09%) compared to QQQY (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITA dropped -59.72% vs QQQY's -19.05%.
On 1-year performance, QQQY leads with 30.60% vs 25.56% for ITA. On fees, ITA is cheaper at 0.38% per year. On volatility, QQQY has been the lower-risk option at 6.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, QQQY has performed better with a 30.60% return vs 25.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ITA is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for QQQY.
QQQY has the higher dividend yield at 35.66%, compared with 0.47% for ITA.
ITA is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while QQQY is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for ITA and 0.99% for QQQY.
QQQY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 1.22), 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.
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