KEYS vs. QQQ

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

KEYS (Keysight Technologies, Inc.) is a stock, while QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over the past 10 years, KEYS returned 27.13%/yr vs 21.97%/yr for QQQ. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

KEYS vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Keysight Technologies, Inc. (KEYS) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KEYS achieves a 70.56% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's 21.62% return. Over the past 10 years, KEYS has outperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 27.13%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively lower 21.97% annualized return.

KEYS

• 1D: 5.02%
• 1M: -1.66%
• YTD: 70.56%
• 6M: 72.08%
• 1Y: 118.85%
• 3Y*: 28.52%
• 5Y*: 19.03%
• 10Y*: 27.13%

QQQ

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 10.68%
• YTD: 21.62%
• 6M: 20.27%
• 1Y: 43.30%
• 3Y*: 28.89%
• 5Y*: 18.43%
• 10Y*: 21.97%

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

KEYS vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
KEYS Keysight Technologies, Inc.	70.56%	26.50%	0.97%	-7.00%	-17.16%	56.34%	28.71%	65.32%	49.23%	13.75%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	21.62%	20.77%	25.58%	54.86%	-32.58%	27.42%	48.62%	38.96%	-0.13%	32.66%

Correlation

The correlation between KEYS and QQQ is 0.58, 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	0.58
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 4, 2014	0.63

The correlation between KEYS and QQQ shifts across timeframes, from 0.58 (1 year) to 0.71 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

KEYS vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

KEYS

KEYS Risk / Return Rank: 96
KEYS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
KEYS Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
KEYS Omega Ratio Rank: 95
KEYS Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
KEYS Martin Ratio Rank: 97

QQQ

QQQ Risk / Return Rank: 77
QQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
QQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
QQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 77
QQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
QQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 74

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.

KEYS vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Keysight Technologies, Inc. (KEYS) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). 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.

	KEYS	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.09	2.73	+0.36
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.27	3.55	+0.73
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.47	+0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	8.62	3.71	+4.91
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	28.39	14.30	+14.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

KEYS vs. QQQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KEYS Sharpe Ratio is 3.09, which is comparable to the QQQ Sharpe Ratio of 2.73. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KEYS and QQQ, 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

	KEYS	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.09	2.73	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.58	0.83	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.85	0.99	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.73	0.41	+0.32

Drawdowns

KEYS vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KEYS drawdown since its inception was -45.54%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KEYS and QQQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	KEYS	QQQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-45.54%	-82.97%	+37.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.00%	-11.96%	-2.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-31.38%	-22.77%	-8.61%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-42.62%	-35.12%	-7.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.62%	-35.12%	-7.50%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.48%	0.00%	-5.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.98%	-32.79%	+18.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.25%	3.11%	+1.14%

Volatility

KEYS vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (KEYS) has a higher volatility of 10.49% compared to Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) at 4.48%. This indicates that KEYS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KEYS	QQQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.49%	4.48%	+6.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	30.95%	12.11%	+18.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	38.66%	15.95%	+22.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	32.72%	22.39%	+10.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	32.15%	22.30%	+9.85%

Dividends

KEYS vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison

KEYS has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
KEYS Keysight Technologies, 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%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	0.38%	0.45%	0.56%	0.62%	0.80%	0.43%	0.55%	0.74%	0.91%	0.84%	1.06%	0.99%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KEYS and QQQ in my portfolio?

KEYS and QQQ have a correlation of 0.58, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KEYS or QQQ?

KEYS has higher volatility (10.49%) compared to QQQ (4.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KEYS dropped -45.54% vs QQQ's -82.97%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KEYS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.09 vs 2.73), 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.