LGOV vs. QQQ
LGOV (First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF) and QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LGOV is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund actively managed by First Trust, while QQQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. LGOV is actively managed, while QQQ is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LGOV returned -1.74%/yr vs 17.97%/yr for QQQ. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LGOV charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for QQQ.
Performance
LGOV vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LGOV achieves a -0.60% return, which is significantly lower than QQQ's 21.30% return.
LGOV
- 1D
- -0.58%
- 1M
- 0.01%
- YTD
- -0.60%
- 6M
- -1.29%
- 1Y
- 5.85%
- 3Y*
- 2.47%
- 5Y*
- -1.74%
- 10Y*
- —
QQQ
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- 10.60%
- YTD
- 21.30%
- 6M
- 19.66%
- 1Y
- 41.82%
- 3Y*
- 28.78%
- 5Y*
- 17.97%
- 10Y*
- 21.94%
LGOV vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LGOV First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF | -0.60% | 9.13% | -2.05% | 4.91% | -19.73% | -1.93% | 11.31% | 11.53% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 21.30% | 20.77% | 25.58% | 54.86% | -32.58% | 27.42% | 48.62% | 32.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between LGOV and QQQ is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 24, 2019 | 0.02 |
The correlation between LGOV and QQQ shifts across timeframes, from 0.02 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
LGOV vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank
LGOV
QQQ
LGOV vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF (LGOV) 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.
| LGOV | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.84 | 2.64 | -1.80 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.24 | 3.45 | -2.20 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.45 | -0.31 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.05 | 3.51 | -2.47 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.08 | 13.49 | -10.41 |
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
| LGOV | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 | 2.64 | -1.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.19 | 0.81 | -1.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.99 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.13 | 0.41 | -0.28 |
Drawdowns
LGOV vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LGOV drawdown since its inception was -30.86%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LGOV and QQQ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LGOV | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.86% | -82.97% | +52.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.62% | -11.96% | +6.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.54% | -22.77% | +10.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.14% | -35.12% | +6.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.12% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.30% | -0.26% | -15.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.08% | -32.79% | +19.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.90% | 3.11% | -1.21% |
Volatility
LGOV vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF (LGOV) is 2.71%, while Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) has a volatility of 4.49%. This indicates that LGOV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LGOV | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.71% | 4.49% | -1.78% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.15% | 12.10% | -6.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.01% | 15.94% | -8.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.07% | 22.38% | -13.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 9.24% | 22.29% | -13.05% |
LGOV vs. QQQ - Expense Ratio Comparison
LGOV has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQ's 0.18% expense ratio.
Dividends
LGOV vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison
LGOV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.27%, more than QQQ's 0.38% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LGOV First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF | 4.27% | 4.02% | 4.03% | 3.59% | 1.97% | 2.58% | 3.75% | 3.01% | 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
LGOV and QQQ have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
QQQ has higher volatility (4.49%) compared to LGOV (2.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LGOV dropped -30.86% vs QQQ's -82.97%.
On 5-year performance, QQQ leads with 17.97% vs -1.74% for LGOV. On fees, QQQ is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, LGOV has been the lower-risk option at 2.71%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, QQQ has performed better with a 17.97% return vs -1.74%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
QQQ is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for LGOV.
LGOV has the higher dividend yield at 4.27%, compared with 0.38% for QQQ.
LGOV is categorized as Mortgage Backed Securities, while QQQ is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for LGOV and 0.18% for QQQ.
QQQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.64 vs 0.84), 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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