LWLG vs. QQQ

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

LWLG (Lightwave Logic, Inc.) is a stock, while QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over the past 10 years, LWLG returned 26.97%/yr vs 20.86%/yr for QQQ. Their 0.21 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.

Performance

LWLG vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Lightwave Logic, Inc. (LWLG) 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, LWLG achieves a 145.37% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's 18.11% return. Over the past 10 years, LWLG has outperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 26.97%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively lower 20.86% annualized return.

LWLG

• 1D: 16.57%
• 1M: 7.94%
• 6M: 116.03%
• YTD: 145.37%
• 1Y: 282.21%
• 3Y*: 7.00%
• 5Y*: -0.67%
• 10Y*: 26.97%
• ALL TIME*: 13.51%

QQQ

• 1D: 3.40%
• 1M: 1.58%
• 6M: 17.69%
• YTD: 18.11%
• 1Y: 28.94%
• 3Y*: 25.56%
• 5Y*: 15.07%
• 10Y*: 20.86%
• ALL TIME*: 10.84%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
LWLG Lightwave Logic, Inc.	$21.97M	$21.47M	$59.59M
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	$33.34B	$28.86B	$31.95B

LWLG vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
LWLG Lightwave Logic, Inc.	145.37%	54.29%	-57.83%	15.55%	-71.03%	1,500.00%	32.86%	-1.41%	-37.72%	83.87%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	18.11%	20.77%	25.58%	54.86%	-32.58%	27.42%	48.62%	38.96%	-0.13%	32.66%

Correlation

The correlation between LWLG and QQQ is 0.46, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.46
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.41
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.48
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 13, 2007	0.21

Over the past year, LWLG and QQQ have become more correlated (0.46) than their long-term average of 0.21, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

LWLG vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

LWLG

LWLG Risk / Return Rank: 89
LWLG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
LWLG Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
LWLG Omega Ratio Rank: 86
LWLG Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
LWLG Martin Ratio Rank: 88

QQQ

QQQ Risk / Return Rank: 55
QQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
QQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
QQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 51
QQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
QQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 58

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

LWLG vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Lightwave Logic, Inc. (LWLG) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	LWLG	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.21	1.49	+0.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.83	2.07	+0.76
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.26	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.02	2.43	+1.59
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.70	7.72	+0.98

LWLG vs. QQQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LWLG Sharpe Ratio is 2.21, which is higher than the QQQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.49. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LWLG 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.

Drawdowns

LWLG vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LWLG drawdown since its inception was -95.76%, which is greater than QQQ's maximum drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LWLG and QQQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	LWLG	QQQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-95.76%	-82.97%	-12.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-70.66%	-11.96%	-58.70%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-88.04%	-22.77%	-65.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-95.76%	-35.12%	-60.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-95.76%	-35.12%	-60.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-59.36%	-2.88%	-56.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-43.30%	-32.61%	-10.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	32.61%	3.76%	+28.85%

Volatility

LWLG vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison

Lightwave Logic, Inc. (LWLG) has a higher volatility of 34.36% compared to Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) at 7.63%. This indicates that LWLG'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

	LWLG	QQQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	34.36%	7.63%	+26.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	100.27%	16.43%	+83.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	128.91%	19.61%	+109.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	100.21%	22.97%	+77.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	90.32%	22.54%	+67.78%

Dividends

LWLG vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison

LWLG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QQQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.42%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LWLG Lightwave Logic, 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	0.42%	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 LWLG and QQQ in my portfolio?

LWLG and QQQ have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LWLG or QQQ?

LWLG has higher volatility (34.36%) compared to QQQ (7.63%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LWLG dropped -95.76% vs QQQ's -82.97%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

LWLG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 1.49), 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.