PCN vs. QQQ
Compare and contrast key facts about PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund (PCN) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ).
PCN is managed by PIMCO. It was launched on Dec 20, 2001. QQQ is a passively managed fund by Invesco that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. It was launched on Mar 10, 1999.
Performance
PCN vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison
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PCN vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCN PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund | -4.21% | 5.55% | 19.52% | 16.22% | -22.88% | 6.93% | -2.19% | 39.10% | -5.94% | 26.20% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | -5.93% | 20.77% | 25.58% | 54.86% | -32.58% | 27.42% | 48.62% | 38.96% | -0.13% | 32.66% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PCN achieves a -4.21% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's -5.93% return. Over the past 10 years, PCN has underperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 8.27%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively higher 18.85% annualized return.
PCN
- 1D
- 3.48%
- 1M
- -4.53%
- YTD
- -4.21%
- 6M
- -6.22%
- 1Y
- -3.05%
- 3Y*
- 8.96%
- 5Y*
- 2.37%
- 10Y*
- 8.27%
QQQ
- 1D
- 3.39%
- 1M
- -4.84%
- YTD
- -5.93%
- 6M
- -3.62%
- 1Y
- 23.68%
- 3Y*
- 22.32%
- 5Y*
- 12.88%
- 10Y*
- 18.85%
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PCN vs. QQQ - Expense Ratio Comparison
PCN has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQ's 0.18% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
PCN vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank
PCN
QQQ
PCN vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund (PCN) 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.
| PCN | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | 1.05 | -1.24 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.15 | 1.63 | -1.78 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.97 | 1.23 | -0.26 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.20 | 1.88 | -2.08 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.66 | 6.95 | -7.61 |
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
| PCN | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.20 | 1.05 | -1.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 | 0.58 | -0.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 | 0.85 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 0.37 | +0.01 |
Correlation
The correlation between PCN and QQQ is 0.24, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
PCN vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison
PCN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.34%, more than QQQ's 0.49% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCN PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund | 11.34% | 10.58% | 10.06% | 10.88% | 12.66% | 7.89% | 7.83% | 7.37% | 9.60% | 7.85% | 11.98% | 10.22% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 0.49% | 0.45% | 0.56% | 0.62% | 0.80% | 0.43% | 0.55% | 0.74% | 0.91% | 0.84% | 1.06% | 0.99% |
Drawdowns
PCN vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCN drawdown since its inception was -61.12%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCN and QQQ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PCN | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.12% | -82.97% | +21.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.78% | -12.62% | -1.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.39% | -35.12% | +1.73% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -50.27% | -35.12% | -15.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.71% | -8.98% | +2.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.22% | -32.99% | +25.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.32% | 3.41% | +0.91% |
Volatility
PCN vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund (PCN) is 5.81%, while Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) has a volatility of 6.51%. This indicates that PCN 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
| PCN | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.81% | 6.51% | -0.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.64% | 12.77% | -4.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.69% | 22.67% | -6.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.55% | 22.39% | -5.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.97% | 22.25% | -0.28% |