QCOM vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

QCOM (QUALCOMM Incorporated) is a stock, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, QCOM returned 12.34%/yr vs 15.07%/yr for SPY. Their 0.54 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.

Performance

QCOM vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, QCOM achieves a -12.83% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.13% return. Over the past 10 years, QCOM has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 12.34%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.07% annualized return.

QCOM

• 1D: -2.63%
• 1M: -16.25%
• 6M: -1.64%
• YTD: -12.83%
• 1Y: 1.71%
• 3Y*: 6.05%
• 5Y*: 1.88%
• 10Y*: 12.34%
• ALL TIME*: 19.37%

SPY

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: 0.30%
• 6M: 8.53%
• YTD: 10.13%
• 1Y: 21.49%
• 3Y*: 19.32%
• 5Y*: 12.76%
• 10Y*: 15.07%
• ALL TIME*: 10.79%

*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)
QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated	$2.23B	$2.34B	$4.42B
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$37.27B	$35.99B	$39.23B

QCOM vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated	-12.83%	13.84%	8.31%	35.07%	-38.58%	22.25%	77.08%	60.76%	-7.59%	2.05%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.13%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between QCOM and SPY is 0.53, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.53
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.62
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.68
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 29, 1993	0.54

The correlation between QCOM and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.53 (1 year) to 0.68 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

QCOM vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

QCOM

QCOM Risk / Return Rank: 46
QCOM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
QCOM Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
QCOM Omega Ratio Rank: 45
QCOM Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
QCOM Martin Ratio Rank: 47

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 67
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 65
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

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.

QCOM vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.

	QCOM	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.05	1.52	-1.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.46	2.11	-1.65
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.27	-0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.07	2.20	-2.14
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.15	9.40	-9.25

QCOM vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QCOM Sharpe Ratio is 0.05, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QCOM and SPY, 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

QCOM vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QCOM drawdown since its inception was -86.75%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QCOM and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	QCOM	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-86.75%	-55.19%	-31.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-40.98%	-8.88%	-32.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-44.23%	-18.76%	-25.47%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-44.29%	-24.50%	-19.79%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.29%	-33.72%	-10.57%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-40.98%	-1.40%	-39.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-32.85%	-9.01%	-23.84%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	17.76%	2.08%	+15.68%

Volatility

QCOM vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) has a higher volatility of 12.41% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 3.58%. This indicates that QCOM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QCOM	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.41%	3.58%	+8.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	45.70%	10.14%	+35.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	51.93%	12.89%	+39.04%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	41.93%	17.18%	+24.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	39.61%	17.95%	+21.66%

Dividends

QCOM vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

QCOM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.43%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated	2.43%	2.06%	2.18%	2.18%	2.67%	1.47%	1.69%	2.81%	4.27%	3.50%	3.17%	3.72%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.01%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QCOM and SPY in my portfolio?

QCOM and SPY have a correlation of 0.53, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QCOM or SPY?

QCOM has higher volatility (12.41%) compared to SPY (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QCOM dropped -86.75% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 0.05), 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.