QQQY vs. ITA
QQQY (Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF) and ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - QQQY is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by Defiance, while ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. QQQY is actively managed, while ITA is passively managed. Over the past year, QQQY returned 30.60% vs 25.56% for ITA. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. QQQY charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITA.
Performance
QQQY vs. ITA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, QQQY achieves a 14.65% return, which is significantly higher than ITA's 5.92% return.
QQQY
- 1D
- 1.28%
- 1M
- -0.02%
- YTD
- 14.65%
- 6M
- 14.20%
- 1Y
- 30.60%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ITA
- 1D
- -0.95%
- 1M
- 1.69%
- YTD
- 5.92%
- 6M
- 11.28%
- 1Y
- 25.56%
- 3Y*
- 26.35%
- 5Y*
- 16.26%
- 10Y*
- 14.86%
QQQY vs. ITA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF | 14.65% | 14.96% | 7.70% | 7.19% |
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 5.92% | 48.64% | 15.81% | 16.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between QQQY and ITA is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 14, 2023 | 0.44 |
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Return for Risk
QQQY vs. ITA — Risk / Return Rank
QQQY
ITA
QQQY vs. ITA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). 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.
| QQQY | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.90 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.21 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.76 | 1.62 | +1.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.59 | 4.35 | +7.24 |
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
| QQQY | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.12 | 1.22 | +0.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.81 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.64 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.11 | 0.51 | +0.61 |
Drawdowns
QQQY vs. ITA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum QQQY drawdown since its inception was -19.05%, smaller than the maximum ITA drawdown of -59.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QQQY and ITA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| QQQY | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.05% | -59.72% | +40.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.14% | -15.82% | +4.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -15.82% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -18.72% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -51.00% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.06% | -9.25% | +5.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.91% | -9.46% | +6.55% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.65% | 5.89% | -3.24% |
Volatility
QQQY vs. ITA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF (QQQY) is 6.53%, while iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a volatility of 7.09%. This indicates that QQQY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| QQQY | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.53% | 7.09% | -0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.41% | 17.68% | -5.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.55% | 21.12% | -6.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.03% | 20.07% | -5.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.03% | 23.17% | -8.14% |
QQQY vs. ITA - Expense Ratio Comparison
QQQY has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than ITA's 0.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
QQQY vs. ITA - Dividend Comparison
QQQY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 35.66%, more than ITA's 0.47% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.47% | 0.55% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.82% | 1.07% | 1.54% | 1.13% | 0.91% | 1.07% | 1.04% |
QQQY Defiance Nasdaq 100 Enhanced Options Income ETF | 35.66% | 45.34% | 83.34% | 20.64% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
QQQY and ITA have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ITA has higher volatility (7.09%) compared to QQQY (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QQQY dropped -19.05% vs ITA's -59.72%.
On 1-year performance, QQQY leads with 30.60% vs 25.56% for ITA. On fees, ITA is cheaper at 0.38% per year. On volatility, QQQY has been the lower-risk option at 6.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, QQQY has performed better with a 30.60% return vs 25.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ITA is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for QQQY.
QQQY has the higher dividend yield at 35.66%, compared with 0.47% for ITA.
QQQY is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while ITA is Aerospace & Defense. They also come from different issuers: Defiance and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for QQQY and 0.38% for ITA.
QQQY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 1.22), 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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