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QTEC vs. HXQ.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC) and Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO).

QTEC and HXQ.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. QTEC is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index. It was launched on Apr 19, 2006. HXQ.TO is a passively managed fund by Horizons that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. It was launched on Apr 19, 2016. Both QTEC and HXQ.TO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC) and Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
QTEC
First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund		-4.83%22.28%7.32%67.02%-39.83%26.89%38.76%48.22%-4.62%37.78%
HXQ.TO
Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF		-4.89%20.56%25.24%54.61%-32.67%27.13%48.50%38.86%-1.58%31.62%
Different Trading Currencies

QTEC is traded in USD, while HXQ.TO is traded in CAD. To make them comparable, the HXQ.TO values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with QTEC having a -4.83% return and HXQ.TO slightly lower at -4.89%.

QTEC

1D
1.44%
1M
-2.41%
YTD
-4.83%
6M
-5.34%
1Y
25.47%
3Y*
18.89%
5Y*
8.19%
10Y*
18.13%

HXQ.TO

1D
1.09%
1M
-3.86%
YTD
-4.89%
6M
-3.14%
1Y
23.72%
3Y*
22.59%
5Y*
12.94%
10Y*
—
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund

Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF

Often compared with QTEC:
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Often compared with HXQ.TO:
HXQ.TO vs. QQC.TOHXQ.TO vs. XQQ.TOHXQ.TO vs. VFV.TOHXQ.TO vs. QQQHXQ.TO vs. HXS.TOHXQ.TO vs. ZNQ.TOHXQ.TO vs. QQQM

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

QTEC has a 0.57% expense ratio, which is higher than HXQ.TO's 0.25% expense ratio.

QTEC
First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund
HXQ.TO
Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF

Return for Risk

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
QTEC
QTEC Risk / Return Rank: 5151
Overall Rank
QTEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4545
Sharpe Ratio Rank
QTEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 5151
Sortino Ratio Rank
QTEC Omega Ratio Rank: 4949
Omega Ratio Rank
QTEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 6161
Calmar Ratio Rank
QTEC Martin Ratio Rank: 5050
Martin Ratio Rank
HXQ.TO
HXQ.TO Risk / Return Rank: 5151
Overall Rank
HXQ.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4747
Sharpe Ratio Rank
HXQ.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 4949
Sortino Ratio Rank
HXQ.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 5151
Omega Ratio Rank
HXQ.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 5959
Calmar Ratio Rank
HXQ.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 4747
Martin Ratio Rank
The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC) and Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO). 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.

QTECHXQ.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

0.87

1.05

-0.18

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

1.41

1.63

-0.22

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.19

1.23

-0.04

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

1.64

1.90

-0.27

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

5.03

7.05

-2.02

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QTEC Sharpe Ratio is 0.87, which is comparable to the HXQ.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QTEC and HXQ.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

QTECHXQ.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.87

1.05

-0.18

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.28

0.58

-0.29

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.66

—

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.52

0.84

-0.32

Correlation

The correlation between QTEC and HXQ.TO is 0.81, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Dividend Comparison

Neither QTEC nor HXQ.TO has paid dividends to shareholders.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
QTEC
First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund		0.00%0.00%0.02%0.14%0.15%0.02%0.44%0.68%0.91%0.80%1.29%0.99%
HXQ.TO
Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF		0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%

Drawdowns

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QTEC drawdown since its inception was -58.86%, which is greater than HXQ.TO's maximum drawdown of -35.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QTEC and HXQ.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

QTECHXQ.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-58.86%

-31.60%

-27.26%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-16.03%

-12.97%

-3.06%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-45.54%

-31.60%

-13.94%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-45.54%

—

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-11.14%

-8.56%

-2.58%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-9.96%

-5.82%

-4.14%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

5.22%

4.36%

+0.86%

Volatility

QTEC vs. HXQ.TO - Volatility Comparison

First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC) has a higher volatility of 8.48% compared to Horizons NASDAQ-100 Index ETF (HXQ.TO) at 6.68%. This indicates that QTEC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HXQ.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

QTECHXQ.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

8.48%

6.68%

+1.80%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

18.22%

12.91%

+5.31%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

29.51%

22.77%

+6.74%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

29.04%

22.54%

+6.50%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

27.35%

22.48%

+4.87%