RGLD vs. SQQQ

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

RGLD (Royal Gold, Inc.) is a stock, while SQQQ (ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index (-300%). Over the past 10 years, RGLD returned 13.42%/yr vs -55.68%/yr for SQQQ. At a correlation of -0.19, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) and ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RGLD achieves a -7.10% return, which is significantly higher than SQQQ's -39.28% return. Over the past 10 years, RGLD has outperformed SQQQ with an annualized return of 13.42%, while SQQQ has yielded a comparatively lower -55.68% annualized return.

RGLD

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: -13.90%
• YTD: -7.10%
• 6M: 4.13%
• 1Y: 17.94%
• 3Y*: 21.33%
• 5Y*: 12.39%
• 10Y*: 13.42%

SQQQ

• 1D: -4.47%
• 1M: -3.08%
• YTD: -39.28%
• 6M: -36.43%
• 1Y: -60.85%
• 3Y*: -54.68%
• 5Y*: -47.98%
• 10Y*: -55.68%

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

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RGLD Royal Gold, Inc.	-7.10%	70.43%	10.39%	8.70%	8.51%	0.04%	-12.13%	44.27%	5.53%	31.32%
SQQQ ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ	-39.28%	-53.05%	-49.79%	-73.61%	82.40%	-60.87%	-86.40%	-65.92%	-20.83%	-58.67%

Correlation

The correlation between RGLD and SQQQ is -0.30, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.30
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.22
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.19
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2010	-0.19

The correlation between RGLD and SQQQ shifts across timeframes, from -0.30 (1 year) to -0.19 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RGLD vs. SQQQ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

RGLD

RGLD Risk / Return Rank: 55
RGLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
RGLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
RGLD Omega Ratio Rank: 52
RGLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
RGLD Martin Ratio Rank: 57

SQQQ

SQQQ Risk / Return Rank: 0
SQQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 0
SQQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 0
SQQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 0
SQQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 1
SQQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 0

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.

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) and ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ). 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.

	RGLD	SQQQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.46	-1.22	+1.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.85	-2.26	+3.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	0.76	+0.35
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.56	-0.93	+1.49
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.42	-1.69	+3.11
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RGLD Sharpe Ratio is 0.46, which is higher than the SQQQ Sharpe Ratio of -1.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RGLD and SQQQ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	RGLD	SQQQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46	-1.22	+1.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	-0.72	+1.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	-0.84	+1.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.18	-0.87	+1.05

Drawdowns

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RGLD drawdown since its inception was -98.29%, roughly equal to the maximum SQQQ drawdown of -100.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RGLD and SQQQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	RGLD	SQQQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-98.29%	-100.00%	+1.71%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.28%	-65.71%	+33.43%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-32.28%	-92.38%	+60.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.73%	-97.23%	+56.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-49.55%	-99.98%	+50.43%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-32.28%	-100.00%	+67.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-29.82%	-92.40%	+62.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.67%	35.98%	-23.31%

Volatility

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) is 11.83%, while ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) has a volatility of 19.65%. This indicates that RGLD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SQQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RGLD	SQQQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.83%	19.65%	-7.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	32.02%	39.23%	-7.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	39.07%	50.16%	-11.09%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.54%	66.95%	-35.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	33.63%	66.30%	-32.67%

Dividends

RGLD vs. SQQQ - Dividend Comparison

RGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.90%, less than SQQQ's 11.25% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RGLD Royal Gold, Inc.	0.90%	0.81%	1.21%	1.24%	1.24%	1.14%	1.05%	0.87%	1.17%	1.17%	1.45%	1.81%
SQQQ ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ	11.25%	9.36%	10.23%	8.01%	0.28%	0.00%	2.15%	2.92%	1.47%	0.14%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RGLD and SQQQ in my portfolio?

RGLD and SQQQ have a correlation of -0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RGLD or SQQQ?

SQQQ has higher volatility (19.65%) compared to RGLD (11.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RGLD dropped -98.29% vs SQQQ's -100.00%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RGLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.46 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.