SOXY vs. QQQ

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SOXY (YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF) and QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SOXY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by YieldMax, while QQQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. SOXY is actively managed, while QQQ is passively managed. Over the past year, SOXY returned 154.02% vs 41.82% for QQQ. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SOXY charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for QQQ.

Performance

SOXY vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF (SOXY) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SOXY achieves a 89.69% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's 21.30% return.

SOXY

• 1D: 0.87%
• 1M: 31.46%
• YTD: 89.69%
• 6M: 88.39%
• 1Y: 154.02%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

QQQ

• 1D: -0.26%
• 1M: 10.60%
• YTD: 21.30%
• 6M: 19.66%
• 1Y: 41.82%
• 3Y*: 28.78%
• 5Y*: 17.97%
• 10Y*: 21.94%

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

SOXY vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
SOXY YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF	89.69%	37.00%	-1.18%
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	21.30%	20.77%	-0.93%

Correlation

The correlation between SOXY and QQQ is 0.82, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2024	0.85

The correlation between SOXY and QQQ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.

SOXY vs. QQQ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SOXY	QQQ
Technology	100.0%	53.8%
Consumer Defensive	0.0%	7.7%
Financial Services	0.0%	0.2%
Industrials	0.0%	2.8%
Basic Materials	-	1.1%
Communication Services	-	15.8%
Consumer Cyclical	-	12.3%
Energy	-	0.6%
Healthcare	-	4.2%
Real Estate	-	0.1%
Utilities	-	1.4%

Return for Risk

SOXY vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

SOXY

SOXY Risk / Return Rank: 96
SOXY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
SOXY Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
SOXY Omega Ratio Rank: 95
SOXY Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
SOXY Martin Ratio Rank: 97

QQQ

QQQ Risk / Return Rank: 73
QQQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
QQQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
QQQ Omega Ratio Rank: 74
QQQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
QQQ Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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.

SOXY vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF (SOXY) 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.

	SOXY	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	5.32	2.64	+2.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.53	3.45	+2.09
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.75	1.45	+0.30
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	11.33	3.51	+7.82
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	42.65	13.49	+29.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SOXY vs. QQQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SOXY Sharpe Ratio is 5.32, which is higher than the QQQ Sharpe Ratio of 2.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SOXY and QQQ, 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

	SOXY	QQQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.32	2.64	+2.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.81	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.99	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.57	0.41	+2.16

Drawdowns

SOXY vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SOXY drawdown since its inception was -30.22%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SOXY and QQQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	SOXY	QQQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.22%	-82.97%	+52.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.68%	-11.96%	-1.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-22.77%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-35.12%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.12%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.26%	+0.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.94%	-32.79%	+27.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.63%	3.11%	+0.52%

Volatility

SOXY vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison

YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF (SOXY) has a higher volatility of 12.85% compared to Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) at 4.49%. This indicates that SOXY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SOXY	QQQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.85%	4.49%	+8.36%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	24.06%	12.10%	+11.96%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	29.20%	15.94%	+13.26%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	34.56%	22.38%	+12.18%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	34.56%	22.29%	+12.27%

SOXY vs. QQQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

SOXY has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQ's 0.18% expense ratio.

Dividends

SOXY vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison

SOXY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.74%, more than QQQ's 0.38% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF	0.38%	0.45%	0.56%	0.62%	0.80%	0.43%	0.55%	0.74%	0.91%	0.84%	1.06%	0.99%
SOXY YieldMax Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF	7.74%	11.47%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SOXY and QQQ in my portfolio?

SOXY and QQQ have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SOXY or QQQ?

SOXY has higher volatility (12.85%) compared to QQQ (4.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SOXY dropped -30.22% vs QQQ's -82.97%.

Which ETF is better, SOXY or QQQ?

On 1-year performance, SOXY leads with 154.02% vs 41.82% for QQQ. On fees, QQQ is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, QQQ has been the lower-risk option at 4.49%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SOXY or QQQ?

Over the 1-year period, SOXY has performed better with a 154.02% return vs 41.82%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SOXY or QQQ?

QQQ is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for SOXY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SOXY or QQQ?

SOXY has the higher dividend yield at 7.74%, compared with 0.38% for QQQ.

What is the main difference between SOXY and QQQ?

SOXY is categorized as Derivative Income, while QQQ is Nasdaq-100. They also come from different issuers: YieldMax and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for SOXY and 0.18% for QQQ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SOXY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.32 vs 2.64), 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.