If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market, look no further than the First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted ETF (QQEW), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 04/19/2006.
The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $1.70 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Growth
Companies that fall in the large cap category tend to have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.
Qualities of growth stocks include faster growth rates compared to the broader market, as well as higher valuations and higher than average sales and earnings growth rates. Something to keep in mind is the higher level of volatility that is affiliated with growth stocks. Compared to value stocks, growth stocks are a safer bet in a strong bull market, but don't perform as strongly in almost all other financial environments.
Costs
When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.57%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.56%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector--about 38.20% of the portfolio. Consumer Discretionary and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) accounts for about 1.25% of total assets, followed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX).
The top 10 holdings account for about 11.95% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
QQEW seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index before fees and expenses. The NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index is the equal-weighted version of the NASDAQ-100 Index which includes 100 of the largest non-financial securities listed on NASDAQ based on market capitalization.
The ETF has lost about -7.68% so far this year and is down about -5.01% in the last one year (as of 04/14/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $106.81 and $136.11.
The ETF has a beta of 1.07 and standard deviation of 21.99% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 102 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, QQEW is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Growth area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) track a similar index. While Vanguard Growth ETF has $140.56 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $284.23 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and QQQ charges 0.20%.
Bottom-Line
While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted ETF (QQEW): ETF Research Reports Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Free Stock Analysis Report Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD): Free Stock Analysis Report Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX): Free Stock Analysis Report Invesco QQQ (QQQ): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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