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Should Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index ETF (QQQE) Be on Your Investing Radar?
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Launched on March 21, 2012, the Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index ETF (QQQE - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Direxion. It has amassed assets over $1.38 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Growth
Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.
Growth stocks have higher than average sales and earnings growth rates. While these are expected to grow faster than the broader market, they also have higher valuations. Further, growth stocks have a higher level of volatility associated with them. When you consider growth versus value, growth stocks are usually the clear winner in strong bull markets but tend to fall flat in nearly all other environments.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.35%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.52%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector -- about 49.7% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Intel Corp (INTC) accounts for about 1.3% of total assets, followed by Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) and Monolithic Power Systems Inc (MPWR).
The top 10 holdings account for about 11.56% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
QQQE seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index before fees and expenses. The NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index consists of companies in the NASDAQ-100 Index but each of the securities is initially set at a weight of 1.00% of the Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index includes 100 of the largest non-financial securities listed on NASDAQ based on capitalization.
The ETF has gained about 19.2% so far this year and it's up approximately 29.96% in the last one year (as of 06/03/2026). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $94.84 and $121.79.
The ETF has a beta of 1.09 and standard deviation of 16.93% 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
Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index 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, QQQE is a reasonable 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 Index Fund ETF Shares (VUG) and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) track a similar index. While Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares has $231.72 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $498.84 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.03% and QQQ charges 0.18%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
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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Should Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index ETF (QQQE) Be on Your Investing Radar?
Launched on March 21, 2012, the Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index ETF (QQQE - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Direxion. It has amassed assets over $1.38 billion, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Growth
Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.
Growth stocks have higher than average sales and earnings growth rates. While these are expected to grow faster than the broader market, they also have higher valuations. Further, growth stocks have a higher level of volatility associated with them. When you consider growth versus value, growth stocks are usually the clear winner in strong bull markets but tend to fall flat in nearly all other environments.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.35%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.52%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector -- about 49.7% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Intel Corp (INTC) accounts for about 1.3% of total assets, followed by Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) and Monolithic Power Systems Inc (MPWR).
The top 10 holdings account for about 11.56% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
QQQE seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index before fees and expenses. The NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index consists of companies in the NASDAQ-100 Index but each of the securities is initially set at a weight of 1.00% of the Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index includes 100 of the largest non-financial securities listed on NASDAQ based on capitalization.
The ETF has gained about 19.2% so far this year and it's up approximately 29.96% in the last one year (as of 06/03/2026). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $94.84 and $121.79.
The ETF has a beta of 1.09 and standard deviation of 16.93% 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
Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index 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, QQQE is a reasonable 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 Index Fund ETF Shares (VUG) and the Invesco QQQ (QQQ) track a similar index. While Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares has $231.72 billion in assets, Invesco QQQ has $498.84 billion. VUG has an expense ratio of 0.03% and QQQ charges 0.18%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
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.