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QYLD and JEPQ from the month after listing, compared with QQQ by total return with distributions reinvested, price-only return and calendar-year returns.
Starting from $10,000 in January 2014, QYLD with distributions reinvested ended at $29,580, or 8.9% a year. QQQ over the same period ended at $93,346, or 19.2% a year.
Counting the price alone, QYLD ended at $7,270 and QQQ at $84,244. The trailing 1-year yield was 11.5% for QYLD and 0.4% for QQQ.
In the 10 years QQQ rose, the average return was +28.5% for QQQ and +12.8% for QYLD. In the 2 years QQQ fell, it was −16.4% for QQQ and −11.1% for QYLD.
JEPQ returned 17.4% a year from June 2022, against 22.9% for QQQ over the same dates. Price only, JEPQ ended at $12,424 and QQQ at $23,756.
| Case | End balance | Annual return | Max drawdown | Price only | Trailing 1-year yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QYLDJan 2014 to Sep 2026 | $29,580 | 8.9% | −24.8% | $7,270 | 11.5% |
| QQQ, QYLD periodJan 2014 to Sep 2026 | $93,346 | 19.2% | −35.1% | $84,244 | 0.4% |
| JEPQJun 2022 to Sep 2026 | $20,044 | 17.4% | −20.1% | $12,424 | 11.0% |
| QQQ, JEPQ periodJun 2022 to Sep 2026 | $24,415 | 22.9% | −22.8% | $23,756 | 0.4% |
The trailing 1-year yield is the distributions of the year before the as-of date divided by the as-of price.
| Year | QQQ | QYLD | JEPQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +19.2% | +4.2% | — |
| 2015 | +9.4% | +7.2% | — |
| 2016 | +7.1% | +4.8% | — |
| 2017 | +32.7% | +18.8% | — |
| 2018 | −0.1% | −3.1% | — |
| 2019 | +39.0% | +22.7% | — |
| 2020 | +48.6% | +8.7% | — |
| 2021 | +27.4% | +10.4% | — |
| 2022 | −32.6% | −19.1% | — |
| 2023 | +54.9% | +22.8% | +36.3% |
| 2024 | +25.6% | +19.4% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +20.8% | +9.3% | +15.2% |
You can change the ticker, period and monthly amount and calculate the same way. No sign-in needed.
A covered call fund pays out the premium from selling call options and gives up the gains above the strike when the index rises fast. In the years QQQ rose, QYLD's average return was 45% of QQQ's.
In the 2 years QQQ fell, the average return was −16.4% for QQQ and −11.1% for QYLD. The max drawdown since January 2014 was 24.8% for QYLD and 35.1% for QQQ.
QYLD holds Nasdaq-100 stocks and sells at-the-money Nasdaq-100 index call options each month. JEPQ holds selected Nasdaq-100 stocks and earns option income through equity-linked notes (ELNs) that sell Nasdaq-100 calls, mostly out of the money, so it keeps part of the upside.
Yes. This QYLD, JEPQ and QQQ calculation reinvests each dividend at the price on its ex-dividend date. Taxes on dividends are not deducted.
No. This QYLD, JEPQ and QQQ calculation is in US dollars. Exchange rate changes and the fee and tax differences of locally listed ETFs are not included.
These results are calculated from past prices. They do not guarantee future returns and do not recommend any product.
