Is Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE) is a smart beta ETF launched on March 21, 2012, designed to provide broad exposure to the large-cap growth segment of the market [1][5] - The fund has accumulated over $1.2 billion in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF within its category [5] - QQQE aims to match the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index, which consists of the largest non-financial securities listed on NASDAQ [6] Fund Management and Costs - Managed by Direxion, QQQE has annual operating expenses of 0.35%, which is competitive within its peer group [7] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.62% [7] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The Information Technology sector represents the largest allocation at 38.8%, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Industrials [8] - Top holdings include Applovin Corp-class A (1.4% of total assets), Shopify Inc - Class A, and Advanced Micro Devices, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 12.56% of total assets [9] Performance Metrics - As of September 8, 2025, QQQE has increased by approximately 9.33% year-to-date and 13.66% over the past year [11] - The fund has a beta of 1.07 and a standard deviation of 19.37% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [11] Alternatives in the Market - Other ETFs in the large-cap growth space include Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) with $186.11 billion in assets and Invesco QQQ (QQQ) with $366.38 billion [12] - VUG has a lower expense ratio of 0.04%, while QQQ charges 0.20% [12]