APEI vs QQQ: Correlation
How closely do American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.17, which is weak.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are APEI and QQQ?
On 3 years of weekly data the APEI/QQQ correlation comes out at 0.17, weak. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at 0.01 versus 0.17 over 3 years. The 5-year figure is 0.11, and annualized covariance runs at 165.2 %².
QQQ is close to the least connected end of APEI's tracked universe, ranking #9 of 12. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with APEI ahead by 24.2 points (+50.5% versus +26.3%). Risk is not evenly split, since APEI carries 2.6 times the volatility of the other side.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
APEI vs QQQ: side by side
| APEI (American Public Education, Inc.) | QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +50.5% | +26.3% |
| 5-year return | +76.0% | +95.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 50.5% | 19.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.75 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -40.5% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $0.8B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 18.6 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.44% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.18% |
| Assets under management | – | $452.8B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Growth & Tech |
QQQ is a Large Growth fund from Invesco: $452.8B under management, 104 holdings, a 0.18% expense ratio, a 0.44% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | APEI | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -44.8% | -32.6% |
| 2023 | -21.5% | +54.9% |
| 2024 | +123.5% | +25.6% |
| 2025 | +75.2% | +20.8% |
| 2026 | +22.0% | +17.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are APEI and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?
Yes: at 0.17, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
FAQ
What is the correlation between APEI and QQQ?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between APEI and QQQ is 0.17 over 3 years, 0.01 over 1 year and 0.11 over 5 years.
Is QQQ a good diversifier for APEI?
Yes: at 0.17, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
What does a correlation of 0.17 mean?
A reading of 0.17 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
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Related comparisons
Hubs: APEI correlations · QQQ correlations
