DBI vs QQQ: Correlation
How closely do Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.22, which is weak.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are DBI and QQQ?
On 3 years of weekly data the DBI/QQQ correlation comes out at 0.22, weak. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.08) runs below the 3-year figure (0.22). The 5-year figure is 0.25, and annualized covariance runs at 352.0 %².
Among the 15 assets we track against DBI, QQQ sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #11. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months DBI outperformed by 24.2 percentage points (+50.5% for DBI against +26.3% for QQQ). Note the risk asymmetry: DBI runs 4.2 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
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.
DBI vs QQQ: side by side
| DBI (Designer Brands Inc.) | QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +50.5% | +26.3% |
| 5-year return | -60.6% | +95.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 82.9% | 19.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.72 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -81.7% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $0.3B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 26.0 | – |
| Dividend yield | 3.50% | 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 | DBI | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -30.1% | -32.6% |
| 2023 | -7.7% | +54.9% |
| 2024 | -38.0% | +25.6% |
| 2025 | +46.5% | +20.8% |
| 2026 | -25.1% | +17.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are DBI and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?
Reasonably. At 0.22, DBI and QQQ keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between DBI and QQQ?
The DBI/QQQ correlation stands at 0.22 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.08, 5 years: 0.25), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is QQQ a good diversifier for DBI?
Reasonably. At 0.22, DBI and QQQ keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.22 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
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Related comparisons
Hubs: DBI correlations · QQQ correlations
