PLAB vs QQQ: Correlation
How closely do Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.36, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are PLAB and QQQ?
On 3 years of weekly data the PLAB/QQQ correlation comes out at 0.36, moderate. The past 12 months show a weaker link (0.16) than the 3-year average (0.36). The 5-year figure is 0.47, and annualized covariance runs at 424.2 %².
Among the 14 assets we track against PLAB, QQQ sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #10. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at +26.2% for PLAB and +26.3% for QQQ. Risk is not evenly split, since PLAB carries 3.1 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.
PLAB vs QQQ: side by side
| PLAB (Photronics, Inc.) | QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +26.2% | +26.3% |
| 5-year return | +106.4% | +95.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 60.0% | 19.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.56 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -50.6% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $1.8B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 10.8 | – |
| 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 | PLAB | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -10.7% | -32.6% |
| 2023 | +86.4% | +54.9% |
| 2024 | -24.9% | +25.6% |
| 2025 | +35.8% | +20.8% |
| 2026 | -5.4% | +17.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are PLAB and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.36 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between PLAB and QQQ?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between PLAB and QQQ is 0.36 over 3 years, 0.16 over 1 year and 0.47 over 5 years.
Is QQQ a good diversifier for PLAB?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.36 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.36 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.36 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
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Related comparisons
Hubs: PLAB correlations · QQQ correlations
