QQQ vs SB: Correlation
How closely do Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Safe Bulkers, Inc (SB) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.34, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are QQQ and SB?
Over the past 3 years, QQQ and SB moved with a correlation of 0.34, which is moderate. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.17) runs below the 3-year figure (0.34). Over 5 years the correlation is 0.25, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 217.5 %².
Among the 4755 assets we track against QQQ, SB ranks #1140 by 3-year correlation. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months SB outperformed by 74.5 percentage points (+26.3% for QQQ against +100.8% for SB). One caveat on sizing: SB is 1.7 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
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.
QQQ vs SB: side by side
| QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | SB (Safe Bulkers, Inc) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +26.3% | +100.8% |
| 5-year return | +95.4% | +151.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 19.6% | 33.0% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.28 | 0.88 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -22.8% | -49.7% |
| Market cap | – | $0.9B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 10.9 |
| Dividend yield | 0.44% | 1.21% |
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | – |
| Assets under management | $452.8B | – |
| Sector / category | ETF · US Growth & Tech | US Listed |
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 | QQQ | SB |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -32.6% | -18.7% |
| 2023 | +54.9% | +42.9% |
| 2024 | +25.6% | -5.1% |
| 2025 | +20.8% | +40.3% |
| 2026 | +17.7% | +79.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are QQQ and SB good diversifiers for each other?
A fair diversifier. At 0.34, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
FAQ
What is the correlation between QQQ and SB?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.34 over 3 years, with 0.17 over the last year and 0.25 over 5 years.
Is SB a good diversifier for QQQ?
A fair diversifier. At 0.34, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
What does a correlation of 0.34 mean?
A reading of 0.34 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/qqq-vs-sb.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/qqq-vs-sb/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: QQQ correlations · SB correlations
