There's no arguing with the fact that the stock market has done a wonderful job of building investors' wealth over long periods of time. But while many people focus intensely on the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite index, or the Dow Jones Industrial Average, there's another index that should be on your radar.
I'm talking about the Nasdaq-100 index. Including dividends, it has produced a remarkable return of 448% in the past decade. This means that a $10,000 investment in April 2014 would be worth $54,800 today.
If you want to gain exposure to this winning investment vehicle, then I suggest you take $100 right now and buy this exchange-traded fund (ETF).
A good choice for some investors
The ETF you should consider adding to your portfolio is the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ +1.03%). It tracks the Nasdaq-100 index, which contains the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange. Buying this ETF gives investors access to some of the most tech-savvy businesses out there.
You should know that the so-called "Magnificent Seven" stocks have a combined weighting in the Invesco QQQ Trust of about 40%. As a result of this, investors have their capital tied up in some very powerful broad secular trends that are shaping up the economy, like digital advertising, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, streaming entertainment, digital payments, and cloud computing.
That concentration is precisely why the Invesco QQQ Trust has performed so well. These companies typically exhibit much more growth potential than the average business out there. They have come to dominate their respective industries. And they continue to focus on innovation and disruption to better serve their customers and further penetrate existing and new markets.
The flip side of better growth prospects is a higher valuation. The average stock in the Invesco QQQ Trust carries a price-to-earnings ratio of 35. That represents a huge premium to the S&P 500. But for those investors who want to possibly achieve higher returns, this ETF should be a top choice. It has worked out well in the past.
NASDAQ: QQQ
Key Data Points
Don't ignore these variables
There are other factors that you must learn about before putting money in the Invesco QQQ Trust. One important thing to always keep in mind is the fee structure. This ETF carries an annual expense ratio of just 0.2%. On a $10,000 investment, that amounts to $20 a year. That's a low price to pay, which is clearly a positive.
I'll point to an overlooked benefit. That's the simple fact that buying the Invesco QQQ Trust is a low-maintenance way to build long-term wealth. You don't need expert financial analysis skills or the time to read annual reports and listen to earnings calls. It's an investment vehicle that requires zero effort.
Even some of the most popular professional money managers have failed to outperform the Invesco QQQ Trust. Just look at Ark Invest, headed up by famed investor Cathie Wood. Her firm's flagship fund, the Ark Innovation ETF, has put up a negative total return of 6% in the past five years, which doesn't come anywhere close to the Invesco QQQ Trust's gain. Adding insult to injury, the Ark Innovation ETF carries an expense ratio that's almost four times higher.
You're right to wonder if now is still a good time to invest $100 in the Invesco QQQ Trust, particularly when it sits near its all-time highs. In my opinion, it's always a smart move to put money to work in the stock market. The best strategy is to dollar-cost average, thereby eliminating the need to correctly time the market.
Past performance is never indicative of future results. But a decade from now, you'll likely be happy that you invested in the Invesco QQQ Trust today.
