SAIA vs QQQ: which was the better investment?
Saia, Inc. against Invesco QQQ Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Sep 11, 2002 to Aug 28, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did SAIA beat QQQ?
It was effectively a tie over the full overlap period (Sep 11, 2002 to Aug 28, 2026): $10,000 grew to $364,397 in SAIA and $362,569 in QQQ, a difference of under 2%.
What would $10,000 in SAIA be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Saia, Inc. (SAIA) on Sep 11, 2002 would be worth about $364,397 as of Aug 28, 2026, a total return of 3544.0% (16.2% per year). The same $10,000 in QQQ would be worth $362,569.
Which was riskier — SAIA or QQQ?
SAIA swung with an annualized volatility of 47.9% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -80.4%; QQQ ran at 21.9% volatility with a -53.4% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.30 for SAIA vs 0.65 for QQQ.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Sep 11, 2002 through Aug 28, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with SAIA vs QQQ. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.