MKTX vs QQQ Stock Comparison

MKTX currently leads QQQ in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 66 vs 50. The clearest difference is momentum, while QQQ has the stronger value profile.

Market data as of Oct 31, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 16 points
MKTX
Financial Services
vs
QQQ
Equity
MKTX
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Leads
Price
$165
Day move
+0.23%
AIQ Score
66/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Financial Services
QQQ
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1
Price
$690
Day move
-3.47%
AIQ Score
50/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Equity

What is the main difference between MKTX and QQQ?

MKTX leads the current stock comparison as MarketAxess Holdings Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. vs Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1

Data as of Oct 31, 2026· market close· MKTX (stock) vs QQQ (ETF)· Coverage 65/66 fields· 42/42 directly comparable· Moderate confidence
AIQ VerdictCompetitiveAIQ Comparison Conviction 7/10

MKTX leads

MKTX leads by 16 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, and the lead has widened from 2 points over 30 sessions.

Competitive: 3 of 4 evidence groups support MKTX, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 4Comparison trend: Strengthening
MKTX

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Leads
AIQ Score
66/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10
QQQ

Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1

AIQ Score
50/100
AIQ Edge Score
4/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MKTX over QQQ, 66 versus 50 as of Oct 31, 2026. MKTX's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while QQQ holds the stronger value profile. MKTX also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MKTX today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. MKTX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 16 points over 30 sessions.

Compare MarketAxess Holdings Inc. and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.

MKTX
-56.8%
QQQ
+83.6%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

MKTX $4,320 · QQQ $18,360

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

Compare MKTX and QQQ against another ticker

Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.

Basic: 2 symbols·Explorer: 3 symbols·Pro and Premium: 5 symbols·Your limit: 2

AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

MKTX advantage
0
QQQ advantage
  • Momentum75 vs 21
    MKTX +54
  • Risk Resilience94 vs 65
    MKTX +29
  • Value28 vs 35
    QQQ +7
  • Quality83 vs 81
    Even

3 of 4 evidence groups favor MKTX. MKTX’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; QQQ keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-30, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-29.

MKTX+1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum +4

New signals

  • BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
QQQ-7 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -25

New signals

  • Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon

MKTX's lead widened by 8 AIQ points in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MKTX and QQQ both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

MKTX (MarketAxess Holdings Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.

QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 22.6% against 1.8%.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

MKTX

MKTX on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

Even

Growth figures are not covered for both names.

Value

QQQ

QQQ on the peer-relative Value factor, by 7 points.

Momentum

MKTX

MKTX on the Momentum factor, by 54 points.

Lower downside

MKTX

MKTX on Risk Resilience, by 29 points.

Analyst upside

Even

Analyst targets are level or not covered for both names.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureMKTXQQQNote
Implied upside to target-4.4%—Level
Target dispersion+55%—Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusHold—Context, not a primary driver
Analysts covering6—Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor MKTX. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreMKTX66 vs 50
FundamentalsNot coveredNot covered
ValuationQQQValue 28 vs 35
TechnicalsMKTXPrice vs 50-day 0.9% vs -4.8%; vs 200-day 6.2% vs 2.9%
Risk ResilienceMKTXRisk Resilience 94 vs 65
Analyst expectationsNot coveredNot covered

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MKTX and QQQ and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Competitive

The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

  • The AIQ gap is wide at 16 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
  • The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MKTX.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jul 1 – Oct 30

MKTX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 16 points over 30 sessions.

Jul 1MKTX leads above the line · QQQ leads belowOct 30
Today
MKTX +16
66 vs 50
7 sessions ago
MKTX +17
67 vs 50
30 sessions ago
MKTX +2
66 vs 64
90 sessions ago
MKTX +2
61 vs 59

The lead changed hands 7 times in this window, most recently on Sep 21 when QQQ moved ahead of MKTX.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

MKTXConflicted

3 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted

Only MKTX

  • Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • ATR Contraction - Coiling — neutral, volatility, short horizon (0.25%)
  • BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
QQQConflicted

2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted

Only QQQ

  • Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon

Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, MACD Bearish Crossover.

MKTX leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

MKTXConfirmed strength

Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.23%, AIQ +1 points).

QQQConfirmed weakness

Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -3.47%, AIQ -7 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1QQQ closes the Momentum gap — currently 54 points behind, the largest single contributor to MKTX's edge.
  2. 2QQQ's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
  3. 3MKTX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

Split
MetricMKTXQQQ
Revenue growth (YoY)-3.7%—
EPS growth (YoY)-20.7%—
Gross margin74.5%—
Operating margin39.3%—
Return on equity (TTM)24.1%—
Debt to equity0.05—

Performance

MKTX leads 4 of 6 windows
MetricMKTXQQQ
1 week (5 sessions)0.4%-2%
1 month (20 sessions)0.7%-7.4%
3 months (63 sessions)1.9%-1.4%
6 months (126 sessions)5.1%2.4%
Year to date-8.8%12.4%
1 year (252 sessions)2.3%11.2%

Technicals

MKTX has the stronger structure
MetricMKTXQQQ
RSI (14)66.728.7
ADX (14)59.127.2
Price vs 50-day0.9%-4.8%
Price vs 200-day6.2%2.9%
Volatility (1M, annualized)1.8%22.6%

Risk

MKTX is the more resilient
MetricMKTXQQQ
Beta0.21.47
Sharpe ratio0.160.39
Sortino ratio0.320.59
Max drawdown-43.6%-11.8%
Current drawdown-14.6%-9.1%
Annualized volatility38.8%20.3%
Value at risk (95%)-2.7%-2%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, MKTX or QQQ?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, MKTX is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 66 against QQQ's 50. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. QQQ is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is MKTX or QQQ the better buy right now?

MKTX carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

Why does the AIQ Score favor MKTX over QQQ?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. MKTX leads Momentum by 54 points; MKTX leads Risk Resilience by 29 points; QQQ leads Value by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, MKTX or QQQ?

Analyst price targets imply -4.4% upside for MKTX and not covered for QQQ. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, MKTX or QQQ?

QQQ is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. QQQ on the peer-relative Value factor, by 7 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, MKTX or QQQ?

Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, MKTX or QQQ?

MKTX on the Momentum factor, by 54 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, MKTX or QQQ?

MKTX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. MKTX on Risk Resilience, by 29 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is MKTX more profitable than QQQ?

Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.

Is MKTX's lead over QQQ getting stronger or weaker?

MKTX lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 2 to 16 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-07-01 and 2026-10-30. The lead has changed hands 7 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-21, when QQQ moved ahead of MKTX.

What would change the MKTX vs QQQ verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: QQQ closes the Momentum gap — currently 54 points behind, the largest single contributor to MKTX's edge; QQQ's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; MKTX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about MKTX and QQQ?

MKTX: 3 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. QQQ: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on MKTX is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On QQQ it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.