TipRanks
Go Ultimate55% OFF

Top Page

QTEC

First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund (QTEC)

Rating:72Outperform
Price Target:$325.00â–²(13.41% Upside)

QTEC, the First Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund, has a solid overall rating driven mainly by strong, well-established tech leaders like Apple, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, Meta, AMD, and Shopify, all showing robust financial performance, growth initiatives, and generally positive technical trends. However, several holdings, including NXP Semiconductors, Thomson Reuters, Roper Technologies, and CrowdStrike, face issues such as high valuations, bearish or mixed momentum, and specific profitability or market challenges that slightly weigh on the fund’s quality. The main risk factor is QTEC’s heavy concentration in the technology sector, where high valuations and occasional overbought or bearish signals can increase volatility and sensitivity to market downturns.

Positive Factors
Strong Year-to-Date PerformanceThe ETF has delivered strong gains so far this year, showing solid momentum in its technology-focused strategy.
Leading Tech and Semiconductor HoldingsSeveral top positions, including major chip and cybersecurity companies, have shown strong performance, helping drive the fund’s returns.
Large Asset BaseThe fund manages a sizable amount of assets, which can support better liquidity and more efficient trading for investors.
Negative Factors
High Fee LevelThe expense ratio is on the higher side for an ETF, which means more of your returns go toward fees over time.
Single-Country ExposureAlmost all of the ETF’s holdings are in U.S. companies, offering little geographic diversification if the U.S. market weakens.
Short-Term VolatilityThe fund has recently experienced a weak one-month performance, highlighting that technology stocks in the portfolio can be sensitive to market swings.

QTEC vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

-20%-10%0%10%20%30%40%50%SPY+15.63%QTEC+23.52%Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
AUM
4.26B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.55%
Beta
1.59
Issuer
First Trust
Inception Date
Apr 19, 2006
Dividend Yield
0.01%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index

QTEC Summary

QTEC is an exchange-traded fund that follows the NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index, focusing mainly on U.S. tech companies. It owns a mix of software, hardware, and semiconductor firms, including well-known names like Apple and Meta Platforms, along with other innovative tech businesses. Someone might invest in QTEC to tap into the long-term growth potential of the technology sector and to get instant diversification across many leading tech companies in a single investment. However, because it is heavily focused on technology stocks, its price can rise and fall sharply with changes in the tech sector and overall market.

How much will it cost me?

QTEC has an expense ratio of 0.55%, which means you’ll pay about $5.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. This cost is higher than the average ETF because it’s a more specialized, sector-focused fund rather than a broad, ultra-low-cost index tracker.

What would affect this ETF?

QTEC is heavily focused on U.S. technology companies like Apple, Meta, and semiconductor firms, so it could benefit from ongoing digital transformation, strong demand for chips and software, and a stable or falling interest-rate environment that often supports growth stocks. On the downside, it is vulnerable to tech-sector downturns, higher interest rates that can pressure high-growth valuations, tighter regulations on big tech and data privacy, and any slowdown in the U.S. economy that reduces business and consumer spending on technology.

QTEC Top 10 Holdings

QTEC is leaning heavily into U.S. tech, with a clear tilt toward semiconductors and high-growth software. Chip names like AMD and Marvell have been a bit choppy lately, with recent weakness taking some shine off their strong year-to-date runs. In contrast, steadier performers such as Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and NXP are acting like the fund’s ballast, keeping things on track. On the software side, rising stars like CrowdStrike, Datadog, Shopify, and Synopsys are powering the growth story, though rich valuations mean the ride can be bumpy.

QTEC top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
TXNTXNTexas Instruments2.83%$121.72M$275.98B95.46%78Outperform
NXPINXPINXP Semiconductors2.77%$118.89M$64.84B29.64%70Neutral
ADIADIAnalog Devices2.74%$117.81M$200.05B77.10%78Outperform
TRITRIThomson Reuters――――69Neutral
ROPROPRoper Technologies2.64%$113.34M$47.43B9.55%71Outperform
AAPLAAPLApple2.48%$106.45M$4.94T29.43%79Outperform
SNPSSNPSSynopsys2.49%$107.01M$89.32B11.19%73Outperform
SHOPSHOPShopify――――77Outperform
METAMETAMeta Platforms2.57%$110.27M$1.55T0.43%76Outperform
CRWDCRWDCrowdStrike Holdings2.51%$107.65M$247.60B80.55%67Neutral

QTEC Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price286.58

Price Trends

50DMA315.42Negative
100DMA315.07Negative
200DMA283.41Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-7.32Positive
RSI34.53Neutral
STOCH9.58Positive

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For QTEC, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 286.58 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 310.07, below the 50-day MA of 315.42, and above the 200-day MA of 283.41, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -7.32 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 34.53 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 9.58 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for QTEC.

QTEC Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

QTEC against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
QTECQTEC$286.58$325.00(13.41% Upside)$4.26B0.55%72Outperform
RSPTRSPT$61.30$81.16(32.40% Upside)$5.79B0.40%71Outperform
SKYYSKYY$156.69$201.20(28.41% Upside)$3.18B0.60%66Neutral
SOXQSOXQ$80.85$131.63(62.81% Upside)$2.72B0.19%74Outperform
FXLFXL$208.39$272.58(30.80% Upside)$2.63B0.60%69Neutral
XNTKXNTK$326.60$476.57(45.92% Upside)$1.73B0.35%74Outperform

Performance Comparison

0%50%100%QTECRSPTSKYYSOXQFXLXNTKDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
QTEC and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
QTECFirst Trust NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index Fund286.5853.3822.89%
RSPTInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF61.3016.1135.65%
SKYYFirst Trust Cloud Computing ETF156.6919.7714.44%
SOXQInvesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF80.8525.8146.90%
FXLFirst Trust Technology AlphaDEX Fund208.3939.6423.49%
XNTKSpdr Nyse Technology Etf326.6046.5016.60%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.