Description of NASDAQ 100 Strategy
The Nasdaq 100 Strategy is a good way to ride the extraordinary momentum of the Nasdaq 100 Index while keeping some protection from market downturns. It is also a great alternative for stock-pickers looking for a rules-based stock selection strategy.
The strategy uses a risk-adjusted momentum algorithm to choose the top four Nasdaq 100 stocks with a variable allocation to treasuries or gold to smooth the equity curve and provide crash protection in bear markets. The strategy combines well with our more conservative strategies, such as the Bond Rotation Strategy or BUG, or with one of our non-U.S. equity strategies such as World Top 4, to form a well balanced portfolio.
The existence of price momentum has been heavily studied and well documented over the years. It reveals itself in assets that have strong absolute performance or performance relative to their peers. Logical Invest has exploited asset class and sector momentum in many of our strategies for years. We have found individual stock momentum tends to be an even stronger force, particularly in the top NASDAQ stocks. When properly identified, it can be capitalized on to provide an investment edge.
During bull markets, and especially "risk off" periods, the strongest NASDAQ stocks typically beat the market handily. However, they can also get ahead of themselves which makes them more vulnerable during "risk on" periods. To manage those challenges, the strategy incorporates several advanced methodologies:
- Mean Reversion - Momentum is based on the principle of buying high and selling higher, however, as most investors have experienced, stocks that rise too quickly can also have short-term corrections. The strategy uses a mean reversion component to penalize stocks that rise too much or too fast.
- Protection - The strategy allocates a portion to treasuries to balance out the supercharged Nasdaq momentum stocks. This improves risk adjusted returns and moderates strategy drawdowns. The model also allocates more to treasuries if the overall Nasdaq 100 index exhibits momentum weakness.
- Intelligent Ranking - Our algorithms ensures we get the right blend of stocks that work well together and have an allocation to each individual stock that reflects its volatility in relation to other stocks.
Methodology & Assets
The model chooses four individual stocks from the NASDAQ 100 stock index. So depending on what stocks are in the NASDAQ 100, the stock rotation formula might include the new ones.
Additionally, the model may allocate some funds to TMF (Direxion 3x leveraged 20-yr Treasury) or to UGLD (VelocityShares 3x Long Gold ETN). This helps mitigate risk during certain market environments.
You may also use one of the alternative versions:
NASDAQ 100 Balanced unhedged Strategy
NASDAQ 100 Leaders Strategy
NASDAQ 100 Low volatility Strategy
Statistics of NASDAQ 100 Strategy (YTD)
TotalReturn:
'The total return on a portfolio of investments takes into account not only the capital appreciation on the portfolio, but also the income received on the portfolio. The income typically consists of interest, dividends, and securities lending fees. This contrasts with the price return, which takes into account only the capital gain on an investment.'
Using this definition on our asset we see for example:- Looking at the total return, or performance of 254.9% in the last 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy, we see it is relatively higher, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SPY (64%)
- During the last 3 years, the total return, or performance is 127.7%, which is higher, thus better than the value of 51.6% from the benchmark.
CAGR:
'The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a useful measure of growth over multiple time periods. It can be thought of as the growth rate that gets you from the initial investment value to the ending investment value if you assume that the investment has been compounding over the time period.'
Using this definition on our asset we see for example:- The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is 28.9%, which is greater, thus better compared to the benchmark SPY (10.4%) in the same period.
- Looking at compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in of 31.6% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively higher, thus better in comparison to SPY (14.9%).
Volatility:
'Volatility is a rate at which the price of a security increases or decreases for a given set of returns. Volatility is measured by calculating the standard deviation of the annualized returns over a given period of time. It shows the range to which the price of a security may increase or decrease. Volatility measures the risk of a security. It is used in option pricing formula to gauge the fluctuations in the returns of the underlying assets. Volatility indicates the pricing behavior of the security and helps estimate the fluctuations that may happen in a short period of time.'
Which means for our asset as example:- Compared with the benchmark SPY (13.4%) in the period of the last 5 years, the volatility of 16.6% of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is higher, thus worse.
- Looking at volatility in of 16.6% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus worse in comparison to SPY (12.5%).
DownVol:
'Downside risk is the financial risk associated with losses. That is, it is the risk of the actual return being below the expected return, or the uncertainty about the magnitude of that difference. Risk measures typically quantify the downside risk, whereas the standard deviation (an example of a deviation risk measure) measures both the upside and downside risk. Specifically, downside risk in our definition is the semi-deviation, that is the standard deviation of all negative returns.'
Using this definition on our asset we see for example:- Looking at the downside volatility of 18.1% in the last 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (14.6%)
- Looking at downside deviation in of 18% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to SPY (14%).
Sharpe:
'The Sharpe ratio (also known as the Sharpe index, the Sharpe measure, and the reward-to-variability ratio) is a way to examine the performance of an investment by adjusting for its risk. The ratio measures the excess return (or risk premium) per unit of deviation in an investment asset or a trading strategy, typically referred to as risk, named after William F. Sharpe.'
Which means for our asset as example:- Compared with the benchmark SPY (0.59) in the period of the last 5 years, the ratio of return and volatility (Sharpe) of 1.59 of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is larger, thus better.
- Looking at ratio of return and volatility (Sharpe) in of 1.76 in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus better in comparison to SPY (1).
Sortino:
'The Sortino ratio measures the risk-adjusted return of an investment asset, portfolio, or strategy. It is a modification of the Sharpe ratio but penalizes only those returns falling below a user-specified target or required rate of return, while the Sharpe ratio penalizes both upside and downside volatility equally. Though both ratios measure an investment's risk-adjusted return, they do so in significantly different ways that will frequently lead to differing conclusions as to the true nature of the investment's return-generating efficiency. The Sortino ratio is used as a way to compare the risk-adjusted performance of programs with differing risk and return profiles. In general, risk-adjusted returns seek to normalize the risk across programs and then see which has the higher return unit per risk.'
Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:- The downside risk / excess return profile over 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is 1.46, which is greater, thus better compared to the benchmark SPY (0.54) in the same period.
- Compared with SPY (0.89) in the period of the last 3 years, the ratio of annual return and downside deviation of 1.61 is larger, thus better.
Ulcer:
'The Ulcer Index is a technical indicator that measures downside risk, in terms of both the depth and duration of price declines. The index increases in value as the price moves farther away from a recent high and falls as the price rises to new highs. The indicator is usually calculated over a 14-day period, with the Ulcer Index showing the percentage drawdown a trader can expect from the high over that period. The greater the value of the Ulcer Index, the longer it takes for a stock to get back to the former high.'
Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:- Looking at the Downside risk index of 4.49 in the last 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy, we see it is relatively larger, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (3.99 )
- Compared with SPY (4.04 ) in the period of the last 3 years, the Downside risk index of 4.3 is greater, thus worse.
MaxDD:
'Maximum drawdown is defined as the peak-to-trough decline of an investment during a specific period. It is usually quoted as a percentage of the peak value. The maximum drawdown can be calculated based on absolute returns, in order to identify strategies that suffer less during market downturns, such as low-volatility strategies. However, the maximum drawdown can also be calculated based on returns relative to a benchmark index, for identifying strategies that show steady outperformance over time.'
Which means for our asset as example:- Compared with the benchmark SPY (-19.3 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum drop from peak to valley of -14 days of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is greater, thus better.
- Compared with SPY (-19.3 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum drop from peak to valley of -12.4 days is higher, thus better.
MaxDuration:
'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Max Drawdown Duration is the worst (the maximum/longest) amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs) in days.'
Which means for our asset as example:- Compared with the benchmark SPY (187 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum days under water of 198 days of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is larger, thus worse.
- Compared with SPY (139 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum time in days below previous high water mark of 198 days is higher, thus worse.
AveDuration:
'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Avg Drawdown Duration is the average amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs), or in other terms the average of time under water of all drawdowns. So in contrast to the Maximum duration it does not measure only one drawdown event but calculates the average of all.'
Using this definition on our asset we see for example:- The average days under water over 5 years of NASDAQ 100 Strategy is 35 days, which is smaller, thus better compared to the benchmark SPY (41 days) in the same period.
- During the last 3 years, the average time in days below previous high water mark is 40 days, which is higher, thus worse than the value of 36 days from the benchmark.
Performance of NASDAQ 100 Strategy (YTD)
Allocations and holdings shown below are delayed by one month. To see current trading allocations of NASDAQ 100 Strategy, register now.
Allocations of NASDAQ 100 Strategy
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Returns of NASDAQ 100 Strategy (%)
- "Year" returns in the table above are not equal to the sum of monthly returns due to compounding.
- Performance results of NASDAQ 100 Strategy are hypothetical, do not account for slippage, fees or taxes, and are based on backtesting, which has many inherent limitations, some of which are described in our Terms of Use.
