Tag Archives: S&P 500 Quality Index
Quality over Quantity: Features of the S&P 500 Quality Index
Beyond being a familiar adage, “quality over quantity” lies at the heart of quality-based investing. Rather than concentrating on the largest stocks, quality indices systematically tilt toward companies with strong profitability, high earnings quality and robust balance sheets. Over the long term, the S&P 500® Quality Index has delivered impressive absolute and risk-adjusted returns as…
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Factors for All Markets
Recently, much of the financial media has been occupied with discussing the potential of a bubble in markets. Some have compared the current sentiment to the “animal spirits” of the late 1990s.1 Proponents of this view cite stretched valuations, retail-driven speculation and the circularity of transactions as evidence to support their claims. Whether or not…
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Navigating Market Cycles: The Complementary Roles of Quality and Momentum Indices
Over the long term, both the S&P 500® Quality Index and S&P 500 Momentum Index have outperformed the broader market (as measured by the S&P 500) in terms of absolute and risk-adjusted returns. The quality factor emphasizes financially strong and stable companies, while momentum tracks stocks with sustained price trends. When combined, these strategies create…
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Seeking Quality within Quality
Despite emerging geopolitical tensions, U.S. equities have staged a dramatic comeback over the past quarter, with the S&P 500® up 9% QTD through June 25, 2025, fueled by robust corporate earnings from Big Tech. Meanwhile, with the impending Russell reconstitution,1 the market’s mind has shifted toward smaller caps, which have had a more challenging time, with…
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Navigating Uncertainty: The Defensive Attributes and Performance Drivers of the S&P 500 Quality Index
Amid macroeconomic uncertainty and elevated volatility, the S&P 500® has experienced a notable decline. In the challenging market conditions from Dec. 31, 2024, to April 4, 2025, the S&P 500 Quality Index not only outperformed the S&P 500 but also showcased its defensive characteristics, which have been evident throughout its history. In this blog, we…
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Celebrating 10 Years of the S&P 500 Quality Index
Launched on July 8, 2014, the S&P 500® Quality Index established a framework for identifying high quality companies within the S&P 500. Today, it celebrates a decade of existence as one of the most prominent indices within our factor family. Over the past decade, quality has emerged as a mainstream factor, with significant growth in…
Balancing Defense with Growth: The S&P Quality Indices
Thus far this year, about two-thirds of the S&P 500®’s rally has been driven by growth stocks and the so-called “Magnificent Seven” tech stocks. While the quality factor is traditionally viewed as defensive, it has kept pace with the market while many other factor strategies have underperformed (see Exhibit 1). Part of the reason for…
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Comparing Defensive Factors in the Recent Market Environment
On Sept. 17, 2020, S&P DJI’s Indexology blog shared a post I wrote titled “Comparing Defensive Factors During the Last 3 Bear Markets.” This blog is a continuation of that study, examining the results of the same factors during the 18-month period around the 2022 market correction that led the S&P 500® officially into bear…
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Refining the Quality Metrics
Introduction High-quality companies have always been appealing to investors. In fact, quality equity investing was documented as early as 1949 by Benjamin Graham in his original publication of The Intelligent Investor.1 Despite a wide range of definitions for what constitutes a high-quality company, characteristics such as profitability, competitive position, earnings quality, corporate governance and modest…
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The Case for The S&P 500 GARP Index
The S&P 500® GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price) Index just had its second anniversary since its launch in February 2019. During the latter half of this time, the world experienced the worst global pandemic in a century. Equities entered a swift V-shaped bear market and rebound. In this blog, we review the index’s performance,…