Monday, September 30, 2013

Low Quality Equities Outperforming High Quality Equities

One factor S&P Dow Jones indices uses in their stock classifications is an Earnings and Dividend Quality Ranking measurement. The basis for this measurement is to provide investors with a ranking that S&P evaluates based on a company's stability of earnings and dividend over time. The highest ranking is A and the lowest is D (a company in reorganization).

With this as background S&P has constructed indices based on these rankings. The S&P 500 High Quality Rankings Index consists of stocks with a ranking of A and better. The S&P 500 Low Quality Rankings Index consists of stocks with a ranking of B or lower. The high quality index has a larger weighting in sectors like consumer staples that tend to hold up better in a more defensive or "risk off" market. As the below table shows, this year, the low quality index has outperformed the high quality index by a wide margin.

From The Blog of HORAN Capital Advisors

This pattern of the "risk on" and more cyclical stocks outperforming has continued in the the second half of September, in spite of a down equity market.

From The Blog of HORAN Capital Advisors
Source: 361 Capital


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