# How Autodesk (ADSK) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/adsk
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on ADSK alone. It places ADSK (Autodesk, Inc.) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where ADSK stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: ADSK's full trading record, from October 1986 through September 2026. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** The slide is ADSK's own: it is 28.2% below its high, against 1.3% for the S&P 500. ADSK has trailed the market, rising 0.1% over the past 6 months against 9.1% for the S&P 500 and 11.2% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Stock or market?:** Not a move of its own: the application software ETF IGV (iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF) rose 15.0% over the past 3 months, with ORCL (Oracle, up 8.4%) and SAP (up 44.6%), against 3.9% for the S&P 500. ADSK rose 12.2% last month as the S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq 100 fell 3.2%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** Over the past year, ADSK fell 20.3% while the S&P 500 rose 15.8%. The same gap shows up over 3 years (21.2% against 89.3%). The last two calendar years both went the same way: ADSK rose 0.1% in 2025, while the S&P 500 rose 15.8%.
- **Long term:** ADSK turned $10,000 into $34,500 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500.
- **In a crash:** Across seven sell-offs, ADSK has typically fallen 1.6 times as far as the S&P 500.
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, ADSK has a correlation of 0.60 over 5 years, more closely than 90% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Next to an index fund it is some diversification, but not a hedge.
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** J (Jacobs Solutions), SAP and TT (Trane Technologies) earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. J returned 5.3% a year at 26.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%.
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** MSFT (Microsoft, software) and ADI (Analog Devices, semiconductors) earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. MSFT returned 12.5% a year at 28.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%.
  - **Whole market:** 1,859 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL (Apple), GOOG (Alphabet) and MSFT (Microsoft).

## How much would $10,000 in ADSK have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in ADSK over the past 29 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of ADSK over the same span and ADSK's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in ADSK at the end of September 1997 would have grown to $194,061 by September 2026, more than the $132,907 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Five of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of ADSK, and TYL finished highest, at $926,134.

## ADSK at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- ADSK is still 28.2% below its all-time high.
- ADSK's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 76.9%, from December 2007 to March 2009. It took about five years from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 29 full calendar years, ADSK's best was 2004, when it returned 210%, and its worst was 2008, when it lost 60.5%. It lost money in eight of those years.

- Type: Stock, Technology (Software - Application)
- Trading since: October 20, 1986
- Market value: $51B
- Volatility (5 years): 36.4%; Sharpe ratio: 0.07
- Worst decline ever: −76.9%, from December 26, 2007 to March 9, 2009; back at its high by January 9, 2014

| Period | ADSK total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | +12.2% |
| 3 months | +12.8% |
| 6 months | +0.1% |
| year to date | −14.4% |
| 1 year | −20.3% |
| 3 years | +21.2% |
| 5 years | −17.8% |
| 10 years | +245% |

## ADSK against the whole market

Where ADSK ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does ADSK rank among all stocks?

This section ranks ADSK on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history.

- ADSK's worst decline of the past 10 years ranks in the top 24% of the 2,187 stocks worth at least $300 million, where the top fell the least.
- ADSK's 1-year return ranks in the bottom 20% of the 3,287 stocks worth at least $300 million with 1 year of history.

| Measure | ADSK | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | −20.3% | 2,643 of 3,287 (top 81%) |
| 3-year return | +21.2% | 2,003 of 3,017 (top 67%) |
| 5-year return | −17.8% | 1,973 of 2,893 (top 69%) |
| 10-year return | +245% | 719 of 2,202 (top 33%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 36.4% | 1,233 of 2,893 (top 43%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.07 | 2,178 of 2,893 (top 76%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −52.0% | 531 of 2,187 (top 25%) |

### What has beaten ADSK on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- 909 stocks and 950 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than ADSK over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 51% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half ADSK's swings, CAH has the best return for its risk: 42.1% a year at 24.7% volatility, 32% less than ADSK's 36.4%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.55 against 0.07 for ADSK. MPC earned the most, 51.2% a year, while still swinging less than ADSK (33.4% against 36.4%).
- Among ADSK's popular alternatives, TT, SAP and J are in the region. TT earned 22.7% a year against a loss of 3.8% a year for ADSK, at 27.7% volatility, 24% less than ADSK's 36.4%.

### Is there a better investment than ADSK?

The table below lists investments that beat ADSK over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes.

- Among ADSK's popular alternatives, J, SAP and TT earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. J returned 5.3% a year at 26.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, MSFT (software) and ADI (semiconductors) earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. MSFT returned 12.5% a year at 28.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%.
- Across the whole market, 1,859 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL, GOOG and MSFT.

The 15 strongest of 1,859 investments that beat ADSK over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with ADSK | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ADSK: Autodesk, Inc. (this page) |  | −3.8% | 36.4% | 0.07 | −52.0% | +245% |  |  |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | Pharmaceuticals | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | 0.11 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [VOO](https://easycompare.io/research/voo): Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | US Large-Cap Equity | +12.8% | 16.9% | 0.80 | −34.0% | +324% | 0.60 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [BRK-B](https://easycompare.io/research/brk-b): Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Insurance | +13.4% | 17.1% | 0.82 | −29.6% | +274% | 0.32 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | 0.05 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | International Equity | +26.6% | 19.1% | 1.34 | −39.1% | +428% | 0.26 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [QQQ](https://easycompare.io/research/qqq): Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | US Large-Cap Growth | +14.5% | 23.0% | 0.71 | −35.1% | +553% | 0.48 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [CSCO](https://easycompare.io/research/csco): Cisco Systems, Inc. | Communications Equipment | +16.8% | 26.1% | 0.73 | −42.0% | +374% | 0.32 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [MCK](https://easycompare.io/research/mck): McKesson Corporation | Health Care Distribution | +38.7% | 25.0% | 1.44 | −38.1% | +586% | 0.18 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [MRK](https://easycompare.io/research/mrk): Merck & Co., Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +16.3% | 24.8% | 0.74 | −43.4% | +241% | 0.15 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [APH](https://easycompare.io/research/aph): Amphenol Corporation | Electronic Components | +33.8% | 32.2% | 1.07 | −37.5% | +965% | 0.28 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [AMGN](https://easycompare.io/research/amgn): Amgen Inc. | Biotechnology | +19.6% | 24.9% | 0.85 | −24.9% | +266% | 0.23 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [LIN](https://easycompare.io/research/lin): Linde plc | Chemicals | +11.5% | 20.9% | 0.63 | −32.6% | +394% | 0.27 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [PGR](https://easycompare.io/research/pgr): The Progressive Corporation | Property & Casualty Insurance | +21.3% | 25.6% | 0.89 | −30.3% | +816% | 0.11 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [VIG](https://easycompare.io/research/vig): Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | US Dividend Equity | +10.4% | 14.1% | 0.78 | −31.7% | +258% | 0.56 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [TMO](https://easycompare.io/research/tmo): Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | Life Sciences Tools | +2.9% | 27.8% | 0.24 | −40.9% | +366% | 0.35 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |

## ADSK against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against ADSK, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do ADSK's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Five of the 20 popular alternatives, led by TT, SAP and PTC, were both more rewarding and calmer than ADSK over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, ADSK returned -3.8% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (36.4% against 17.1%).

### Has ADSK consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares ADSK with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Eight of the 20 popular alternatives, led by PTC, NOW and MANH, outperformed ADSK in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- PTC, NOW and MANH outperformed ADSK in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- TT, CDNS and SNPS earned more for the risk they took than ADSK (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of ADSK | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ADSK: Autodesk, Inc. (this page) | −20.3% | +21.2% | −17.8% | +245% |  |  | 0.07 |
| PTC: PTC Inc. | −6.1% | +40.4% | +49.3% | +317% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.40 |
| [NOW](https://easycompare.io/research/now): ServiceNow, Inc. | −18.5% | +37.8% | +9.8% | +848% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.27 |
| MANH: Manhattan Associates, Inc. | +16.4% | +22.3% | +37.1% | +344% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.36 |
| [NEM](https://easycompare.io/research/nem): Newmont Corporation | +24.3% | +219% | +135% | +304% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.63 |
| [NVDA](https://easycompare.io/research/nvda): NVIDIA Corporation | +18.8% | +425% | +884% | +13,019% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 1.14 |
| J: Jacobs Solutions Inc. | −13.2% | +31.1% | +29.6% | +266% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.33 |
| [SAP](https://easycompare.io/research/sap): SAP SE | −16.6% | +81.3% | +72.6% | +205% | 4/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.52 |
| [SNPS](https://easycompare.io/research/snps): Synopsys, Inc. | −1.3% | −4.3% | +41.9% | +656% | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.39 |
| [CDNS](https://easycompare.io/research/cdns): Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | −3.0% | +34.0% | +99.8% | +1,139% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.56 |
| [TT](https://easycompare.io/research/tt): Trane Technologies plc | +11.3% | +154% | +178% | +955% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.88 |
| [ORCL](https://easycompare.io/research/orcl): Oracle Corporation | −52.1% | +33.3% | +45.1% | +300% | 0/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.38 |
| [CRM](https://easycompare.io/research/crm): Salesforce, Inc. | −3.9% | +21.3% | −14.8% | +240% | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.12 |
| U: Unity Software Inc. | +13.9% | +47.8% | −71.8% | — | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.06 |
| TRMB: Trimble Inc. | −20.9% | +27.3% | −28.2% | +111% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.03 |
| ACM: Aecom | −55.1% | −21.6% | −4.7% | +128% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.10 |
| [ACN](https://easycompare.io/research/acn): Accenture plc | +2.2% | −13.6% | −23.6% | +146% | 5/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.00 |
| PCOR: Procore Technologies, Inc. | −16.1% | −3.4% | −39.3% | — | 5/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.05 |
| TYL: Tyler Technologies, Inc. | −26.1% | +2.6% | −26.3% | +132% | 4/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.02 |
| BSY: Bentley Systems, Incorporated | −25.6% | −22.4% | −32.4% | — | 4/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.03 |
| [ADBE](https://easycompare.io/research/adbe): Adobe Inc. | −25.2% | −52.5% | −59.4% | +135% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.28 |

### How did ADSK do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where ADSK ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- ADSK finished ahead of the S&P 500 in 16 of its 29 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last two.
- Among its popular alternatives, NOW came out ahead of ADSK most often, in ten of the 13 years both traded.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, ADSK finished in the top quarter in five of 29 years and in the bottom quarter in five. In 2025, it ranked 9 of 21.

| Year | ADSK | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +0.1% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +21.4% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +30.3% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −33.5% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | −7.9% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +66.4% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +42.6% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | +22.7% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +41.6% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +21.5% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How ADSK has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were ADSK's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In all three of ADSK's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: ADSK fell 66.0% from August 1995 to October 1999, while the S&P 500 rose 148%.
- The slowest recovery came after ADSK fell 76.9% from December 2007 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until January 2014, five years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −76.9% | December 26, 2007 | March 9, 2009 | January 9, 2014 | −53.4% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −66.0% | August 16, 1995 | October 27, 1999 | March 9, 2000 | +148% |  |
| −63.6% | March 10, 2000 | July 28, 2000 | February 9, 2004 | +1.9% | dot-com bust |
| −61.2% | June 17, 1991 | February 19, 1992 | March 2, 1994 | — |  |
| −60.4% | October 5, 1987 | October 27, 1987 | February 7, 1989 | — |  |

### How did ADSK do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far ADSK, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- ADSK fell further than the S&P 500 in eight of the ten crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2015 China and oil sell-off, when ADSK fell 34.7% and the S&P 500 fell 12.8%.
- Among its popular alternatives, BSY held up best, falling less than ADSK in all two crashes they both traded through.

| Crash | Dates | ADSK fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | −63.6% | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −76.9% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −1.6% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −36.9% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −34.7% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.9% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −24.2% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −35.5% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −40.9% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −5.1% | −3.4% |

### How closely does ADSK move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- 14 of the 17 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than ADSK's 0.73, led by NVDA, TT and CDNS.
- TT took just 69% of the S&P 500's losses, against 179% for ADSK, while still keeping 115% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, ADSK captured 130% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 179% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.34. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ADSK: Autodesk, Inc. (this page) | 130% | 179% | 1.34 |
| PTC: PTC Inc. | 105% | 127% | 1.12 |
| [NOW](https://easycompare.io/research/now): ServiceNow, Inc. | 114% | 79.0% | 0.97 |
| MANH: Manhattan Associates, Inc. | 129% | 166% | 1.44 |
| [NEM](https://easycompare.io/research/nem): Newmont Corporation | 68.0% | 45.0% | 0.39 |
| [NVDA](https://easycompare.io/research/nvda): NVIDIA Corporation | 248% | 140% | 1.83 |
| J: Jacobs Solutions Inc. | 82.0% | 78.0% | 0.79 |
| [SAP](https://easycompare.io/research/sap): SAP SE | 112% | 152% | 1.10 |
| [SNPS](https://easycompare.io/research/snps): Synopsys, Inc. | 124% | 108% | 1.17 |
| [CDNS](https://easycompare.io/research/cdns): Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | 132% | 83.0% | 1.09 |
| [TT](https://easycompare.io/research/tt): Trane Technologies plc | 115% | 69.0% | 1.10 |
| [ORCL](https://easycompare.io/research/orcl): Oracle Corporation | 131% | 159% | 1.30 |
| [CRM](https://easycompare.io/research/crm): Salesforce, Inc. | 115% | 143% | 1.16 |
| TRMB: Trimble Inc. | 121% | 187% | 1.46 |
| ACM: Aecom | 82.0% | 111% | 1.24 |
| [ACN](https://easycompare.io/research/acn): Accenture plc | 117% | 186% | 1.12 |
| TYL: Tyler Technologies, Inc. | 65.0% | 87.0% | 0.75 |
| [ADBE](https://easycompare.io/research/adbe): Adobe Inc. | 123% | 184% | 1.24 |

### What diversifies ADSK?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in ADSK into GLD would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 18% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (-6.0% for ADSK alone, -0.5% for the mix).
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and EMLP have moved largely independently of ADSK over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.40 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.
- Among large stocks, CAH, CLS and FIX have moved largely independently of ADSK over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.25 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with ADSK | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in ADSK's 8 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.34 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 2 of 8 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.26 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 2 of 8 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.40 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 2 of 8 |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.42 | +83.3% | 13.0% | 1.00 | 2 of 8 |
| [SMH](https://easycompare.io/research/smh): VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.24 | +323% | 36.9% | 0.97 | 2 of 8 |
| DBEF: Xtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF | 0.44 | +85.0% | 13.8% | 0.96 | 1 of 8 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.12 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 3 of 8 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.38 | +136% | 20.8% | 0.93 | 1 of 8 |

## Common questions

### What was ADSK's worst drawdown?

ADSK's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 76.9%, from December 2007 to March 2009. It took about five years from the low to climb back to its old high.

### What were ADSK's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, ADSK's best year was 2004, when it returned 210%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -60.5%.

### Is there a better investment than ADSK?

Among ADSK's popular alternatives, J, SAP and TT earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. J returned 5.3% a year at 26.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, MSFT (software) and ADI (semiconductors) earned more than ADSK with less volatility over the past 5 years. MSFT returned 12.5% a year at 28.2% volatility, against a loss of 3.8% a year at 36.4%.

### Is ADSK more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. ADSK's volatility over the past 5 years was 36.4%, 2.1 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, ADSK's return lands within 36.4% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is ADSK's Sharpe ratio?

ADSK's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.07, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so ADSK earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is ADSK with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, ADSK's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.60 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against ADSK instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a ADSK holding.

### What are the best alternatives to ADSK?

Of the 20 popular alternatives we compared, eight outperformed ADSK in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: PTC, NOW and MANH.

### Did ADSK outperform the S&P 500?

ADSK finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 16 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +0.1%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did ADSK do in stock market crashes?

ADSK fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in eight. The clearest case was the 2015 China and oil sell-off, when ADSK fell 34.7% and the S&P 500 fell 12.8%.

### What diversifies ADSK?

These had a low correlation with ADSK over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.34), DXJ (correlation 0.26) and EMLP (correlation 0.40); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.13), CLS (correlation 0.25) and FIX (correlation 0.20). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/adsk
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against ADSK live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=ADSK&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research