# ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed DIA (Dow Jones Industrial Average)

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

DIA (State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust) screened against the entire market of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs over 8 periods from 1 month to 10 years, with dividends reinvested. To make the list, an investment had to outperform DIA in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods. "All-weather" means outperforming in every long-term period and all but one short-term period. Returns in the tables are total returns over each period; volatility and Sharpe ratio cover 5 years.

## Key findings

- How hard it was to top DIA: Out of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs screened, 173 of 957 eligible ETFs (18%) and 313 of 1,502 eligible stocks (21%) outperformed in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term periods. A smaller group kept ahead in all but one short-term period and every long-term period: 73 ETFs and 124 stocks.
- Who came out ahead across the three groups:
  - Popular alternatives: XLK, QQQ, VOO, and VTI all qualified, with each outperforming in 4 of 5 short-term and 3 of 3 long-term periods. MSFT also qualified, while GS and JPM fell short because their short-term scores were below the required majority. SCHD outperformed in 5 of 5 short-term periods but 0 of 3 long-term periods, so it did not qualify. No same-index funds were excluded.
  - Top ETFs: Broad-market and technology funds were the largest categories among the top ETFs, with 5 in each group. BNO, CRAK, FNDX, and DGRO each outperformed in all 5 short-term and all 3 long-term periods.
  - Top stocks: 313 stocks qualified, and the top stocks shown include healthcare names NTRA, LLY, and CORT, along with energy companies CVI and MPC. These examples outperformed in all 5 short-term and all 3 long-term periods.
- The risk trade-off: Over 5 years, the top ETFs had median volatility of 26.0%, much higher than DIA's 14.8%, while the top stocks' median volatility was 42.4%, roughly double or more. Still, 14 of 15 top ETFs and 9 of 10 top stocks had higher Sharpe ratios than DIA, meaning most delivered more return per unit of risk over that period.

## How popular alternatives compare

| Investment | Status | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DIA: State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (benchmark) |  |  | +0.9% | +1.6% | +6.8% | +9.6% | +13.9% | +66.1% | +60.6% | +250% | 14.8% | 0.72 |
| [XLK](https://easycompare.io/research/xlk): State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.8% | +5.7% | +20.3% | +29.0% | +29.3% | +131% | +143% | +767% | 26.0% | 0.82 |
| [QQQ](https://easycompare.io/research/qqq): Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −3.2% | +3.2% | +11.2% | +17.4% | +17.9% | +106% | +97.2% | +553% | 23.0% | 0.71 |
| [VOO](https://easycompare.io/research/voo): Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.6% | +3.9% | +9.1% | +13.5% | +15.8% | +89.7% | +82.3% | +324% | 16.9% | 0.80 |
| [IVV](https://easycompare.io/research/ivv): iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.6% | +3.9% | +9.1% | +13.5% | +15.8% | +89.7% | +82.3% | +324% | 17.0% | 0.80 |
| [SPY](https://easycompare.io/research/spy): State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.6% | +3.9% | +9.1% | +13.5% | +15.8% | +89.3% | +81.7% | +321% | 17.1% | 0.79 |
| [VTI](https://easycompare.io/research/vti): Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.8% | +3.2% | +8.3% | +13.1% | +15.2% | +87.9% | +72.6% | +302% | 17.5% | 0.71 |
| [GS](https://easycompare.io/research/gs): The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | Fell short | 1/5 short, 3/3 long | −7.8% | −15.7% | −5.2% | −1.8% | +18.2% | +215% | +145% | +521% | 28.6% | 0.77 |
| [JPM](https://easycompare.io/research/jpm): JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Fell short | 0/5 short, 3/3 long | −4.3% | −0.6% | +6.8% | +5.0% | +13.0% | +150% | +122% | +537% | 24.3% | 0.78 |
| [MSFT](https://easycompare.io/research/msft): Microsoft Corporation | Made the list | 4/5 short, 2/3 long | +6.0% | +32.5% | +27.7% | +13.2% | +3.8% | +66.6% | +80.3% | +946% | 28.2% | 0.56 |
| [VYM](https://easycompare.io/research/vym): Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | Fell short | 2/5 short, 2/3 long | +1.1% | +1.7% | +5.1% | +13.3% | +16.9% | +72.8% | +71.1% | +208% | 13.8% | 0.85 |
| XLI: State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 2/3 long | −1.9% | −6.1% | −3.6% | +6.4% | +9.9% | +76.2% | +72.5% | +246% | 17.6% | 0.71 |
| [IWM](https://easycompare.io/research/iwm): iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Fell short | 1/5 short, 1/3 long | −3.4% | −5.4% | −0.1% | +11.6% | +12.3% | +71.3% | +29.0% | +158% | 22.4% | 0.34 |
| [SCHD](https://easycompare.io/research/schd): Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | Fell short | 5/5 short, 0/3 long | +3.7% | +6.8% | +13.6% | +28.2% | +33.0% | +67.5% | +59.1% | +252% | 14.3% | 0.72 |
| [UNH](https://easycompare.io/research/unh): UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | Fell short | 4/5 short, 0/3 long | +11.0% | +0.1% | +31.2% | +27.1% | +18.1% | −15.3% | +5.5% | +241% | 32.1% | 0.20 |
| [PG](https://easycompare.io/research/pg): The Procter & Gamble Company | Fell short | 4/5 short, 0/3 long | +9.1% | +7.7% | +12.0% | +14.9% | +8.0% | +15.8% | +28.3% | +145% | 18.3% | 0.37 |
| [RSP](https://easycompare.io/research/rsp): Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF | Fell short | 3/5 short, 0/3 long | +1.5% | +2.0% | +6.7% | +13.3% | +15.5% | +65.4% | +48.6% | +211% | 16.1% | 0.57 |

## ETFs that consistently outperformed DIA

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Expense | Assets |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DIA: State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (benchmark) |  | +0.9% | +1.6% | +6.8% | +9.6% | +13.9% | +66.1% | +60.6% | +250% | 14.8% | 0.72 |  |  |
| BNO: United States Brent Oil Fund LP | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +13.6% | +35.6% | +40.9% | +137% | +141% | +108% | +196% | +348% | 37.1% | 0.77 | 1.15% | $768M |
| CRAK: VanEck Oil Refiners ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +1.6% | +20.3% | +41.5% | +73.9% | +81.5% | +121% | +146% | +336% | 20.9% | 0.97 | 0.61% | $810M |
| FNDX: Schwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +1.6% | +4.7% | +11.9% | +20.5% | +25.4% | +88.2% | +88.6% | +291% | 14.9% | 0.93 | 0.25% | $28B |
| RWL: Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +2.4% | +4.5% | +11.7% | +18.4% | +22.9% | +84.0% | +90.2% | +287% | 14.4% | 0.97 | 0.39% | $10B |
| QUS: State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +1.8% | +5.1% | +9.5% | +13.4% | +15.9% | +71.9% | +69.3% | +273% | 14.2% | 0.81 | 0.15% | $1.6B |
| [DGRO](https://easycompare.io/research/dgro): iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +2.8% | +3.9% | +9.4% | +15.1% | +18.1% | +74.2% | +68.0% | +267% | 13.7% | 0.83 | 0.08% | $44B |
| DBE: Invesco DB Energy Fund | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +8.4% | +28.7% | +39.3% | +126% | +126% | +91.6% | +144% | +264% | 30.6% | 0.74 | 0.79% | $132M |
| IYW: iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +5.6% | +20.4% | +26.8% | +27.0% | +143% | +138% | +805% | 26.6% | 0.79 | 0.37% | $24B |
| [VGT](https://easycompare.io/research/vgt): Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +6.3% | +19.1% | +27.6% | +26.7% | +138% | +133% | +779% | 26.0% | 0.78 | 0.09% | $178B |
| [XLK](https://easycompare.io/research/xlk): State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.8% | +5.7% | +20.3% | +29.0% | +29.3% | +131% | +143% | +767% | 26.0% | 0.82 | 0.08% | $125B |
| FTEC: Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +6.3% | +19.1% | +27.6% | +27.0% | +139% | +135% | +763% | 26.1% | 0.79 | 0.08% | $22B |
| XNTK: State Street SPDR NYSE Technology ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −6.7% | +3.7% | +18.9% | +27.2% | +26.2% | +168% | +119% | +728% | 29.3% | 0.68 | 0.35% | $2.0B |
| IXN: iShares Global Tech ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −6.2% | +4.4% | +19.3% | +31.2% | +32.0% | +145% | +141% | +720% | 26.2% | 0.81 | 0.37% | $9.1B |
| IGM: iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −5.1% | +4.5% | +16.2% | +24.4% | +24.3% | +156% | +130% | +720% | 26.5% | 0.76 | 0.37% | $11B |
| RSPT: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −2.8% | +8.4% | +24.4% | +41.0% | +42.9% | +141% | +119% | +572% | 25.1% | 0.75 | 0.40% | $6.1B |

## Stocks that consistently outperformed DIA

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Market cap |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DIA: State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (benchmark) |  | +0.9% | +1.6% | +6.8% | +9.6% | +13.9% | +66.1% | +60.6% | +250% | 14.8% | 0.72 |  |
| [NTRA](https://easycompare.io/research/ntra): Natera, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +9.5% | +54.6% | +95.4% | +77.4% | +115% | +896% | +261% | +3,841% | 57.6% | 0.74 | $59B |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +10.2% | +12.1% | +40.0% | +19.4% | +59.7% | +124% | +451% | +1,807% | 32.8% | 1.21 | $1.2T |
| CORT: Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +2.4% | +27.2% | +151% | +205% | +48.2% | +317% | +498% | +1,593% | 75.9% | 0.81 | $13B |
| COKE: Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +12.3% | +17.3% | +14.9% | +42.9% | +61.7% | +255% | +461% | +1,569% | 38.0% | 1.10 | $14B |
| CVI: CVR Energy, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +16.4% | +79.1% | +106% | +147% | +78.5% | +115% | +304% | +1,424% | 52.3% | 0.80 | $6.2B |
| [MPC](https://easycompare.io/research/mpc): Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +18.1% | +51.1% | +123% | +191% | +159% | +234% | +690% | +1,387% | 33.4% | 1.41 | $133B |
| WSM: Williams-Sonoma, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +12.2% | +14.1% | +26.5% | +37.0% | +35.6% | +238% | +199% | +1,268% | 44.4% | 0.71 | $30B |
| HALO: Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +11.6% | +61.3% | +78.8% | +76.9% | +87.1% | +254% | +226% | +1,196% | 40.4% | 0.79 | $14B |
| ANF: Abercrombie & Fitch Co. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +18.3% | +71.3% | +66.3% | +30.7% | +143% | +166% | +328% | +1,117% | 62.9% | 0.77 | $6.9B |
| [VLO](https://easycompare.io/research/vlo): Valero Energy Corporation | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +10.2% | +38.9% | +93.2% | +166% | +176% | +259% | +524% | +1,061% | 36.9% | 1.18 | $125B |

## What stands out

The leading ETFs span broad-market and technology strategies, while the standout stocks include several healthcare and energy companies. The consistency rule requires outperformance across both short- and long-term periods, so these leaders' records were not limited to recent results. Still, the table shows only the top 15 ETFs and top 10 stocks, not the full set of qualifiers.

The risk figures show that higher returns came with a bumpier ride, especially among individual stocks. Over 5 years, the median volatility for the top stocks was 42.4%, compared with 14.8% for DIA. Yet most of the top ETFs and stocks had higher Sharpe ratios, a measure of risk-adjusted performance, suggesting their added volatility was accompanied by stronger returns relative to risk.

## More research

- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed SPY (S&P 500)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-spy)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed VOO (S&P 500)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-voo)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed VTI (Total US Stock Market)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-vti)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed QQQ (Nasdaq-100)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-qqq)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed IWM (Russell 2000 Small Caps)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-iwm)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed VXUS (International Stocks)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-vxus)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed NVDA (Nvidia)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-nvda)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed AAPL (Apple)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-aapl)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed MSFT (Microsoft)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-msft)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed AMZN (Amazon)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-amzn)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed GOOG (Alphabet)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-goog)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed META (Meta Platforms)](https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-meta)

## Explore further

- Full page: https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-dia
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt