Benchmark research · Tesla
ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed TSLA (Tesla)
Any investment can look great over a single hand-picked timeframe. To find what truly kept ahead of TSLA (Tesla, Inc.), we screened TSLA against the entire market of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs across 8 different time windows from 1 month to 10 years, including reinvested dividends. A contender had to come out ahead in both the short term and the long term to make the list. Data as of October 20, 2026.
Compare the entire market against TSLA live →Key findings
- How hard it was to top TSLA: Across a screen of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs, 270 of 958 eligible ETFs and 413 of 1,501 eligible stocks outperformed TSLA under the consistency rule, each representing 28% of their eligible group. None of the ETFs were all-weather, while 6 stocks outperformed in every long-term timeframe and all but one short-term timeframe.
- Who came out ahead across the three groups:
- Popular alternatives: NVDA was an all-weather standout, outpacing TSLA in 4 of 5 short-term and 3 of 3 long-term timeframes. AAPL, AMZN, VGT, XLK, QQQ, SPY, and GM also cleared the bar, while MSFT and ARKK fell short with only 1 of 3 long-term timeframes outperformed. No same-index funds were excluded.
- Top ETFs: Broad-market funds led the displayed group, accounting for 11 of the top ETFs. BNO, CRAK, WTV, and FNDX were among the standouts, with each outperforming in 5 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- Top stocks: 413 stocks met the consistency rule. The displayed leaders included NTRA from healthcare and NVDA, AMD, and MU from technology, all of which outperformed in 3 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- The risk trade-off: Over 5 years, all 15 top ETFs had lower volatility than TSLA and higher Sharpe ratios, a measure of return relative to risk. Among the top 10 stocks, 8 had lower volatility and 9 had higher Sharpe ratios than TSLA. The typical stock's volatility was similar to the benchmark's, while the typical ETF's was lower.
How popular alternatives compare
Well-known funds and stocks investors often compare against TSLA, sorted by long-term periods outperformed, then short-term.
| Investment | Periods outperformed | Short term | Long term | Risk · 5 years | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatilitylower is calmer | Sharpe ratiohigher is better | ||
| TSLA Tesla, Inc. (benchmark) | — | −0.4% | +1.1% | −4.8% | −14.7% | −16.5% | +76.3% | +29.5% | +2,716% | 60.0% | 0.39 |
| NVDA Made the listNVIDIA Corporation | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −4.8% | +6.6% | +7.4% | +14.9% | +18.8% | +425% | +884% | +13,019% | 51.9%0.9× TSLA | 1.14 |
| AAPL Made the listApple Inc. | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.2% | +4.0% | +24.6% | +25.6% | +29.9% | +99.0% | +133% | +1,168% | 28.0%0.5× TSLA | 0.75 |
| AMZN Made the listAmazon.com, Inc. | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.6% | +5.1% | +5.8% | +16.0% | +21.3% | +110% | +53.8% | +548% | 36.6%0.6× TSLA | 0.42 |
| VGT Made the listVanguard Information Technology ETF | 4/5 short2/3 long | −4.2% | +6.3% | +19.1% | +27.6% | +26.7% | +138% | +133% | +779% | 26.0%0.4× TSLA | 0.78 |
| XLK Made the listState Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 4/5 short2/3 long | −4.8% | +5.7% | +20.3% | +29.0% | +29.3% | +131% | +143% | +767% | 26.0%0.4× TSLA | 0.82 |
| QQQ Made the listInvesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | 4/5 short2/3 long | −3.2% | +3.2% | +11.2% | +17.4% | +17.9% | +106% | +97.2% | +553% | 23.0%0.4× TSLA | 0.71 |
| SPY Made the listState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 4/5 short2/3 long | −0.6% | +3.9% | +9.1% | +13.5% | +15.8% | +89.3% | +81.7% | +321% | 17.1%0.3× TSLA | 0.79 |
| GM Made the listGeneral Motors Company | 4/5 short2/3 long | −8.2% | +1.9% | −3.9% | −4.2% | +34.0% | +168% | +39.5% | +193% | 36.7%0.6× TSLA | 0.36 |
| MSFT Fell shortMicrosoft Corporation | 5/5 short1/3 long | +6.0% | +32.5% | +27.7% | +13.2% | +3.8% | +66.6% | +80.3% | +946% | 28.2%0.5× TSLA | 0.56 |
| ARKK Fell shortARK Innovation ETF | 4/5 short1/3 long | −8.0% | +11.3% | +5.2% | +6.5% | −7.3% | +132% | −28.5% | +340% | 46.8%0.8× TSLA | 0.09 |
| XLY Fell shortState Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF | 4/5 short0/3 long | +2.9% | +1.0% | −3.2% | −1.8% | −1.4% | +56.1% | +26.4% | +224% | 24.1%0.4× TSLA | 0.32 |
| F Fell shortFord Motor Company | 3/5 short0/3 long | −7.8% | −12.2% | −3.5% | −5.9% | +6.0% | +25.9% | +3.0% | +71.8% | 39.2%0.7× TSLA | 0.21 |
| PYPL Fell shortPayPal Holdings, Inc. | 3/5 short0/3 long | +8.6% | +0.8% | +11.7% | −0.9% | −16.5% | +8.2% | −77.6% | +44.1% | 43.3%0.7× TSLA | -0.47 |
| RIVN Fell shortRivian Automotive, Inc. | 1/5 short0/3 long | −19.1% | −27.9% | −26.5% | −36.0% | −5.0% | −25.7% | — | — | — | — |
ETFs that consistently outperformed TSLA
Top 15 by long-term periods outperformed, then short-term, then by 10Y return. Green cells outperformed TSLA in that period. Excludes leveraged and inverse funds, ETFs under $100M in assets, stocks under $2.0B in market cap, and anything without 10 years of history.
| # | Investment | Periods outperformed | Short term | Long term | Risk · 5 years | Fund | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatilitylower is calmer | Sharpe ratiohigher is better | Expense | Assets | |||
| — | TSLA Tesla, Inc. (benchmark) | — | −0.4% | +1.1% | −4.8% | −14.7% | −16.5% | +76.3% | +29.5% | +2,716% | 60.0% | 0.39 | ||
| 1 | BNO CommoditiesUnited States Brent Oil Fund LP | 5/5 short2/3 long | +13.6% | +35.6% | +40.9% | +137% | +141% | +108% | +196% | +348% | 37.1%0.6× TSLA | 0.77 | 1.15% | $768M |
| 2 | CRAK EnergyVanEck Oil Refiners ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.6% | +20.3% | +41.5% | +73.9% | +81.5% | +121% | +146% | +336% | 20.9%0.3× TSLA | 0.97 | 0.61% | $810M |
| 3 | WTV Broad MarketWisdomTree U.S. Value Fund | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.7% | +2.6% | +8.9% | +15.2% | +19.6% | +87.8% | +87.6% | +303% | 17.0%0.3× TSLA | 0.83 | 0.12% | $3.2B |
| 4 | FNDX Broad MarketSchwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.6% | +4.7% | +11.9% | +20.5% | +25.4% | +88.2% | +88.6% | +291% | 14.9%0.2× TSLA | 0.93 | 0.25% | $28B |
| 5 | FVAL Broad MarketFidelity Value Factor ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.3% | +4.8% | +11.3% | +15.4% | +21.0% | +85.9% | +79.4% | +291% | 16.4%0.3× TSLA | 0.80 | 0.15% | $1.4B |
| 6 | FQAL Broad MarketFidelity Quality Factor ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.6% | +4.4% | +9.5% | +13.3% | +15.1% | +80.4% | +73.1% | +291% | 16.2%0.3× TSLA | 0.76 | 0.15% | $1.4B |
| 7 | RWL Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +2.4% | +4.5% | +11.7% | +18.4% | +22.9% | +84.0% | +90.2% | +287% | 14.4%0.2× TSLA | 0.97 | 0.39% | $10B |
| 8 | FNDB Broad MarketSchwab Fundamental U.S. Broad Market Index ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.3% | +3.9% | +10.8% | +19.7% | +24.5% | +85.8% | +84.4% | +284% | 15.1%0.3× TSLA | 0.89 | 0.25% | $1.5B |
| 9 | VLU Broad MarketState Street SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.9% | +3.2% | +8.5% | +17.9% | +22.7% | +85.1% | +79.7% | +275% | 15.2%0.3× TSLA | 0.85 | 0.12% | $781M |
| 10 | PRF Broad MarketInvesco RAFI US 1000 ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.2% | +4.2% | +11.7% | +20.2% | +25.5% | +90.1% | +84.3% | +270% | 15.0%0.2× TSLA | 0.90 | 0.34% | $10B |
| 11 | DBE AlternativesInvesco DB Energy Fund | 5/5 short2/3 long | +8.4% | +28.7% | +39.3% | +126% | +126% | +91.6% | +144% | +264% | 30.6%0.5× TSLA | 0.74 | 0.79% | $132M |
| 12 | BBP HealthcareVirtus Biotech ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +0.6% | +9.8% | +21.3% | +32.8% | +44.2% | +125% | +110% | +249% | 26.8%0.4× TSLA | 0.69 | 0.34% | $126M |
| 13 | MGV Broad MarketVanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Value ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.2% | +3.8% | +11.5% | +18.5% | +22.6% | +78.6% | +81.0% | +244% | 13.4%0.2× TSLA | 0.95 | 0.05% | $14B |
| 14 | ROUS Broad MarketHartford Multifactor US Equity ETF | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.6% | +4.4% | +9.5% | +18.9% | +21.1% | +81.7% | +78.6% | +238% | 14.4%0.2× TSLA | 0.88 | 0.19% | $780M |
| 15 | FEX Broad MarketFirst Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund | 5/5 short2/3 long | +1.2% | +1.7% | +5.5% | +14.7% | +18.5% | +80.2% | +61.7% | +237% | 16.5%0.3× TSLA | 0.67 | 0.57% | $1.6B |
Stocks that consistently outperformed TSLA
Top 10 by long-term periods outperformed, then short-term, then by 10Y return. Individual stocks swing far more than funds; check the volatility column.
| # | Investment | Periods outperformed | Short term | Long term | Risk · 5 years | Company | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatilitylower is calmer | Sharpe ratiohigher is better | Market cap | |||
| — | TSLA Tesla, Inc. (benchmark) | — | −0.4% | +1.1% | −4.8% | −14.7% | −16.5% | +76.3% | +29.5% | +2,716% | 60.0% | 0.39 | |
| 1 | NTRA Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchNatera, Inc. | 5/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | +9.5% | +54.6% | +95.4% | +77.4% | +115% | +896% | +261% | +3,841% | 57.6%1.0× TSLA | 0.74 | $59B |
| 2 | NVDA SemiconductorsNVIDIA Corporation | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −4.8% | +6.6% | +7.4% | +14.9% | +18.8% | +425% | +884% | +13,019% | 51.9%0.9× TSLA | 1.14 | $5.2T |
| 3 | AMD SemiconductorsAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc. | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −13.1% | +6.2% | +94.5% | +139% | +122% | +425% | +359% | +7,583% | 57.6%1.0× TSLA | 0.82 | $873B |
| 4 | MU SemiconductorsMicron Technology, Inc. | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −14.2% | +3.6% | +99.9% | +184% | +334% | +1,246% | +1,244% | +5,243% | 57.1%1.0× TSLA | 1.20 | $1.0T |
| 5 | DELL Computer HardwareDell Technologies Inc. | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −19.6% | +21.3% | +127% | +265% | +217% | +636% | +800% | +3,701% | 54.4%0.9× TSLA | 1.08 | $294B |
| 6 | ANET Computer HardwareArista Networks, Inc. | 4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | −11.8% | +7.0% | +8.6% | +35.6% | +23.7% | +289% | +634% | +3,439% | 49.0%0.8× TSLA | 1.06 | $229B |
| 7 | LRCX SemiconductorsLam Research Corporation | 3/5 short3/3 long | −12.8% | −14.0% | +0.3% | +42.8% | +83.7% | +350% | +390% | +2,989% | 49.9%0.8× TSLA | 0.89 | $330B |
| 8 | SHOP Software - ApplicationShopify Inc. | 5/5 short2/3 long | +25.8% | +39.4% | +28.4% | +10.4% | +5.3% | +239% | +16.6% | +3,916% | 66.9%1.1× TSLA | 0.38 | $225B |
| 9 | LLY Drug Manufacturers - GeneralEli Lilly and Company | 5/5 short2/3 long | +10.2% | +12.1% | +40.0% | +19.4% | +59.7% | +124% | +451% | +1,807% | 32.8%0.5× TSLA | 1.21 | $1.2T |
| 10 | CORT Medical - PharmaceuticalsCorcept Therapeutics Incorporated | 5/5 short2/3 long | +2.4% | +27.2% | +151% | +205% | +48.2% | +317% | +498% | +1,593% | 75.9%1.3× TSLA | 0.81 | $13B |
What stands out
The leading stocks were concentrated in technology, especially semiconductors and computer hardware. NVDA, AMD, and MU kept ahead of TSLA in every long-term timeframe, while NTRA also did so from healthcare. The ETF leaders were more varied, but broad-market funds made up most of the displayed group. None of the ETFs met the all-weather test, so their strong short-term records did not always carry through across every long-term window.
The risk figures show a different kind of trade-off for stocks and ETFs. The top ETFs had much lower median volatility than TSLA over 5 years, and every one had a higher Sharpe ratio. The top stocks had median volatility similar to TSLA, but most had higher Sharpe ratios. These figures suggest that many stock leaders delivered stronger returns relative to their risk, though their price swings were generally less consistently subdued than those of the ETF leaders.
Methodology
- Short-term periods: 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y. Long-term periods: 3Y, 5Y, 10Y. An investment outperformed a period when its total return, with dividends reinvested, was higher than TSLA's. Returns within 0.5 points or 3% of TSLA's (whichever is larger) count as a tie and are shown in gray.
- Consistent means outperforming in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods, so a recent hot streak alone is not enough. All-weather means outperforming in every long-term period and all but one short-term period. Rankings use long-term periods outperformed, then short-term, then the 10Y return.
- Excludes leveraged and inverse funds, ETFs under $100M in assets, stocks under $2.0B in market cap, and anything without 10 years of history.
- Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily returns over 5 years. The Sharpe ratio is return above cash divided by volatility over the same period: higher means more return per unit of risk.
- Returns and risk figures are computed from daily adjusted prices and update with each market day. Past performance does not predict future results.