Relative Intelligence · Exploration & Production

How Diamondback Energy (FANG) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives
Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on FANG alone. It places FANG (Diamondback Energy, 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 FANG stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.
Period covered: FANG's full trading record, from October 2012 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.
Data as of October 20, 2026. Full tables and charts read best on a larger screen.
On this page12 sections
Key findings
- Right nowNot every peer went the same way. Over the past 6 months, COP (ConocoPhillips) rose 27.1% and CRC (California Resources) fell 11.5%. After a 42.1% loss from July 2024 to April 2025, FANG has bounced 65.3% off the low. Consistency ↓
- Stock or market?FANG lagged its own industry over the past 3 months, rising 4.2% while the exploration & production ETF XOP (State Street SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF) rose 18.1%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. Its exploration & production peers did not move as one over the past 3 months: COP (ConocoPhillips) rose 27.0%, while MGY (Magnolia Oil & Gas) rose 0.4%.
- Past 1 to 3 yearsOver the past year, FANG rose 46.8% against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. Even so, the last two calendar years both went the same way: FANG fell 5.6% in 2025, against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. By year ↓
- Long termFANG turned $10,000 into $26,000 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500. Even so, the past 5 years have been the better stretch: FANG rose 125% against 81.7% for the S&P 500, after trailing over the decade. Growth of $10,000 ↓
- In a crashAcross four sell-offs, FANG has typically fallen about twice as far as the S&P 500. The Covid crash took 80.2% off FANG, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. That was more than COP (ConocoPhillips, 61.8%) but less than PR (Permian Resources, 90.1%). Crash tests ↓
- DiversificationAgainst the S&P 500, FANG has a correlation of 0.28 over 5 years, less closely than 74% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Next to an index fund it is a real diversifier. FANG moves far less with the S&P 500 than it used to, with a correlation of 0.28 over the past 5 years against 0.66 in the 5 years before. Market capture ↓
- Better options
- Popular alternatives
- MPC (Marathon Petroleum) earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years: 51.2% a year at 33.4% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%.
- Nearby categories and themes
- XOM (Exxonmobil, integrated oil & gas) and CVX (Chevron, integrated oil & gas) earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years. XOM returned 27.1% a year at 26.5% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%.
- Whole market
- 177 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them GOOG (Alphabet), LLY (Eli Lilly and Company) and WMT (Walmart).
How much would $10,000 in FANG have grown?
This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in FANG over the past 13 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of FANG over the same span and FANG's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period. A second view covers the past 5 years, the period the better options further down the page are judged on. It shows not only where each investment ended up but also how smooth or uneven the path was.
Note: FANG began trading on October 12, 2012, so the chart cannot reach back to the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs. It covers the most recent 13 years of FANG's record, starting at the end of September 2013.
- $10,000 invested in FANG at the end of September 2013 would have grown to $56,695 by September 2026, about the same as the $56,474 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Five of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of FANG, and LLY finished highest, at $293,821.
Choose a period
From the end of September 2013 to the end of September 2026. The scale is logarithmic, so equal steps up the chart are equal percentage gains. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 426 of the 2,311 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of FANG; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.
- LLY$293,821+2,838% total · +29.7% a year
- MPC$178,765+1,688% total · +24.8% a year
- XLK$143,096+1,331% total · +22.7% a year
- PSX$69,438+594% total · +16.1% a year
- CAH$59,308+493% total · +14.7% a year
- FANG$56,695+467% total · +14.3% a year
- SPY (S&P 500)$56,474+465% total · +14.2% a year
- COP$27,682+177% total · +8.1% a year
- EPD$27,457+175% total · +8.1% a year
- REPX$10,395+4.0% total · +0.3% a year
From the end of September 2021 to the end of September 2026. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 552 of the 3,628 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of FANG; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.
- MPC$71,516+615% total · +48.2% a year
- PR$36,604+266% total · +29.6% a year
- XOM$32,965+230% total · +26.9% a year
- VNOM$24,994+150% total · +20.1% a year
- CVX$24,595+146% total · +19.7% a year
- FANG$23,999+140% total · +19.1% a year
- EPD$23,444+134% total · +18.6% a year
- COP$22,182+122% total · +17.3% a year
- REPX$21,791+118% total · +16.9% a year
- SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
FANG 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. These figures serve as the baseline for every comparison that follows.
Note: FANG began trading on October 12, 2012, so every figure here, including its worst decline, covers only the time since then. None of them reflect the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs.
- FANG's deepest decline since it began trading in 2012 was 88.7%, from October 2018 to March 2020. It took 23 months from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 13 full calendar years, FANG's best was 2013, when it returned 177%, and its worst was 2020, when it lost 46.0%. It lost money in three of those years.
- FANG is 4.3% below its all-time high.
The company
- Market value
- $57B
- Industry
- Oil & Gas Exploration & Production
- Price history from
- October 2012
Returns
- Past 1 year
- +46.8%total return
- Past 3 years
- +35.7%+10.7% a year
- Past 5 years
- +125%+17.6% a year
- Past 10 years
- +160%+10.0% a year
- Best calendar year
- +177%2013
- Worst calendar year
- −46.0%2020
- Losing years
- 3 of 13full calendar years
Risk
- Volatility
- 36.6%typical yearly swing, 5 years
- Sharpe ratio
- 0.63return per unit of risk, 5 years
- Worst decline ever
- −88.7%Oct 2018 to Mar 2020
- From its all-time high
- −4.3%below the peak
FANG against the whole market
Where FANG ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.
How does FANG rank among all stocks?
This section ranks FANG on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history. Where the comparisons with its popular alternatives show how FANG stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.
- FANG's worst decline of the past 10 years ranks in the bottom 13% of the 2,187 stocks worth at least $300 million, where the top fell the least.
- FANG's 1-year return ranks in the top 18% of the 3,287 stocks worth at least $300 million with 1 year of history.
Ranked against U.S.-listed stocks worth at least $300M that have enough history for each measure, so the count changes from row to row; smaller stocks are left out. Lower volatility and smaller declines rank higher.
| Measure | FANG | Rank | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +46.8% | 602 of 3,287 | top 18% |
| 3-year return | +35.7% | 1,759 of 3,017 | bottom 43% |
| 5-year return | +125% | 551 of 2,893 | top 19% |
| 10-year return | +160% | 1,026 of 2,202 | top 47% |
| Volatility, 5 years | 36.6% | 1,245 of 2,893 | top 43% |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.63 | 615 of 2,893 | top 21% |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −88.7% | 1,901 of 2,187 | bottom 14% |
What has beaten FANG 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). FANG sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than FANG with smaller swings, a better trade-off over this period on both counts. Past results are no promise, but a name in the box is worth a closer look.
- 150 stocks and 27 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than FANG over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 5% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half FANG's swings, CAH has the best return for its risk: 42.1% a year at 24.7% volatility, 32% less than FANG's 36.6%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.55 against 0.63 for FANG. MPC earned the most, 51.2% a year, while still swinging less than FANG (33.4% against 36.6%).
- Among FANG's popular alternatives, MPC is in the region. MPC earned 51.2% a year against 17.6% a year for FANG, at 33.4% volatility, 9% less than FANG's 36.6%.
Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested, and volatility the annualized swing in daily prices, both over 5 years. Labeled dots are the strongest picks from the table below and the names called out above, colored by how close they sit to FANG; faint dots are 90 more of the 177 in the green region (the strongest, one per fund family). 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million were screened. Hover over a dot for its figures.
- Popular alternatives
- Same and neighboring categories, and shared themes
- The whole market
- Others in the green region
Is there a better investment than FANG?
Investments that beat FANG over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.
- Among FANG's popular alternatives, MPC earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years: 51.2% a year at 33.4% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, XOM (integrated oil & gas) and CVX (integrated oil & gas) earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years. XOM returned 27.1% a year at 26.5% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%.
- Across the whole market, 177 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them GOOG, LLY and WMT.
How this works
The table below lists investments that beat FANG 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. It checks FANG's popular alternatives first, then the rest of its own and neighboring categories, then every stock and fund worth at least $500 million, and shows the strongest few in each group. The full list of those with a higher return and lower volatility than FANG follows the table.
Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested. Annual return, volatility and the Sharpe ratio cover 5 years; the worst decline covers the past 10 years. Green marks a better figure than FANG's. "On the frontier" means no other option shown or tested earned more with less volatility. Funds that hold the same thing are shown once. Beyond the popular alternatives, nothing with more than 1.5× FANG's volatility counts as better.
These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than FANG's.
| Investment | Why it is better | Past 5 years | Downside | Long run | Fit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual return?higher is better | Volatility?lower is calmer | Sharpe?return per unit of risk | Worst decline?past 10 years | 10Y returntotal | Corr. with FANG?lower diversifies more | Expenseper year | |||
| +17.6% | 36.6% | 0.63 | −88.7% | +160% | 1.00 | — | |||
| +12.7% | 17.1% | 0.79 | −33.7% | +321% | 0.28 | 0.09% | |||
| Popular alternativesbest 6 shownThe investments people most often weigh against FANG. 6 of 20 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods | +51.2% | 33.4% | 1.41 | −79.7% | +1,387% | 0.61 | — | ||
| Higher return in most periods | +18.2% | 32.6% | 0.68 | −70.7% | +379% | 0.85 | — | ||
PRPermian Resources Corporation · Exploration & Production | Higher return in most periods | +33.1% | 47.1% | 0.85 | −98.9% | +99.2% | 0.80 | — | |
| Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +16.4% | 17.1% | 0.98 | −58.1% | +178% | 0.64 | — | ||
REPXRiley Exploration Permian, Inc. · Oil & Gas Exploration & Production | Higher return in most periods | +18.4% | 57.5% | 0.58 | −72.4% | +403% | 0.64 | — | |
VNOMViper Energy, Inc. · Oil & Gas | Higher return, similar volatility | +20.8% | 35.4% | 0.71 | −87.0% | +413% | 0.74 | — | |
| Same and neighboring categories, and shared themesbest 6 shownEverything else in Exploration & Production and Oil & Gas and the categories next to it (Oilfield Services, Oil & Gas Midstream, Integrated Oil & Gas), plus FANG's specific themes. 41 of 66 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +27.1% | 26.5% | 1.04 | −61.0% | +214% | 0.76 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +19.5% | 25.2% | 0.84 | −55.8% | +238% | 0.75 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +33.2% | 32.9% | 1.04 | −64.2% | +430% | 0.70 | — | ||
| Similar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +18.0% | 25.8% | 0.78 | −59.6% | +234% | 0.66 | — | ||
| On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods | +51.8% | 37.5% | 1.31 | −71.7% | +768% | 0.52 | — | ||
| Smaller losses in recent crashes | +10.8% | 21.9% | 0.58 | −41.6% | +160% | 0.37 | — | ||
| The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 870 of 3,547 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +42.1% | 24.7% | 1.55 | −46.1% | +349% | 0.06 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | -0.04 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +19.6% | 24.9% | 0.85 | −24.9% | +266% | 0.33 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +19.4% | 26.0% | 0.82 | −33.6% | +767% | 0.03 | 0.08% | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +22.4% | 22.3% | 1.02 | −46.3% | +347% | 0.42 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +22.0% | 28.6% | 0.84 | −61.3% | +544% | 0.35 | — | ||
STLDSteel Dynamics, Inc. · Metals & Mining | Higher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +32.2% | 38.0% | 0.93 | −68.5% | +1,018% | 0.41 | — | |
RSPTInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF · Technology Equity | Similar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periodsSmaller losses in recent crashes | +16.9% | 25.1% | 0.75 | −33.7% | +572% | 0.10 | 0.40% | |
What these numbers mean for FANG
- Annual return
- FANG returned 17.6% a year over the past 5 years with dividends reinvested, against 12.7% a year for the S&P 500. At that pace, $10,000 became about $22,500. Annual return is the steady yearly rate that would produce the same total result, so investments held over the same span compare fairly. Guide: What is performance and return? →
- Volatility
- FANG's volatility over the past 5 years was 36.6%, 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, FANG's return lands within 36.6% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump. Guide: Understanding and measuring risk (volatility) →
- Sharpe ratio
- FANG's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.63, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so FANG 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. Guide: Balancing reward with risk (Sharpe ratio) →
- Worst decline
- FANG's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 88.7%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 88.7% fall takes a 786% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
- Correlation
- Over the past 5 years, FANG's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.28 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They are only loosely linked, which makes it a real diversifier next to an index fund. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against FANG instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a FANG holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →
Show all 177 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than FANG with less volatility
Out of 3,633 tested over 5 years. The strongest 100 are listed, best first, with funds that hold the same thing listed once.
| # | Investment | Found in | Annual return | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline | 10Y return | Corr. with FANG | Expense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole market | +42.1% | 24.7% | 1.55 | −46.1% | +349% | 0.06 | — | |
| 2 | Whole market | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | -0.04 | — | |
| 3 | Whole market | +19.6% | 24.9% | 0.85 | −24.9% | +266% | 0.33 | — | |
| 4 | Whole market | +19.4% | 26.0% | 0.82 | −33.6% | +767% | 0.03 | 0.08% | |
| 5 | Whole market | +22.4% | 22.3% | 1.02 | −46.3% | +347% | 0.42 | — | |
| 6 | Whole market | +22.0% | 28.6% | 0.84 | −61.3% | +544% | 0.35 | — | |
| 7 | Whole market | +19.7% | 23.2% | 0.90 | −48.8% | +292% | 0.08 | — | |
| 8 | Whole market | +22.6% | 25.5% | 0.93 | −66.8% | +189% | 0.86 | 0.08% | |
| 9 | Same or nearby category | +27.1% | 26.5% | 1.04 | −61.0% | +214% | 0.76 | — | |
| 10 | RSReliance Steel & Aluminum Co. · Metals & Mining | Whole market | +24.8% | 28.1% | 0.93 | −40.8% | +626% | 0.35 | — |
| 11 | Same or nearby category | +19.5% | 25.2% | 0.84 | −55.8% | +238% | 0.75 | — | |
| 12 | SNXTD Synnex Corp · Technology Distribution | Whole market | +20.3% | 30.4% | 0.76 | −55.8% | +430% | 0.18 | — |
| 13 | RGAReinsurance Group of America, Incorporated · Insurance | Whole market | +19.7% | 27.3% | 0.80 | −65.8% | +199% | 0.47 | — |
| 14 | Same or nearby category | +33.2% | 32.9% | 1.04 | −64.2% | +430% | 0.70 | — | |
| 15 | RNRRenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. · Insurance | Whole market | +20.1% | 27.8% | 0.80 | −40.7% | +215% | 0.06 | — |
| 16 | NEUNewMarket Corporation · Specialty Chemicals | Whole market | +21.0% | 26.8% | 0.85 | −40.7% | +165% | 0.08 | — |
| 17 | AVTAvnet, Inc. · Technology Distribution | Whole market | +22.1% | 30.7% | 0.81 | −58.4% | +173% | 0.25 | — |
| 18 | NHCNational HealthCare Corporation · Medical - Care Facilities | Whole market | +32.0% | 28.5% | 1.12 | −35.3% | +394% | 0.02 | — |
| 19 | Whole market | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | 0.09 | — | |
| 20 | IXCiShares Global Energy ETF · International | Whole market | +20.7% | 23.2% | 0.93 | −64.2% | +183% | 0.86 | 0.37% |
| 21 | Popular alternative | +51.2% | 33.4% | 1.41 | −79.7% | +1,387% | 0.61 | — | |
| 22 | Whole market | +38.7% | 25.0% | 1.44 | −38.1% | +586% | 0.27 | — | |
| 23 | Whole market | +22.8% | 24.9% | 0.95 | −30.5% | +200% | 0.19 | — | |
| 24 | Whole market | +33.6% | 30.6% | 1.10 | −45.7% | +345% | 0.09 | — | |
| 25 | Whole market | +33.7% | 29.4% | 1.14 | −47.6% | +474% | 0.15 | — | |
| 26 | Whole market | +22.6% | 29.1% | 0.85 | −41.6% | +521% | 0.01 | — | |
| 27 | Whole market | +22.6% | 24.0% | 0.97 | −57.5% | +373% | 0.25 | — | |
| 28 | FBIZFirst Business Financial Services, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +23.1% | 29.4% | 0.85 | −50.2% | +307% | 0.28 | — |
| 29 | ACNBACNB Corporation · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +22.1% | 34.4% | 0.75 | −49.7% | +237% | 0.28 | — |
| 30 | BWFGBankwell Financial Group, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +20.1% | 28.5% | 0.79 | −64.7% | +240% | 0.21 | — |
| 31 | BAPCredicorp Ltd. · Banks | Whole market | +30.8% | 30.3% | 1.04 | −59.2% | +298% | 0.39 | — |
| 32 | Whole market | +20.8% | 22.6% | 0.96 | −25.7% | +508% | 0.05 | — | |
| 33 | SDCIUSCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund · Bonds | Whole market | +20.6% | 18.4% | 1.12 | −45.7% | — | 0.49 | 0.80% |
| 34 | CIBGrupo Cibest S.A. · Banks | Whole market | +32.9% | 32.9% | 1.03 | −70.4% | +345% | 0.35 | — |
| 35 | KOFCoca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. · Food & Beverages | Whole market | +22.3% | 24.7% | 0.94 | −55.1% | +119% | 0.12 | — |
| 36 | Whole market | +19.5% | 34.1% | 0.69 | −33.6% | +652% | 0.10 | — | |
| 37 | IHGInterContinental Hotels Group PLC · Hotels & Resorts | Whole market | +21.4% | 26.6% | 0.86 | −59.3% | +383% | 0.26 | — |
| 38 | UNMUnum Group · Life Insurance | Whole market | +30.6% | 29.3% | 1.06 | −81.0% | +256% | 0.33 | — |
| 39 | Same or nearby category | +21.0% | 24.8% | 0.90 | −67.2% | +233% | 0.73 | — | |
| 40 | MOG-AMoog Inc. · Aerospace & Defense | Whole market | +36.6% | 32.0% | 1.14 | −63.7% | +595% | 0.12 | — |
| 41 | Whole market | +31.1% | 31.9% | 1.01 | −43.4% | +936% | 0.27 | — | |
| 42 | Whole market | +21.0% | 23.4% | 0.94 | −42.9% | +242% | 0.17 | — | |
| 43 | Same or nearby category | +33.1% | 32.5% | 1.05 | −73.5% | +295% | 0.75 | — | |
| 44 | EWTiShares MSCI Taiwan ETF · International Equity | Whole market | +20.4% | 24.2% | 0.89 | −38.9% | +468% | 0.00 | 0.59% |
| 45 | Same or nearby category | +34.3% | 32.0% | 1.09 | −77.1% | +430% | 0.77 | — | |
| 46 | Same or nearby category | +26.5% | 32.5% | 0.89 | −77.5% | +433% | 0.84 | — | |
| 47 | Same or nearby category | +23.0% | 25.6% | 0.94 | −61.4% | +278% | 0.74 | — | |
| 48 | Whole market | +33.8% | 32.2% | 1.07 | −37.5% | +965% | 0.01 | — | |
| 49 | LAURLaureate Education, Inc. · Education Services | Whole market | +37.5% | 32.8% | 1.14 | −64.5% | — | 0.27 | — |
| 50 | Same or nearby category | +23.4% | 30.2% | 0.85 | −57.5% | +616% | 0.41 | — | |
| 51 | Whole market | +19.9% | 22.3% | 0.93 | −42.5% | +361% | 0.27 | — | |
| 52 | ACAArcosa, Inc. · Construction Materials | Whole market | +23.1% | 34.0% | 0.78 | −36.8% | — | 0.23 | — |
| 53 | FLTWFranklin FTSE Taiwan ETF · Technology | Whole market | +21.8% | 24.3% | 0.94 | −38.0% | — | -0.01 | 0.19% |
| 54 | Whole market | +27.4% | 28.8% | 0.99 | −54.7% | +789% | 0.30 | — | |
| 55 | Whole market | +21.3% | 25.6% | 0.89 | −30.3% | +816% | 0.22 | — | |
| 56 | Whole market | +20.4% | 32.1% | 0.74 | −44.5% | +657% | 0.16 | — | |
| 57 | VIRTVirtu Financial, Inc. · Capital Markets | Whole market | +20.8% | 33.8% | 0.73 | −56.2% | +545% | 0.31 | — |
| 58 | Whole market | +24.2% | 22.8% | 1.07 | −32.4% | +406% | 0.28 | — | |
| 59 | Whole market | +26.3% | 24.9% | 1.07 | −41.6% | +654% | 0.28 | — | |
| 60 | DCODucommun Incorporated · Aerospace & Defense | Whole market | +27.5% | 34.5% | 0.88 | −70.8% | +706% | 0.20 | — |
| 61 | Whole market | +19.0% | 20.8% | 0.95 | −54.9% | +335% | 0.41 | — | |
| 62 | ESLTElbit Systems Ltd. · Aerospace & Defense | Whole market | +39.8% | 34.6% | 1.15 | −35.4% | +765% | 0.11 | — |
| 63 | Whole market | +19.2% | 22.4% | 0.90 | −42.0% | +311% | 0.23 | — | |
| 64 | OFGOFG Bancorp · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +19.5% | 28.7% | 0.77 | −61.2% | +580% | 0.35 | — |
| 65 | Whole market | +47.3% | 32.5% | 1.36 | −68.9% | +1,028% | 0.20 | — | |
| 66 | DMLPDorchester Minerals, L.P. · Oil & Gas Exploration & Production | Whole market | +21.1% | 29.1% | 0.81 | −56.8% | +435% | 0.58 | — |
| 67 | CBOECboe Global Markets, Inc. · Capital Markets | Whole market | +21.5% | 25.1% | 0.91 | −43.2% | +463% | 0.25 | — |
| 68 | ACGLArch Capital Group Ltd. · Property & Casualty Insurance | Whole market | +20.1% | 24.5% | 0.87 | −53.8% | +309% | 0.43 | — |
| 69 | IRMIron Mountain Incorporated · Specialty REITs | Whole market | +24.6% | 30.3% | 0.88 | −39.0% | +470% | 0.25 | — |
| 70 | CASYCasey's General Stores, Inc. · Convenience Stores | Whole market | +29.9% | 29.3% | 1.04 | −36.1% | +537% | 0.44 | — |
| 71 | HBTHBT Financial, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +18.9% | 28.7% | 0.75 | −54.0% | — | 0.20 | — |
| 72 | SHGShinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd. · Banks | Whole market | +21.0% | 31.1% | 0.77 | −64.1% | +175% | 0.32 | — |
| 73 | WRBW. R. Berkley Corporation · Property & Casualty Insurance | Whole market | +18.9% | 22.9% | 0.87 | −45.3% | +443% | 0.26 | — |
| 74 | CWCurtiss-Wright Corporation · Aerospace & Defense | Whole market | +30.8% | 28.7% | 1.08 | −48.7% | +512% | 0.25 | — |
| 75 | CRAKVanEck Oil Refiners ETF · Energy | Whole market | +19.8% | 20.9% | 0.97 | −58.8% | +336% | 0.59 | 0.61% |
| 76 | BCHBanco de Chile · Banks | Whole market | +25.2% | 28.2% | 0.94 | −58.4% | +180% | 0.18 | — |
| 77 | IEOiShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF · Broad Market | Whole market | +21.5% | 29.9% | 0.80 | −75.0% | +217% | 0.87 | 0.37% |
| 78 | HUBBHubbell Incorporated · Electrical Equipment | Whole market | +21.0% | 30.0% | 0.79 | −41.6% | +442% | -0.01 | — |
| 79 | MLIMueller Industries, Inc. · Metal Fabrication | Whole market | +38.9% | 33.4% | 1.16 | −53.0% | +800% | 0.17 | — |
| 80 | CLHClean Harbors, Inc. · Environmental Services | Whole market | +23.1% | 28.6% | 0.88 | −64.5% | +588% | 0.27 | — |
| 81 | AITApplied Industrial Technologies, Inc. · Industrial Distribution | Whole market | +28.5% | 30.3% | 0.98 | −59.3% | +742% | 0.27 | — |
| 82 | FNGSMicroSectors FANG+ ETN · Technology | Whole market | +19.5% | 30.3% | 0.74 | −49.0% | — | -0.04 | 0.58% |
| 83 | BSVNBank7 Corp. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +21.1% | 33.5% | 0.74 | −69.6% | — | 0.27 | — |
| 84 | ALSNAllison Transmission Holdings, Inc. · Auto Parts | Whole market | +27.3% | 29.9% | 0.96 | −48.7% | +367% | 0.44 | — |
| 85 | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. · Convenience Stores | Whole market | +26.1% | 31.2% | 0.90 | −35.5% | +706% | 0.33 | — |
| 86 | ENSGThe Ensign Group, Inc. · Health Care Facilities | Whole market | +19.8% | 26.8% | 0.81 | −55.5% | +896% | 0.37 | — |
| 87 | FSSFederal Signal Corporation · Industrial Machinery | Whole market | +23.3% | 31.7% | 0.82 | −33.0% | +882% | 0.16 | — |
| 88 | ESEESCO Technologies Inc. · Electronic Instruments | Whole market | +24.2% | 31.1% | 0.85 | −46.0% | +473% | 0.15 | — |
| 89 | Whole market | +33.1% | 25.9% | 1.24 | −62.3% | +319% | 0.22 | — | |
| 90 | Whole market | +36.0% | 31.0% | 1.15 | −80.9% | +139% | 0.30 | — | |
| 91 | DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity | Whole market | +26.6% | 19.1% | 1.34 | −39.1% | +428% | 0.22 | 0.48% |
| 92 | NICNicolet Bankshares, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +19.0% | 30.1% | 0.73 | −44.3% | +344% | 0.21 | — |
| 93 | BLXBladex, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +31.4% | 25.9% | 1.19 | −68.5% | +290% | 0.30 | — |
| 94 | Whole market | +33.2% | 29.4% | 1.13 | −54.9% | +483% | 0.18 | — | |
| 95 | Same or nearby category | +23.5% | 18.8% | 1.22 | −75.2% | +350% | 0.57 | — | |
| 96 | Whole market | +26.0% | 23.8% | 1.09 | −63.3% | +379% | 0.12 | — | |
| 97 | Whole market | +31.7% | 33.9% | 0.99 | −73.8% | +332% | 0.24 | — | |
| 98 | Whole market | +38.7% | 33.3% | 1.16 | −69.6% | +542% | 0.31 | — | |
| 99 | Whole market | +19.6% | 28.6% | 0.77 | −48.8% | +521% | 0.36 | — | |
| 100 | BFCBank First Corporation · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +19.0% | 27.3% | 0.78 | −39.8% | +496% | 0.09 | — |
FANG against its popular alternatives
The investments people most often weigh against FANG, compared period by period and year by year.
How do FANG'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. Investments toward the upper left earned more for a smoother ride, and those toward the lower right earned less for a rougher one. The dashed lines cross at FANG, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.
- MPC, VNOM and COP were both more rewarding and calmer than FANG over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- 13 of the 20 popular alternatives earned less than FANG over the past 5 years while swinging more, the weaker corner of the map.
- Over the past 5 years, FANG returned 17.6% a year, more than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (36.6% against 17.1%).
Green points earned more than FANG with less volatility; red points earned less with more. Hover over a point for its figures. Total returns with dividends reinvested, annualized.
All figures
| Investment | Annual return | Volatility |
|---|---|---|
| MPC Marathon Petroleum Corporation | +51.2% | 33.4% |
| PR Permian Resources Corporation | +33.1% | 47.1% |
| VNOM Viper Energy, Inc. | +20.8% | 35.4% |
| REPX Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. | +18.4% | 57.5% |
| COP ConocoPhillips | +18.2% | 32.6% |
| FANG This pageDiamondback Energy, Inc. | +17.6% | 36.6% |
| CHRD Chord Energy Corporation | +16.7% | 39.1% |
| EOG EOG Resources, Inc. | +16.6% | 32.3% |
| EPD Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | +16.4% | 17.1% |
| APA APA Corporation | +16.2% | 47.6% |
| OXY Occidental Petroleum Corporation | +15.2% | 37.9% |
| OVV Ovintiv Inc. | +14.8% | 44.8% |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | +12.7% | 17.1% |
| MUR Murphy Oil Corporation | +11.8% | 45.0% |
| SLB Slb N.V. | +10.0% | 37.5% |
| DVN Devon Energy Corporation | +9.3% | 39.9% |
| NOG Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. | +7.1% | 48.2% |
| HAL Halliburton Company | +6.9% | 39.4% |
| MTDR Matador Resources Company | +6.9% | 46.3% |
| SM SM Energy Company | +6.9% | 52.8% |
| CRC California Resources Corp | +6.8% | 39.1% |
| MGY Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation | +6.3% | 38.9% |
Has FANG consistently beaten its popular alternatives?
This section compares FANG with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years. Counting how often an alternative earned more than FANG helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.
- Four of the 20 popular alternatives, led by MPC, REPX and COP, outperformed FANG in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- MPC and REPX outperformed FANG in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- MPC, EPD and VNOM earned more for the risk they took than FANG (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.
A green cell means the alternative earned more than FANG over that period. "Qualified" marks those that did so in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods.
| Investment | Periods outperformed | Short term | Long term | Risk · 5 years | Fund | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatilitylower is calmer | Sharpehigher is better | Worst declinepast 10 years | Expense | Assets | Overlapsame sectors | ||
| FANG Diamondback Energy, Inc. (this page) | — | +6.9% | +4.2% | +11.6% | +35.1% | +46.8% | +35.7% | +125% | +160% | 36.6% | 0.63 | −88.7% | — | $57B | — |
| MPC QualifiedMarathon Petroleum Corporation | 5/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | +18.1% | +51.1% | +123% | +191% | +159% | +234% | +690% | +1,387% | 33.4% | 1.41 | −79.7% | — | $133B | — |
| REPX QualifiedRiley Exploration Permian, Inc. | 5/5 short3/3 longAll-weather | +20.5% | +41.5% | +48.0% | +91.1% | +86.4% | +79.5% | +133% | +403% | 57.5% | 0.58 | −72.4% | — | $1.1B | — |
| COP QualifiedConocoPhillips | 5/5 short2/3 long | +14.4% | +27.0% | +27.1% | +54.3% | +72.9% | +28.5% | +131% | +379% | 32.6% | 0.68 | −70.7% | — | $175B | — |
| PR QualifiedPermian Resources Corporation | 5/5 short2/3 long | +13.1% | +23.3% | +28.6% | +76.5% | +108% | +86.6% | +317% | +99.2% | 47.1% | 0.85 | −98.9% | — | $21B | — |
| VNOM Oil & Gas MidstreamViper Energy, Inc. | 2/5 short3/3 long | +9.9% | +5.0% | +1.7% | +23.3% | +32.1% | +85.3% | +158% | +413% | 35.4% | 0.71 | −87.0% | — | $16B | — |
| EPD Oil & Gas MidstreamEnterprise Products Partners L.P. | 0/5 short2/3 long | −3.9% | −3.2% | +3.2% | +20.3% | +28.4% | +65.2% | +113% | +178% | 17.1% | 0.98 | −58.1% | — | $80B | — |
| OVV Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionOvintiv Inc. | 5/5 short1/3 long | +16.8% | +22.2% | +32.8% | +76.3% | +98.3% | +52.5% | +99.6% | +56.0% | 44.8% | 0.54 | −96.8% | — | $19B | — |
| MTDR Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionMatador Resources Company | 1/5 short1/3 long | +6.2% | +8.3% | +3.2% | +35.4% | +36.6% | −5.3% | +39.7% | +168% | 46.3% | 0.38 | −96.5% | — | $7.1B | — |
| CRC Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionCalifornia Resources Corp | 0/5 short1/3 long | +2.9% | +4.6% | −11.5% | +19.5% | +18.9% | +9.2% | +38.7% | +397% | 39.1% | 0.36 | −98.1% | — | $4.8B | — |
| EOG Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionEOG Resources, Inc. | 5/5 short0/3 long | +12.4% | +12.7% | +24.0% | +51.9% | +53.1% | +31.9% | +115% | +131% | 32.3% | 0.64 | −77.1% | — | $83B | — |
| SM Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionSM Energy Company | 5/5 short0/3 long | +11.8% | +24.9% | +46.1% | +108% | +88.7% | −1.4% | +39.5% | +123% | 52.8% | 0.39 | −94.7% | — | $9.2B | — |
| MUR Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionMurphy Oil Corporation | 5/5 short0/3 long | +19.1% | +18.2% | +18.3% | +36.6% | +62.7% | +2.9% | +74.9% | +109% | 45.0% | 0.48 | −86.1% | — | $6.2B | — |
| OXY Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionOccidental Petroleum Corporation | 5/5 short0/3 long | +9.9% | +14.5% | +16.6% | +50.6% | +56.4% | +2.0% | +103% | +11.6% | 37.9% | 0.56 | −88.4% | — | $63B | — |
| APA Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionAPA Corporation | 5/5 short0/3 long | +13.9% | +44.2% | +40.6% | +101% | +130% | +31.9% | +111% | +0.9% | 47.6% | 0.56 | −93.5% | — | $17B | — |
| CHRD Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionChord Energy Corporation | 5/5 short0/3 long | +9.2% | +19.2% | +21.9% | +65.3% | +77.0% | +4.9% | +117% | — | 39.1% | 0.59 | −53.9% | — | $8.3B | — |
| DVN Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionDevon Energy Corporation | 3/5 short0/3 long | +5.9% | +15.8% | +13.6% | +35.6% | +61.8% | +15.0% | +56.0% | +69.6% | 39.9% | 0.42 | −88.5% | — | $55B | — |
| NOG Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionNorthern Oil and Gas, Inc. | 3/5 short0/3 long | +18.1% | +32.3% | +16.3% | +32.6% | +39.8% | −16.6% | +40.8% | +41.7% | 48.2% | 0.38 | −92.2% | — | $2.9B | — |
| SLB Oil & Gas Equipment & ServicesSlb N.V. | 2/5 short0/3 long | −3.4% | +8.3% | −3.3% | +26.4% | +53.2% | −7.2% | +60.7% | −21.3% | 37.5% | 0.44 | −84.5% | — | $74B | — |
| HAL Oil & Gas Equipment & ServicesHalliburton Company | 1/5 short0/3 long | +0.6% | −3.9% | −7.6% | +15.0% | +51.5% | −14.7% | +39.8% | −17.1% | 39.4% | 0.37 | −91.5% | — | $28B | — |
| MGY Oil & Gas Exploration & ProductionMagnolia Oil & Gas Corporation | 0/5 short0/3 long | +4.9% | +0.4% | −7.8% | +15.5% | +14.0% | +18.4% | +35.9% | — | 38.9% | 0.35 | −77.8% | — | $6.0B | — |
How did FANG do year by year?
This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2013, along with where FANG ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with FANG and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.
Note: FANG began trading on October 12, 2012, so the table starts with 2013, its first full calendar year, and cannot show how it fared during the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs.
- FANG finished ahead of the S&P 500 in six of its 13 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last three.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, FANG finished in the top quarter in seven of 13 years and in the bottom quarter in no. In 2025, it ranked 12 of 21.
- Among its popular alternatives, MGY came out ahead of FANG most often, in six of the eight years both traded.
Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of FANG; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places FANG among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.
| Investment | Years ahead of FANG | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FANG This pageDiamondback Energy, Inc. | — | −5.6% | +10.3% | +19.7% | +35.4% | +127% | −46.0% | +0.9% | −26.4% | +24.9% | +51.1% | +11.9% | +13.0% | +177% |
| Rank among alternatives | Top quarter in 7 of 13 | 12 of 21 | 6 of 21 | 6 of 21 | 16 of 21 | 9 of 21 | 14 of 19 | 11 of 20 | 12 of 20 | 3 of 19 | 4 of 18 | 2 of 18 | 2 of 16 | 1 of 16 |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 6 of 13 | +17.7% | +24.9% | +26.2% | −18.2% | +28.7% | +18.3% | +31.2% | −4.6% | +21.7% | +12.0% | +1.2% | +13.5% | +32.3% |
| MPC Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 8 of 13 | +19.2% | −4.0% | +30.4% | +86.6% | +61.0% | −27.4% | +6.0% | −8.2% | +34.8% | +0.7% | +17.4% | +0.4% | +48.6% |
| REPX Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. | 4 of 13 | −12.7% | +23.8% | −3.8% | +60.1% | +34.4% | +153% | −48.4% | +18.7% | +14.3% | −41.7% | −53.5% | −33.9% | −35.0% |
| COP ConocoPhillips | 5 of 13 | −2.3% | −12.2% | +2.0% | +72.2% | +87.1% | −36.0% | +6.6% | +15.6% | +11.9% | +10.1% | −29.0% | +1.5% | +27.1% |
| PR Permian Resources Corporation | 4 of 9 | +1.9% | +10.8% | +49.5% | +57.7% | +299% | −67.6% | −58.0% | −44.4% | +0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| VNOM Viper Energy, Inc. | 4 of 11 | −16.6% | +65.5% | +4.9% | +61.8% | +94.1% | −50.7% | +0.7% | +19.7% | +56.1% | +20.6% | −18.9% | — | — |
| EPD Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | 5 of 13 | +9.4% | +28.0% | +17.7% | +18.3% | +21.4% | −23.6% | +21.9% | −1.4% | +4.3% | +12.5% | −25.5% | +13.3% | +38.5% |
| OVV Ovintiv Inc. | 5 of 13 | −0.3% | −5.2% | −10.9% | +53.3% | +138% | −34.8% | −17.6% | −56.4% | +14.2% | +132% | −62.1% | −22.0% | −5.2% |
| MTDR Matador Resources Company | 4 of 13 | −22.3% | +0.4% | +0.5% | +55.8% | +207% | −32.9% | +15.7% | −50.1% | +20.9% | +30.3% | −2.3% | +8.5% | +127% |
| CRC California Resources Corp | 2 of 10 | −10.8% | −2.6% | +28.9% | +3.7% | +81.8% | — | −47.0% | −12.3% | −8.7% | −8.6% | −57.7% | — | — |
| EOG EOG Resources, Inc. | 3 of 13 | −11.4% | +4.3% | −2.0% | +56.9% | +88.6% | −38.6% | −2.8% | −18.7% | +7.5% | +44.0% | −22.5% | +10.3% | +39.7% |
| SM SM Energy Company | 3 of 13 | −49.7% | +1.8% | +13.1% | +18.6% | +382% | +10.2% | −26.1% | −29.3% | −35.3% | +76.5% | −48.8% | −53.5% | +59.6% |
| MUR Murphy Oil Corporation | 4 of 13 | +8.7% | −26.8% | +2.0% | +68.6% | +121% | −52.8% | +19.5% | −22.1% | +3.4% | +46.0% | −53.9% | −20.3% | +29.1% |
| OXY Occidental Petroleum Corporation | 2 of 13 | −14.9% | −15.9% | −4.1% | +119% | +67.7% | −56.6% | −28.3% | −13.1% | +8.5% | +9.8% | −12.7% | −8.9% | +27.8% |
| APA APA Corporation | 3 of 13 | +11.5% | −33.5% | −21.2% | +76.4% | +90.7% | −43.7% | +1.1% | −36.4% | −32.2% | +45.7% | −27.7% | −26.3% | +10.5% |
| CHRD Chord Energy Corporation | 2 of 5 | −16.4% | −25.0% | +31.8% | +34.1% | +261% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DVN Devon Energy Corporation | 5 of 13 | +15.0% | −25.2% | −21.8% | +50.9% | +196% | −35.2% | +16.7% | −45.1% | −8.8% | +45.0% | −46.6% | +0.4% | +20.7% |
| NOG Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. | 5 of 13 | −38.2% | +4.9% | +25.6% | +54.5% | +137% | −62.6% | +3.6% | +10.2% | −25.5% | −28.8% | −31.7% | −62.5% | −10.4% |
| SLB Slb N.V. | 4 of 13 | +3.3% | −24.5% | −0.8% | +81.1% | +39.6% | −43.8% | +17.8% | −44.7% | −18.5% | +23.5% | −16.3% | −3.6% | +32.1% |
| HAL Halliburton Company | 4 of 13 | +7.0% | −23.2% | −6.5% | +74.5% | +22.0% | −21.2% | −4.9% | −44.6% | −8.9% | +61.7% | −11.9% | −21.6% | +47.9% |
| MGY Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation | 6 of 8 | −3.8% | +12.2% | −7.3% | +26.5% | +169% | −43.9% | +12.3% | +15.0% | — | — | — | — | — |
Risk and diversification
How FANG 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 FANG's worst declines?
A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents FANG's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 2012, alongside the S&P 500's return over the same dates, and how long each took to recover. Together, these figures show how much an investor could have lost and how long it took to get back to even.
Note: FANG began trading on October 12, 2012, so this list cannot include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs. The crash tests on this page show how older funds and the S&P 500 fared through those years.
- In all five of FANG's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: FANG fell 42.6% from June to December 2014, while the S&P 500 rose 3.0%.
- The longest climb back to a previous high took 23 months, after FANG fell 88.7% from October 2018 to March 2020.
Green means FANG fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.
| During | FANG fell | S&P 500, same dates | Peak | Low | Time to the low | Back at the peak | Time to recover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late-2018 sell-off | −88.7% | −15.7% | Oct 2018 | Mar 2020 | 17 months | Feb 2022 | 23 months |
| No named crash | −42.6% | +3.0% | Jun 2014 | Dec 2014 | 6 months | May 2016 | 17 months |
| No named crash | −42.1% | −10.0% | Jul 2024 | Apr 2025 | 9 months | Mar 2026 | 11 months |
| 2022 bear market | −33.5% | −8.7% | Jun 2022 | Jul 2022 | 1 month | Oct 2022 | 3 months |
| No named crash | −24.1% | +4.2% | Feb 2017 | Jun 2017 | 4 months | Nov 2017 | 5 months |
How did FANG do in stock market crashes?
This section measures how far FANG, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000. A smaller decline means an investment held up better, and comparing results across crashes shows whether that resilience was consistent or a one-off.
Note: FANG began trading on October 12, 2012, so its row reads "Not yet trading" for the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs. The older alternatives and the S&P 500 show how those crashes played out.
- FANG fell further than the S&P 500 in all six crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when FANG fell 80.2% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.
- Among its popular alternatives, OXY held up best, falling less than FANG in all six crashes they both traded through.
- FANG began trading after the 2008 financial crisis, but 13 of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was EPD's 44.4%, against 55.2% for the S&P 500.
Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than FANG.
| Investment | Held up better | 2023 regional bank crisisMar 2023 | 2022 bear marketJan 2022 | Covid crashFeb 2020 | Late-2018 sell-offSep 2018 | February 2018 volatility shockFeb 2018 | 2015 China and oil sell-offAug 2015 | 2011 euro debt crisisJul 2011 | 2010 flash crashMay 2010 | 2008 financial crisisOct 2007 | Dot-com bustMar 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FANG This pageDiamondback Energy, Inc. | — | −7.7% | −33.5% | −80.3% | −38.7% | −9.8% | −29.3% | Not yet trading | Not yet trading | Not yet trading | Not yet trading |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 6 of 6 | −3.4% | −24.5% | −33.7% | −19.3% | −6.5% | −12.8% | −17.9% | −1.5% | −55.2% | −47.5% |
| MPC Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 5 of 6 | −3.7% | −30.2% | −72.4% | −36.7% | −6.9% | −48.2% | −39.5% | — | — | — |
| REPX Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. | 2 of 6 | −2.1% | −53.0% | −33.4% | −48.8% | −9.8% | −82.1% | −25.7% | −5.4% | −86.6% | −85.4% |
| COP ConocoPhillips | 3 of 6 | −6.1% | −33.0% | −61.8% | −28.3% | −9.4% | −43.4% | −19.0% | −0.8% | −62.4% | −31.7% |
| PR Permian Resources Corporation | 1 of 5 | −8.2% | −44.3% | −90.1% | −55.9% | −7.9% | — | — | — | — | — |
| VNOM Viper Energy, Inc. | 5 of 6 | −4.8% | −32.5% | −77.6% | −46.7% | −7.8% | −23.8% | — | — | — | — |
| EPD Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | 5 of 6 | −2.4% | −18.0% | −53.2% | −18.6% | −4.1% | −31.3% | −13.0% | 0.0% | −44.4% | −34.6% |
| OVV Ovintiv Inc. | 0 of 6 | −9.6% | −36.5% | −86.4% | −62.0% | −11.9% | −63.3% | −38.5% | −0.1% | −63.9% | — |
| MTDR Matador Resources Company | 0 of 6 | −9.5% | −34.6% | −90.8% | −58.7% | −10.3% | −54.8% | — | — | — | — |
| CRC California Resources Corp | 2 of 6 | −8.3% | −28.5% | −66.3% | −72.2% | −14.1% | −87.6% | — | — | — | — |
| EOG EOG Resources, Inc. | 2 of 6 | −7.4% | −33.4% | −61.5% | −37.3% | −11.3% | −31.7% | −35.8% | −1.5% | −68.0% | −52.7% |
| SM SM Energy Company | 2 of 6 | −3.6% | −44.1% | −77.1% | −59.5% | −11.8% | −76.4% | −31.1% | −3.4% | −82.0% | −57.0% |
| MUR Murphy Oil Corporation | 2 of 6 | −7.9% | −40.4% | −79.1% | −37.6% | −10.7% | −52.4% | −39.3% | −2.5% | −63.0% | −34.3% |
| OXY Occidental Petroleum Corporation | 6 of 6 | −4.6% | −22.9% | −76.8% | −30.5% | −7.3% | −21.4% | −36.1% | 0.0% | −58.1% | −28.4% |
| APA APA Corporation | 0 of 6 | −10.3% | −40.1% | −84.9% | −48.2% | −13.1% | −36.1% | −40.5% | −2.5% | −64.8% | −47.1% |
| CHRD Chord Energy Corporation | 1 of 2 | −5.9% | −35.8% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DVN Devon Energy Corporation | 1 of 6 | −8.3% | −33.6% | −75.9% | −49.4% | −13.4% | −55.2% | −36.6% | −2.3% | −68.6% | −52.9% |
| NOG Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. | 1 of 6 | −8.3% | −39.0% | −65.5% | −55.0% | −26.7% | −57.7% | −45.7% | −4.8% | −86.7% | — |
| SLB Slb N.V. | 2 of 6 | −8.8% | −36.8% | −64.9% | −43.6% | −10.9% | −27.1% | −38.9% | −3.8% | −68.0% | −59.8% |
| HAL Halliburton Company | 1 of 6 | −10.2% | −45.5% | −79.1% | −40.0% | −10.5% | −32.7% | −49.8% | −4.3% | −75.0% | −82.8% |
| MGY Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation | 4 of 5 | −6.6% | −38.1% | −63.6% | −33.6% | −0.6% | — | — | — | — | — |
How closely does FANG 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. An investment that captures more of the gains than the losses has compounded ahead of the market over time. This section compares FANG with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.
- REPX took just 85% of the S&P 500's losses, against 148% for FANG, while still keeping 89% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, FANG captured 108% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 148% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.54. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.
- Five of the 17 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than FANG's 0.73, led by MPC, REPX and COP.
Monthly total returns over the past 10 years, measured against SPY. 100% capture or a beta of 1.00 means moving in line with the S&P 500. Green marks a better figure than FANG's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.
| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Capture ratio | Beta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FANG This pageDiamondback Energy, Inc. | 108% | 148% | 0.73 | 1.54 |
| MPC Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 138% | 95% | 1.45 | 1.29 |
| REPX Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. | 89% | 85% | 1.04 | 1.14 |
| COP ConocoPhillips | 94% | 92% | 1.02 | 0.91 |
| VNOM Viper Energy, Inc. | 128% | 145% | 0.88 | 1.54 |
| EPD Enterprise Products Partners L.P. | 81% | 94% | 0.86 | 0.93 |
| EOG EOG Resources, Inc. | 92% | 135% | 0.69 | 1.17 |
| MTDR Matador Resources Company | 156% | 239% | 0.65 | 2.70 |
| SM SM Energy Company | 154% | 244% | 0.63 | 3.21 |
| MUR Murphy Oil Corporation | 138% | 225% | 0.61 | 1.79 |
| PR Permian Resources Corporation | 139% | 234% | 0.59 | 3.38 |
| DVN Devon Energy Corporation | 118% | 199% | 0.59 | 1.80 |
| OVV Ovintiv Inc. | 131% | 228% | 0.58 | 2.14 |
| NOG Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. | 123% | 228% | 0.54 | 1.68 |
| OXY Occidental Petroleum Corporation | 80% | 155% | 0.51 | 1.24 |
| APA APA Corporation | 124% | 246% | 0.50 | 2.54 |
| HAL Halliburton Company | 113% | 225% | 0.50 | 1.75 |
| SLB Slb N.V. | 104% | 212% | 0.49 | 1.54 |
What diversifies FANG?
Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions). This section lists large ETFs and stocks whose returns have had a low correlation with FANG's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing FANG with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.
- Moving a fifth of the money in FANG into GLD would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 19% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+19.1% for FANG alone, +20.1% for the mix).
- FIX made money in three of the three calendar years in which FANG lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and SMH have moved largely independently of FANG over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.44 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.
Only ETFs with at least $1.0B in assets and stocks worth at least $10B, with a correlation below 0.5 over the past 5 years and a positive return, are included, ranked by Sharpe ratio; funds that hold the same thing are shown once. The year columns are the years in which FANG lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% FANG and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.
ETFs
| Investment | Correlation | 5Y return | Sharpe | 2025 | 2020 | 2018 | 80/20 mix volatility | 80/20 mix annual return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FANG Diamondback Energy, Inc. (this page) | 1.00 | +125% | 0.63 | −5.6% | −46.0% | −26.4% | 31.3% | +19.1% |
| LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.44 | +119% | 1.48 | +27.1% | −9.0% | −5.2% | 25.9% | +19.4% |
| DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.22 | +225% | 1.34 | +32.8% | +3.9% | −19.8% | 25.7% | +21.5% |
| SMH TechnologyVanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.04 | +323% | 0.97 | +49.2% | +55.5% | −9.1% | 26.3% | +24.5% |
| DBEF InternationalXtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF | 0.26 | +85.0% | 0.96 | +23.1% | +2.1% | −9.5% | 25.7% | +18.8% |
| GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares | -0.01 | +126% | 0.96 | +63.7% | +24.8% | −1.9% | 25.2% | +20.1% |
| SPMO Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.18 | +136% | 0.93 | +26.6% | +28.2% | −0.9% | 26.1% | +20.7% |
| DFIV InternationalDimensional - International Value ETF | 0.43 | +99.4% | 0.93 | +45.4% | — | — | 26.5% | +19.1% |
| VTV Broad MarketVanguard Morningstar Value ETF | 0.46 | +76.6% | 0.90 | +15.3% | +2.3% | −5.5% | 26.4% | +18.4% |
Stocks
| Investment | Correlation | 5Y return | Sharpe | 2025 | 2020 | 2018 | 80/20 mix volatility | 80/20 mix annual return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FANG Diamondback Energy, Inc. (this page) | 1.00 | +125% | 0.63 | −5.6% | −46.0% | −26.4% | 31.3% | +19.1% |
| CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc. | 0.06 | +479% | 1.55 | +76.3% | +10.1% | −24.5% | 25.9% | +24.1% |
| CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc. | 0.22 | +3,143% | 1.47 | +220% | −2.4% | −16.3% | 29.9% | +37.0% |
| FIX Engineering & ConstructionComfort Systems USA, Inc. | 0.26 | +1,636% | 1.46 | +121% | +6.7% | +0.8% | 28.7% | +32.9% |
| MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation | 0.27 | +413% | 1.44 | +44.5% | +27.1% | −28.4% | 26.9% | +23.2% |
| HWM Aerospace & DefenseHowmet Aerospace Inc. | 0.20 | +594% | 1.36 | +87.9% | −7.2% | −37.5% | 27.3% | +26.2% |
Common questions
What was FANG's worst drawdown?
FANG's deepest decline since it began trading in 2012 was 88.7%, from October 2018 to March 2020. It took 23 months from the low to climb back to its old high. Because FANG launched in October 2012, that record does not include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs.
What were FANG's best and worst years?
Over 13 full calendar years, FANG's best year was 2013, when it returned 177%. Its worst was 2020, with a return of -46.0%.
Is there a better investment than FANG?
Among FANG's popular alternatives, MPC earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years: 51.2% a year at 33.4% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, XOM (integrated oil & gas) and CVX (integrated oil & gas) earned more than FANG with less volatility over the past 5 years. XOM returned 27.1% a year at 26.5% volatility, against 17.6% a year at 36.6%.
Is FANG more volatile than the S&P 500?
Yes. FANG's volatility over the past 5 years was 36.6%, 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, FANG's return lands within 36.6% 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 FANG's Sharpe ratio?
FANG's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.63, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so FANG 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 FANG with the S&P 500?
Over the past 5 years, FANG's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.28 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They are only loosely linked, which makes it a real diversifier next to an index fund. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against FANG instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a FANG holding.
What are the best alternatives to FANG?
Of the 20 popular alternatives we compared, four outperformed FANG in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: MPC, REPX and COP.
Did FANG outperform the S&P 500?
FANG finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in six of 13 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned -5.6%, against +17.7% for the index.
How did FANG do in stock market crashes?
FANG fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the six major crashes it has traded through, and further in six. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when FANG fell 80.2% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.
What diversifies FANG?
These had a low correlation with FANG over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.44), DXJ (correlation 0.22) and SMH (correlation 0.04); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.06), CLS (correlation 0.22) and FIX (correlation 0.26). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.
How we measure
- Short-term periods are 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y; long-term periods are 3Y, 5Y, 10Y. An investment outperformed in a period when its total return, with dividends reinvested, was higher than FANG's. Returns within 0.5 points or 3% of FANG's, whichever is larger, count as a tie.
- "Qualified" means outperforming 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.
- Popular alternatives are the funds and stocks most often compared with this one. We include only those that trade today, are not leveraged or inverse, and hold at least $200 million.
- Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily returns over 5 years, a measure of how much the price typically swings in a year. The Sharpe ratio is the return above cash for each unit of that volatility.
- A decline, or drawdown, runs from a peak to the lowest close before the next high. The worst decline ever uses all the price history we have; comparisons between funds use the past 10 years so that younger funds are judged on the same stretch.
- Sector overlap is the share of assets two funds hold in the same sectors. Correlation and the mixed-portfolio figures use monthly returns.
- Upside and downside capture follow Morningstar's definition: the compound monthly return in the months the S&P 500 rose (or fell), divided by the S&P 500's compound return in those months. Beta measures how strongly monthly returns have moved with the S&P 500. All three use the same window for every investment.
- Figures are computed from daily adjusted prices and update after each trading day. Past performance does not predict future results.
More research
Popular alternatives to FANG
MPCMarathon Petroleum
COPConocoPhillips
EPDEnterprise Products Partners
EOGEOG Resources
OXYOccidental Petroleum
DVNDevon Energy
SLBSlb