Relative Intelligence · Electronic Equipment

How Keysight Technologies (KEYS) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives
Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on KEYS alone. It places KEYS (Keysight Technologies, Inc.) against 17 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 KEYS stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.
Period covered: KEYS's full trading record, from October 2014 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 nowKEYS has gone against the market, falling 0.3% over the past 6 months while the S&P 500 rose 9.1%. Not every peer went the same way. Over the past 6 months, COHU rose 19.1% and MKSI (MKS) fell 24.4%. Consistency ↓
- Stock or market?KEYS's 6.4% gain over the past 3 months is part of a broader electronic equipment rally: the electronic equipment ETF VGT (Vanguard Information Technology ETF) rose 6.3%, with VNT (Vontier, up 14.2%). Its electronic equipment peers did not move as one over the past 3 months: VNT rose 14.2%, while MKSI (MKS) fell 34.8%.
- Past 1 to 3 yearsOver the past year, KEYS rose 103% against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. The same gap shows up over 3 years (172% against 89.3%). By year ↓
- Long termKEYS turned $10,000 into $102,000 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500. KEYS's 10-year return of 923% puts it ahead of 94% of the stocks worth at least $300 million with that much history. The S&P 500 returned 321%. Growth of $10,000 ↓
- In a crashAcross four sell-offs, KEYS has typically fallen 1.4 times as far as the S&P 500. Crash tests ↓
- DiversificationAgainst the S&P 500, KEYS has a correlation of 0.53 over 5 years, more closely than 78% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Next to an index fund it is some diversification, but not a hedge. Over 10 years, KEYS's beta versus the S&P 500 was 1.08: in the S&P 500's rising months it gained 1.2 times as much as the index, and in falling months it lost 71% as much. Market capture ↓
- Better options
- Popular alternatives
- CSCO (Cisco Systems) earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years: 16.8% a year at 26.1% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%.
- Nearby categories and themes
- WAB (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies, industrial machinery) and APH (Amphenol, electronic components) earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years. WAB returned 25.6% a year at 26.2% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%.
- Whole market
- 270 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL (Apple), GOOG (Alphabet) and LLY (Eli Lilly and Company).
How much would $10,000 in KEYS have grown?
This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in KEYS over the past 11 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of KEYS over the same span and KEYS'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: KEYS began trading on October 20, 2014, 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 11 years of KEYS's record, starting at the end of September 2015.
- $10,000 invested in KEYS at the end of September 2015 would have grown to $118,043 by September 2026, more than the $47,605 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Six of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of KEYS, and NVDA finished highest, at $3,837,604.
Choose a period
From the end of September 2015 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. 123 of the 2,591 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of KEYS; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.
- NVDA$4M+38,276% total · +71.8% a year
- CAMT$649,601+6,396% total · +46.1% a year
- ANET$532,964+5,230% total · +43.5% a year
- AVGO$365,843+3,558% total · +38.7% a year
- TER$237,226+2,272% total · +33.4% a year
- TTMI$197,173+1,872% total · +31.1% a year
- KEYS$118,043+1,080% total · +25.2% a year
- VIAV$78,068+681% total · +20.5% a year
- CSCO$57,088+471% total · +17.2% a year
- SPY (S&P 500)$47,605+376% total · +15.2% 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. 649 of the 3,628 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of KEYS; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.
- NVDA$110,811+1,008% total · +61.8% a year
- ANET$94,783+848% total · +56.8% a year
- AVGO$79,117+691% total · +51.2% a year
- APH$48,728+387% total · +37.3% a year
- TER$37,422+274% total · +30.2% a year
- WAB$34,242+242% total · +27.9% a year
- FSS$29,653+197% total · +24.3% a year
- CSCO$22,737+127% total · +17.9% a year
- KEYS$22,159+122% total · +17.2% a year
- SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
KEYS 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: KEYS began trading on October 20, 2014, 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.
- KEYS's deepest decline since it began trading in 2014 was 45.5%, from March 2015 to February 2016. It took 13 months from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 11 full calendar years, KEYS's best was 2019, when it returned 65.3%, and its worst was 2022, when it lost 17.2%. It lost money in three of those years.
- KEYS is 13.9% below its all-time high.
The company
- Market value
- $57B
- Industry
- Hardware, Equipment & Parts
- Price history from
- October 2014
Returns
- Past 1 year
- +103%total return
- Past 3 years
- +172%+39.6% a year
- Past 5 years
- +91.9%+13.9% a year
- Past 10 years
- +923%+26.2% a year
- Best calendar year
- +65.3%2019
- Worst calendar year
- −17.2%2022
- Losing years
- 3 of 11full calendar years
Risk
- Volatility
- 34.5%typical yearly swing, 5 years
- Sharpe ratio
- 0.55return per unit of risk, 5 years
- Worst decline ever
- −45.5%Mar 2015 to Feb 2016
- From its all-time high
- −13.9%below the peak
KEYS against the whole market
Where KEYS ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.
How does KEYS rank among all stocks?
This section ranks KEYS 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 KEYS stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.
- KEYS's 1-year return ranks in the top 5% 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 | KEYS | Rank | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +103% | 163 of 3,287 | top 5% |
| 3-year return | +172% | 485 of 3,017 | top 16% |
| 5-year return | +91.9% | 731 of 2,893 | top 25% |
| 10-year return | +923% | 126 of 2,202 | top 6% |
| Volatility, 5 years | 34.5% | 1,110 of 2,893 | top 38% |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.55 | 810 of 2,893 | top 28% |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −42.6% | 216 of 2,187 | top 10% |
What has beaten KEYS 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). KEYS sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than KEYS 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.
- 201 stocks and 69 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than KEYS over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 7% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half KEYS's swings, CAH has the best return for its risk: 42.1% a year at 24.7% volatility, 28% less than KEYS's 34.5%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.55 against 0.55 for KEYS. HWM earned the most, 47.3% a year, while still swinging less than KEYS (32.5% against 34.5%).
- Among KEYS's popular alternatives, CSCO is in the region. CSCO earned 16.8% a year against 13.9% a year for KEYS, at 26.1% volatility, 24% less than KEYS's 34.5%.
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 KEYS; faint dots are 90 more of the 270 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 KEYS?
Investments that beat KEYS over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.
- Among KEYS's popular alternatives, CSCO earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years: 16.8% a year at 26.1% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, WAB (industrial machinery) and APH (electronic components) earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years. WAB returned 25.6% a year at 26.2% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%.
- Across the whole market, 270 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL, GOOG and LLY.
How this works
The table below lists investments that beat KEYS 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 KEYS'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 KEYS 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 KEYS'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× KEYS's volatility counts as better.
These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than KEYS'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 KEYS?lower diversifies more | Expenseper year | |||
| +13.9% | 34.5% | 0.55 | −42.6% | +923% | 1.00 | — | |||
| +12.7% | 17.1% | 0.79 | −33.7% | +321% | 0.53 | 0.09% | |||
| Popular alternativesbest 2 shownThe investments people most often weigh against KEYS. 2 of 17 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| Higher return, lower volatility | +16.8% | 26.1% | 0.73 | −42.0% | +374% | 0.33 | — | ||
| Higher return in most periods | +49.0% | 49.0% | 1.06 | −52.2% | +3,439% | 0.30 | — | ||
| Same and neighboring categories, and shared themesbest 6 shownEverything else in Electronic Equipment and the categories next to it (Industrial Machinery, Semiconductor Equipment, Semiconductors, Electronic Components), plus KEYS's specific themes. 16 of 86 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods | +25.6% | 26.2% | 1.00 | −64.1% | +264% | 0.56 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +33.8% | 32.2% | 1.07 | −37.5% | +965% | 0.53 | — | ||
FSSFederal Signal Corporation · Industrial Machinery | Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +23.3% | 31.7% | 0.82 | −33.0% | +882% | 0.49 | — | |
| Higher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +19.5% | 34.1% | 0.69 | −33.6% | +652% | 0.56 | — | ||
| Higher return in most periods | +48.8% | 43.0% | 1.15 | −52.5% | +967% | 0.56 | — | ||
LECOLincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. · Industrial Machinery | Similar return, lower volatility | +14.1% | 27.5% | 0.62 | −38.9% | +389% | 0.51 | — | |
| The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 550 of 3,530 passed at least one test. | |||||||||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | 0.05 | — | ||
| On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods | +42.1% | 24.7% | 1.55 | −46.1% | +349% | 0.25 | — | ||
NHCNational HealthCare Corporation · Medical - Care Facilities | Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods | +32.0% | 28.5% | 1.12 | −35.3% | +394% | 0.34 | — | |
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +20.8% | 22.6% | 0.96 | −25.7% | +508% | 0.34 | — | ||
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Equity | On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.37 | 0.40% | |
| On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods | +51.2% | 33.4% | 1.41 | −79.7% | +1,387% | 0.11 | — | ||
| Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +17.7% | 18.9% | 0.96 | −26.4% | +213% | 0.13 | 0.40% | ||
| Similar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline | +13.4% | 17.1% | 0.82 | −29.6% | +274% | 0.20 | — | ||
What these numbers mean for KEYS
- Annual return
- KEYS returned 13.9% 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 $19,200. 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
- KEYS's volatility over the past 5 years was 34.5%, about twice the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, KEYS's return lands within 34.5% 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
- KEYS's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.55, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so KEYS 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
- KEYS's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 42.6%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 42.6% fall takes a 74.3% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
- Correlation
- Over the past 5 years, KEYS's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.53 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 KEYS instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a KEYS holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →
Show all 270 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than KEYS 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 KEYS | Expense |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole market | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | 0.05 | — | |
| 2 | Whole market | +42.1% | 24.7% | 1.55 | −46.1% | +349% | 0.25 | — | |
| 3 | NHCNational HealthCare Corporation · Medical - Care Facilities | Whole market | +32.0% | 28.5% | 1.12 | −35.3% | +394% | 0.34 | — |
| 4 | Whole market | +20.8% | 22.6% | 0.96 | −25.7% | +508% | 0.34 | — | |
| 5 | LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Equity | Whole market | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.37 | 0.40% |
| 6 | Whole market | +17.4% | 22.9% | 0.82 | −31.4% | +685% | 0.45 | — | |
| 7 | Whole market | +17.1% | 20.7% | 0.87 | −26.8% | +226% | 0.27 | — | |
| 8 | Whole market | +19.6% | 24.9% | 0.85 | −24.9% | +266% | 0.21 | — | |
| 9 | Whole market | +22.8% | 24.9% | 0.95 | −30.5% | +200% | 0.18 | — | |
| 10 | Whole market | +17.7% | 18.9% | 0.96 | −26.4% | +213% | 0.13 | 0.40% | |
| 11 | Whole market | +18.4% | 26.0% | 0.78 | −35.1% | +779% | 0.47 | 0.09% | |
| 12 | Whole market | +21.3% | 25.6% | 0.89 | −30.3% | +816% | 0.09 | — | |
| 13 | USFDUS Foods Holding Corp. · Food Distribution | Whole market | +22.7% | 29.8% | 0.84 | −77.3% | +347% | 0.37 | — |
| 14 | FFIVF5, Inc. · Cybersecurity | Whole market | +17.1% | 30.8% | 0.67 | −54.6% | +287% | 0.40 | — |
| 15 | Whole market | +24.2% | 22.8% | 1.07 | −32.4% | +406% | 0.27 | — | |
| 16 | Whole market | +17.2% | 24.9% | 0.77 | −30.4% | +285% | 0.25 | — | |
| 17 | EWTiShares MSCI Taiwan ETF · International Equity | Whole market | +20.4% | 24.2% | 0.89 | −38.9% | +468% | 0.53 | 0.59% |
| 18 | Whole market | +15.8% | 24.6% | 0.72 | −30.7% | +576% | 0.30 | — | |
| 19 | Same or nearby category | +25.6% | 26.2% | 1.00 | −64.1% | +264% | 0.56 | — | |
| 20 | LAURLaureate Education, Inc. · Education Services | Whole market | +37.5% | 32.8% | 1.14 | −64.5% | — | -0.04 | — |
| 21 | CASYCasey's General Stores, Inc. · Convenience Stores | Whole market | +29.9% | 29.3% | 1.04 | −36.1% | +537% | 0.29 | — |
| 22 | FLTWFranklin FTSE Taiwan ETF · Technology | Whole market | +21.8% | 24.3% | 0.94 | −38.0% | — | 0.52 | 0.19% |
| 23 | SPMOInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF · US Momentum Equity | Whole market | +18.7% | 20.8% | 0.93 | −30.9% | +499% | 0.46 | 0.13% |
| 24 | Same or nearby category | +33.8% | 32.2% | 1.07 | −37.5% | +965% | 0.53 | — | |
| 25 | NINiSource Inc · Gas Utilities | Whole market | +15.1% | 20.3% | 0.80 | −30.9% | +158% | 0.29 | — |
| 26 | DTMDT Midstream, Inc. · Oil & Gas Midstream | Whole market | +24.5% | 25.2% | 1.00 | −23.6% | — | 0.37 | — |
| 27 | DACDanaos Corporation · Marine Shipping | Whole market | +20.6% | 32.0% | 0.75 | −94.6% | +449% | 0.17 | — |
| 28 | Whole market | +17.3% | 18.2% | 0.97 | −40.0% | +352% | 0.31 | — | |
| 29 | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. · Convenience Stores | Whole market | +26.1% | 31.2% | 0.90 | −35.5% | +706% | 0.07 | — |
| 30 | IOOiShares Global 100 ETF · Global Equity | Whole market | +15.7% | 17.2% | 0.94 | −31.4% | +361% | 0.43 | 0.40% |
| 31 | Whole market | +47.3% | 32.5% | 1.36 | −68.9% | +1,028% | 0.40 | — | |
| 32 | ACTEnact Holdings Inc. · Insurance | Whole market | +20.5% | 24.3% | 0.89 | −20.2% | — | 0.20 | — |
| 33 | Whole market | +18.5% | 28.0% | 0.75 | −38.5% | +1,168% | 0.32 | — | |
| 34 | RSPTInvesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Technology ETF · Technology Equity | Whole market | +16.9% | 25.1% | 0.75 | −33.7% | +572% | 0.57 | 0.40% |
| 35 | Whole market | +19.0% | 32.0% | 0.71 | −44.6% | +752% | 0.34 | — | |
| 36 | TDIVFirst Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index Fund · Technology Equity | Whole market | +16.2% | 21.3% | 0.81 | −32.0% | +388% | 0.46 | 0.50% |
| 37 | Whole market | +23.5% | 18.8% | 1.22 | −75.2% | +350% | 0.30 | — | |
| 38 | GARPiShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF · Broad Market | Whole market | +17.5% | 22.5% | 0.83 | −31.4% | — | 0.50 | 0.15% |
| 39 | SPUSSP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF · Technology | Whole market | +15.0% | 19.5% | 0.82 | −30.8% | — | 0.51 | 0.45% |
| 40 | FSSFederal Signal Corporation · Industrial Machinery | Same or nearby category | +23.3% | 31.7% | 0.82 | −33.0% | +882% | 0.49 | — |
| 41 | BWFGBankwell Financial Group, Inc. · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +20.1% | 28.5% | 0.79 | −64.7% | +240% | 0.22 | — |
| 42 | CHCOCity Holding Company · Banks - Regional | Whole market | +15.9% | 22.8% | 0.77 | −32.3% | +286% | 0.25 | — |
| 43 | FFLCFidelity Fundamental Large Cap Core ETF · Broad Market | Whole market | +15.7% | 16.8% | 0.95 | −19.7% | — | 0.47 | 0.38% |
| 44 | Whole market | +27.1% | 26.5% | 1.04 | −61.0% | +214% | -0.03 | — | |
| 45 | Whole market | +17.3% | 24.3% | 0.78 | −43.6% | +537% | 0.34 | — | |
| 46 | Whole market | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | 0.05 | — | |
| 47 | DBJPXtrackers MSCI Japan Hedged Equity ETF · International | Whole market | +20.9% | 19.2% | 1.09 | −31.3% | +348% | 0.44 | 0.45% |
| 48 | Whole market | +33.1% | 25.9% | 1.24 | −62.3% | +319% | 0.16 | — | |
| 49 | Whole market | +36.0% | 31.0% | 1.15 | −80.9% | +139% | 0.38 | — | |
| 50 | DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity | Whole market | +26.6% | 19.1% | 1.34 | −39.1% | +428% | 0.33 | 0.48% |
| 51 | UFOXDefiance Space and Connective Tech ETF · Technology | Whole market | +17.2% | 26.5% | 0.73 | −33.9% | — | 0.53 | 0.30% |
| 52 | Whole market | +19.5% | 25.2% | 0.84 | −55.8% | +238% | 0.11 | — | |
| 53 | NXTGFirst Trust Indxx NextG ETF · Technology | Whole market | +16.2% | 19.1% | 0.89 | −33.6% | +330% | 0.55 | 0.70% |
| 54 | Whole market | +33.2% | 29.4% | 1.13 | −54.9% | +483% | 0.10 | — | |
| 55 | Whole market | +21.0% | 23.4% | 0.94 | −42.9% | +242% | 0.05 | — | |
| 56 | Whole market | +21.0% | 24.8% | 0.90 | −67.2% | +233% | -0.08 | — | |
| 57 | Whole market | +38.7% | 25.0% | 1.44 | −38.1% | +586% | 0.27 | — | |
| 58 | Whole market | +16.3% | 24.8% | 0.74 | −43.4% | +241% | 0.13 | — | |
| 59 | Whole market | +26.0% | 23.8% | 1.09 | −63.3% | +379% | 0.25 | — | |
| 60 | Whole market | +18.6% | 24.3% | 0.83 | −52.0% | +317% | -0.04 | — | |
| 61 | Whole market | +19.6% | 28.6% | 0.77 | −48.8% | +521% | 0.34 | — | |
| 62 | Whole market | +16.0% | 28.8% | 0.66 | −51.3% | +627% | 0.30 | — | |
| 63 | Whole market | +15.8% | 20.0% | 0.84 | −42.0% | +310% | 0.43 | — | |
| 64 | Whole market | +33.6% | 30.6% | 1.10 | −45.7% | +345% | 0.19 | — | |
| 65 | Whole market | +19.9% | 22.3% | 0.93 | −42.5% | +361% | 0.34 | — | |
| 66 | Whole market | +18.0% | 25.8% | 0.78 | −59.6% | +234% | 0.02 | — | |
| 67 | Whole market | +16.6% | 30.5% | 0.66 | −41.1% | +151% | 0.00 | — | |
| 68 | Whole market | +25.4% | 30.4% | 0.90 | −59.8% | +374% | 0.09 | — | |
| 69 | Whole market | +33.7% | 29.4% | 1.14 | −47.6% | +474% | 0.16 | — | |
| 70 | Whole market | +16.6% | 31.4% | 0.65 | −44.3% | +398% | 0.34 | — | |
| 71 | Whole market | +15.1% | 29.4% | 0.63 | −56.5% | +234% | 0.36 | — | |
| 72 | Whole market | +18.7% | 22.0% | 0.90 | −56.1% | +98.2% | 0.02 | — | |
| 73 | Whole market | +18.2% | 32.6% | 0.68 | −70.7% | +379% | 0.04 | — | |
| 74 | Whole market | +15.7% | 20.4% | 0.82 | −42.6% | +248% | 0.20 | — | |
| 75 | Whole market | +22.6% | 29.1% | 0.85 | −41.6% | +521% | 0.08 | — | |
| 76 | Whole market | +17.8% | 21.4% | 0.88 | −53.7% | +140% | 0.23 | — | |
| 77 | Whole market | +33.1% | 32.5% | 1.05 | −73.5% | +295% | 0.00 | — | |
| 78 | Whole market | +41.8% | 31.7% | 1.27 | −90.8% | +829% | 0.24 | — | |
| 79 | Whole market | +20.4% | 32.1% | 0.74 | −44.5% | +657% | 0.48 | — | |
| 80 | Whole market | +26.5% | 32.5% | 0.89 | −77.5% | +433% | 0.08 | — | |
| 81 | Whole market | +22.7% | 24.4% | 0.97 | −50.5% | +341% | 0.33 | — | |
| 82 | Whole market | +24.6% | 24.0% | 1.04 | −68.1% | +288% | 0.22 | — | |
| 83 | Whole market | +19.2% | 21.6% | 0.93 | −47.3% | +395% | 0.52 | — | |
| 84 | Whole market | +22.4% | 22.3% | 1.02 | −46.3% | +347% | 0.23 | — | |
| 85 | Whole market | +22.7% | 27.7% | 0.88 | −40.5% | +955% | 0.54 | — | |
| 86 | Whole market | +22.0% | 28.6% | 0.84 | −61.3% | +544% | 0.50 | — | |
| 87 | Whole market | +23.0% | 25.6% | 0.94 | −61.4% | +278% | 0.13 | — | |
| 88 | Whole market | +16.4% | 17.1% | 0.98 | −58.1% | +178% | 0.26 | — | |
| 89 | Whole market | +24.7% | 31.1% | 0.87 | −74.4% | +339% | 0.15 | — | |
| 90 | Whole market | +34.3% | 32.0% | 1.09 | −77.1% | +430% | 0.17 | — | |
| 91 | Whole market | +16.0% | 28.7% | 0.66 | −63.9% | +141% | -0.06 | — | |
| 92 | Whole market | +22.6% | 24.0% | 0.97 | −57.5% | +373% | 0.22 | — | |
| 93 | Whole market | +26.3% | 24.9% | 1.07 | −41.6% | +654% | 0.37 | — | |
| 94 | Whole market | +21.0% | 26.8% | 0.85 | −50.8% | +694% | 0.43 | — | |
| 95 | Whole market | +18.7% | 22.5% | 0.88 | −55.1% | +163% | 0.27 | — | |
| 96 | Whole market | +16.5% | 23.1% | 0.78 | −48.4% | +808% | 0.40 | — | |
| 97 | Whole market | +19.0% | 20.8% | 0.95 | −54.9% | +335% | 0.20 | — | |
| 98 | Whole market | +17.4% | 29.1% | 0.70 | −46.4% | +426% | 0.66 | — | |
| 99 | Whole market | +20.3% | 32.1% | 0.74 | −66.5% | +213% | 0.14 | — | |
| 100 | Whole market | +15.9% | 23.4% | 0.75 | −42.0% | +393% | 0.21 | — |
KEYS against its popular alternatives
The investments people most often weigh against KEYS, compared period by period and year by year.
How do KEYS'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 KEYS, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.
- Only CSCO and OSIS were both more rewarding and calmer than KEYS over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, KEYS returned 13.9% a year, more than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (34.5% against 17.1%).
Green points earned more than KEYS 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 |
|---|---|---|
| NVDA NVIDIA Corporation | +58.0% | 51.9% |
| ANET Arista Networks, Inc. | +49.0% | 49.0% |
| AVGO Broadcom Inc. | +48.3% | 44.5% |
| TTMI TTM Technologies, Inc. | +48.0% | 54.3% |
| CAMT Camtek Ltd. | +27.0% | 58.0% |
| TER Teradyne, Inc. | +24.0% | 54.3% |
| VIAV Viavi Solutions Inc. | +17.9% | 47.9% |
| CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc. | +16.8% | 26.1% |
| OSIS OSI Systems, Inc. | +15.5% | 34.0% |
| KEYS This pageKeysight Technologies, Inc. | +13.9% | 34.5% |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | +12.7% | 17.1% |
| COHU Cohu, Inc. | +11.0% | 51.1% |
| MKSI MKS Inc. | +8.5% | 53.4% |
| QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | +8.2% | 42.8% |
| BMI Badger Meter, Inc. | +5.2% | 35.0% |
| ITRI Itron, Inc. | +1.6% | 42.4% |
| FTV Fortive Corporation | +1.2% | 25.5% |
| VNT Vontier Corporation | +0.1% | 30.9% |
| NOVT Novanta Inc. | −3.7% | 41.4% |
Has KEYS consistently beaten its popular alternatives?
This section compares KEYS 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 KEYS helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.
- None of the 17 popular alternatives outperformed KEYS in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes. The closest was ANET.
- CSCO earned more for the risk it took than KEYS (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in its worst decline of the past 10 years.
- NVDA outperformed KEYS over all three long-term periods but in only one of the five short-term ones, so KEYS has had the better of it lately.
A green cell means the alternative earned more than KEYS 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 | ||
| KEYS Keysight Technologies, Inc. (this page) | — | −2.3% | +6.4% | −0.3% | +61.8% | +103% | +172% | +91.9% | +923% | 34.5% | 0.55 | −42.6% | — | $57B | — |
| ANET Computer HardwareArista Networks, Inc. | 2/5 short3/3 long | −11.8% | +7.0% | +8.6% | +35.6% | +23.7% | +289% | +634% | +3,439% | 49.0% | 1.06 | −52.2% | — | $229B | — |
| NVDA SemiconductorsNVIDIA Corporation | 1/5 short3/3 long | −4.8% | +6.6% | +7.4% | +14.9% | +18.8% | +425% | +884% | +13,019% | 51.9% | 1.14 | −66.3% | — | $5.2T | — |
| TER SemiconductorsTeradyne, Inc. | 1/5 short3/3 long | −11.8% | +0.9% | −10.2% | +62.4% | +142% | +271% | +193% | +1,565% | 54.3% | 0.67 | −59.1% | — | $53B | — |
| AVGO SemiconductorsBroadcom Inc. | 0/5 short3/3 long | −7.8% | −11.4% | −16.0% | −3.3% | −3.5% | +305% | +617% | +2,380% | 44.5% | 1.11 | −48.3% | — | $1.6T | — |
| VIAV Communication EquipmentViavi Solutions Inc. | 2/5 short2/3 long | −4.1% | −11.9% | −22.2% | +91.3% | +164% | +359% | +127% | +376% | 47.9% | 0.58 | −62.9% | — | $8.5B | — |
| CAMT SemiconductorsCamtek Ltd. | 0/5 short2/3 long | −14.5% | −13.0% | −30.7% | +10.7% | +4.1% | +149% | +231% | +4,551% | 58.0% | 0.70 | −63.2% | — | $6.0B | — |
| TTMI Hardware, Equipment & PartsTTM Technologies, Inc. | 0/5 short2/3 long | −23.0% | −28.3% | −24.1% | +35.3% | +64.8% | +693% | +609% | +707% | 54.3% | 0.99 | −57.6% | — | $10B | — |
| CSCO Communication EquipmentCisco Systems, Inc. | 1/5 short1/3 long | −3.9% | −3.2% | +22.6% | +42.2% | +53.8% | +118% | +118% | +374% | 26.1% | 0.73 | −42.0% | — | $421B | — |
| MKSI Hardware, Equipment & PartsMKS Inc. | 0/5 short1/3 long | −17.8% | −34.8% | −24.4% | +25.7% | +49.8% | +191% | +50.5% | +371% | 53.4% | 0.42 | −69.2% | — | $14B | — |
| OSIS Hardware, Equipment & PartsOSI Systems, Inc. | 0/5 short1/3 long | −2.8% | −7.4% | −37.0% | −23.8% | −23.3% | +69.6% | +106% | +194% | 34.0% | 0.59 | −53.6% | — | $3.1B | — |
| COHU SemiconductorsCohu, Inc. | 3/5 short0/3 long | −13.0% | +2.3% | +19.1% | +114% | +132% | +61.0% | +68.5% | +406% | 51.1% | 0.46 | −73.6% | — | $2.5B | — |
| NOVT Hardware, Equipment & PartsNovanta Inc. | 2/5 short0/3 long | +1.0% | −5.5% | +2.5% | +22.0% | +25.0% | +0.2% | −17.3% | +673% | 41.4% | 0.12 | −46.7% | — | $5.1B | — |
| VNT Hardware, Equipment & PartsVontier Corporation | 2/5 short0/3 long | +8.8% | +14.2% | −8.9% | −9.9% | −20.8% | +14.1% | +0.4% | — | 30.9% | 0.16 | −54.5% | — | $4.6B | — |
| BMI Industrial - MachineryBadger Meter, Inc. | 1/5 short0/3 long | −1.9% | −12.7% | +14.5% | −26.2% | −30.4% | −3.4% | +29.1% | +346% | 35.0% | 0.33 | −55.1% | — | $3.7B | — |
| QCOM SemiconductorsQUALCOMM Incorporated | 1/5 short0/3 long | −9.5% | +3.7% | +28.9% | +3.2% | +7.4% | +72.4% | +48.3% | +239% | 42.8% | 0.40 | −44.3% | — | $188B | — |
| FTV Hardware, Equipment & PartsFortive Corporation | 1/5 short0/3 long | +5.9% | −4.2% | −4.1% | +5.7% | +18.9% | +11.7% | +6.3% | +98.0% | 25.5% | 0.18 | −52.6% | — | $18B | — |
| ITRI Hardware, Equipment & PartsItron, Inc. | 0/5 short0/3 long | −8.5% | +0.3% | −13.3% | −10.4% | −36.9% | +47.7% | +8.3% | +54.5% | 42.4% | 0.25 | −65.3% | — | $3.7B | — |
How did KEYS do year by year?
This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2015, along with where KEYS ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with KEYS and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.
Note: KEYS began trading on October 20, 2014, so the table starts with 2015, 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.
- Among its popular alternatives, NVDA came out ahead of KEYS most often, in nine of the 11 years both traded.
- KEYS finished ahead of the S&P 500 in seven of its 11 full calendar years.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, KEYS finished in the top quarter in three of 11 years and in the bottom quarter in three. In 2025, it ranked 10 of 18.
Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of KEYS; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places KEYS among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.
| Investment | Years ahead of KEYS | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEYS This pageKeysight Technologies, Inc. | — | +26.5% | +1.0% | −7.0% | −17.2% | +56.3% | +28.7% | +65.3% | +49.2% | +13.8% | +29.1% | −16.1% |
| Rank among alternatives | Top quarter in 3 of 11 | 10 of 18 | 15 of 18 | 18 of 18 | 8 of 18 | 5 of 18 | 11 of 17 | 5 of 17 | 1 of 17 | 13 of 17 | 9 of 16 | 13 of 16 |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 4 of 11 | +17.7% | +24.9% | +26.2% | −18.2% | +28.7% | +18.3% | +31.2% | −4.6% | +21.7% | +12.0% | +1.2% |
| ANET Arista Networks, Inc. | 7 of 11 | +18.6% | +87.7% | +94.1% | −15.6% | +97.9% | +42.9% | −3.5% | −10.5% | +143% | +24.2% | +28.2% |
| NVDA NVIDIA Corporation | 9 of 11 | +38.9% | +171% | +239% | −50.2% | +125% | +122% | +76.4% | −30.8% | +82.5% | +228% | +67.1% |
| TER Teradyne, Inc. | 7 of 11 | +54.4% | +16.5% | +24.8% | −46.4% | +36.8% | +76.8% | +119% | −24.4% | +65.8% | +24.3% | +5.8% |
| AVGO Broadcom Inc. | 7 of 11 | +50.6% | +110% | +104% | −13.3% | +56.5% | +45.0% | +29.0% | +2.2% | +48.2% | +23.6% | +46.1% |
| VIAV Viavi Solutions Inc. | 3 of 11 | +76.4% | +0.3% | −4.2% | −40.4% | +17.6% | −0.1% | +49.3% | +15.0% | +6.9% | +34.3% | −21.9% |
| CAMT Camtek Ltd. | 7 of 11 | +31.7% | +18.3% | +216% | −52.3% | +110% | +102% | +63.1% | +20.5% | +77.7% | +51.7% | −28.0% |
| TTMI TTM Technologies, Inc. | 7 of 11 | +179% | +56.5% | +4.8% | +1.2% | +8.0% | −8.3% | +54.7% | −37.9% | +15.0% | +109% | −13.6% |
| CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc. | 5 of 11 | +33.5% | +21.0% | +9.3% | −22.5% | +45.8% | −3.5% | +13.8% | +16.6% | +31.3% | +15.1% | +0.6% |
| MKSI MKS Inc. | 8 of 11 | +54.4% | +2.2% | +22.6% | −51.0% | +16.4% | +37.7% | +71.9% | −31.1% | +60.5% | +67.6% | +0.3% |
| OSIS OSI Systems, Inc. | 5 of 11 | +52.3% | +29.7% | +62.3% | −14.7% | 0.0% | −7.5% | +37.4% | +13.9% | −15.4% | −14.1% | +25.3% |
| COHU Cohu, Inc. | 5 of 11 | −12.8% | −24.6% | +10.4% | −15.9% | −0.2% | +67.5% | +44.3% | −26.0% | +59.9% | +17.6% | +3.6% |
| NOVT Novanta Inc. | 5 of 11 | −22.1% | −9.3% | +23.9% | −22.9% | +49.1% | +33.7% | +40.4% | +26.0% | +138% | +54.2% | −7.5% |
| VNT Vontier Corporation | 2 of 5 | +2.2% | +5.8% | +79.3% | −36.8% | −7.8% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMI Badger Meter, Inc. | 6 of 11 | −17.2% | +38.3% | +42.6% | +3.2% | +14.1% | +46.4% | +33.4% | +4.1% | +30.9% | +27.7% | 0.0% |
| QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | 4 of 11 | +13.8% | +8.3% | +35.1% | −38.6% | +22.3% | +77.1% | +60.8% | −7.6% | +1.1% | +35.1% | −30.6% |
| FTV Fortive Corporation | 4 of 9 | −1.9% | +2.3% | +15.1% | −15.4% | +8.1% | +11.2% | +13.3% | −6.1% | +35.4% | — | — |
| ITRI Itron, Inc. | 5 of 11 | −14.5% | +43.8% | +49.1% | −26.1% | −28.5% | +14.2% | +77.5% | −30.7% | +8.5% | +73.7% | −14.4% |
Risk and diversification
How KEYS 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 KEYS's worst declines?
A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents KEYS's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 2014, 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: KEYS began trading on October 20, 2014, 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 KEYS's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: KEYS fell 23.0% from April to May 2019, while the S&P 500 slipped only 4.8%.
- The slowest recovery came after KEYS fell 42.6% from December 2021 to October 2023; it did not regain that peak until December 2025, two years later.
Green means KEYS fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.
| During | KEYS fell | S&P 500, same dates | Peak | Low | Time to the low | Back at the peak | Time to recover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 China and oil sell-off | −45.5% | −10.3% | Mar 2015 | Feb 2016 | 11 months | Mar 2017 | 13 months |
| 2022 bear market | −42.6% | −11.6% | Dec 2021 | Oct 2023 | 22 months | Dec 2025 | 2.2 years |
| Covid crash | −28.2% | −17.8% | Nov 2019 | Mar 2020 | 4 months | Nov 2020 | 8 months |
| No named crash | −23.0% | −4.8% | Apr 2019 | May 2019 | 1 month | Jul 2019 | 2 months |
| No named crash | −20.5% | −2.0% | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | 1 month | Oct 2026 | 3 months |
How did KEYS do in stock market crashes?
This section measures how far KEYS, 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: KEYS began trading on October 20, 2014, 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.
- Among its popular alternatives, CSCO held up best, falling less than KEYS in four of the six crashes they both traded through.
- KEYS began trading after the 2008 financial crisis, but 13 of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was QCOM's 48.0%, against 55.2% for the S&P 500.
- KEYS fell less than the S&P 500 in three of the six crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when KEYS fell 17.7% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.
Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than KEYS.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEYS This pageKeysight Technologies, Inc. | — | −2.6% | −33.8% | −17.7% | −18.0% | −6.7% | −37.2% | Not yet trading | Not yet trading | Not yet trading | Not yet trading |
| SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 2 of 6 | −3.4% | −24.5% | −33.7% | −19.3% | −6.5% | −12.8% | −17.9% | −1.5% | −55.2% | −47.5% |
| ANET Arista Networks, Inc. | 3 of 6 | −1.5% | −36.6% | −31.2% | −31.2% | −6.1% | −36.6% | — | — | — | — |
| NVDA NVIDIA Corporation | 1 of 6 | −5.0% | −60.7% | −37.5% | −55.9% | −8.5% | −25.3% | −23.8% | −1.7% | −85.1% | −89.7% |
| TER Teradyne, Inc. | 2 of 6 | −1.9% | −56.6% | −34.8% | −24.6% | −10.7% | −18.3% | −28.2% | −2.5% | −79.2% | −93.4% |
| AVGO Broadcom Inc. | 3 of 6 | −2.8% | −34.3% | −46.8% | −15.2% | −4.5% | −21.6% | −26.7% | 0.0% | — | — |
| VIAV Viavi Solutions Inc. | 3 of 6 | −3.0% | −27.2% | −37.5% | −26.5% | −3.0% | −27.6% | −41.5% | −4.5% | −86.0% | −98.8% |
| CAMT Camtek Ltd. | 0 of 6 | −5.6% | −52.0% | −46.5% | −27.1% | −10.9% | −42.1% | −47.6% | 0.0% | −90.8% | — |
| TTMI TTM Technologies, Inc. | 1 of 6 | −6.2% | −27.4% | −35.3% | −46.9% | −7.0% | −39.7% | −43.2% | 0.0% | −74.7% | — |
| CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc. | 4 of 6 | −1.4% | −35.4% | −29.1% | −17.5% | −5.3% | −22.8% | −16.6% | −3.1% | −60.0% | −89.3% |
| MKSI MKS Inc. | 1 of 6 | −6.5% | −57.1% | −39.4% | −31.8% | −9.5% | −14.4% | −23.9% | −3.4% | −54.7% | −85.7% |
| OSIS OSI Systems, Inc. | 3 of 6 | −3.7% | −30.4% | −40.4% | −13.7% | −3.7% | −45.7% | −28.9% | −2.5% | −61.4% | −88.4% |
| COHU Cohu, Inc. | 2 of 6 | −2.4% | −36.8% | −57.1% | −42.2% | −6.0% | −16.3% | −30.1% | −6.3% | −64.4% | −82.1% |
| NOVT Novanta Inc. | 1 of 6 | −4.0% | −36.2% | −29.5% | −25.6% | −12.6% | −19.6% | −38.9% | −0.7% | −96.0% | −91.4% |
| VNT Vontier Corporation | 0 of 2 | −8.2% | −45.9% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMI Badger Meter, Inc. | 3 of 6 | −3.5% | −29.3% | −39.0% | −17.5% | −4.1% | −12.9% | −28.3% | −2.8% | −68.2% | −42.4% |
| QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | 1 of 6 | −5.6% | −41.5% | −32.2% | −26.8% | −6.6% | −30.7% | −19.2% | −0.5% | −48.0% | −84.9% |
| FTV Fortive Corporation | 1 of 5 | −4.7% | −27.4% | −45.3% | −26.8% | −8.2% | — | — | — | — | — |
| ITRI Itron, Inc. | 1 of 6 | −3.8% | −39.4% | −51.5% | −32.5% | −7.2% | −19.2% | −44.1% | −2.6% | −68.5% | −64.7% |
How closely does KEYS 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 KEYS with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.
- Over the past 10 years, KEYS captured 121% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 71% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.08. Its share of the market's gains was larger than its share of the losses.
- Four of the 16 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than KEYS's 1.70, led by CAMT, ANET and AVGO.
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 KEYS's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.
| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Capture ratio | Beta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEYS This pageKeysight Technologies, Inc. | 121% | 71% | 1.70 | 1.08 |
| CAMT Camtek Ltd. | 191% | 96% | 1.99 | 1.60 |
| ANET Arista Networks, Inc. | 174% | 91% | 1.92 | 1.40 |
| AVGO Broadcom Inc. | 158% | 86% | 1.85 | 1.19 |
| NVDA NVIDIA Corporation | 248% | 140% | 1.77 | 1.83 |
| BMI Badger Meter, Inc. | 73% | 50% | 1.46 | 0.71 |
| TER Teradyne, Inc. | 167% | 121% | 1.37 | 1.53 |
| VIAV Viavi Solutions Inc. | 98% | 76% | 1.30 | 0.97 |
| TTMI TTM Technologies, Inc. | 155% | 140% | 1.11 | 1.87 |
| CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc. | 101% | 96% | 1.06 | 0.97 |
| COHU Cohu, Inc. | 122% | 116% | 1.05 | 1.65 |
| NOVT Novanta Inc. | 155% | 156% | 0.99 | 1.38 |
| OSIS OSI Systems, Inc. | 88% | 99% | 0.89 | 0.97 |
| MKSI MKS Inc. | 156% | 181% | 0.86 | 1.77 |
| QCOM QUALCOMM Incorporated | 115% | 139% | 0.83 | 1.51 |
| FTV Fortive Corporation | 88% | 133% | 0.66 | 1.10 |
| ITRI Itron, Inc. | 97% | 158% | 0.61 | 1.27 |
What diversifies KEYS?
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 KEYS's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing KEYS with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.
- Moving a fifth of the money in KEYS into GLD would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 18% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+17.2% for KEYS alone, +18.6% for the mix).
- MPC made money in three of the three calendar years in which KEYS lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and FJAN have moved largely independently of KEYS over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.45 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 KEYS lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% KEYS and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.
ETFs
| Investment | Correlation | 5Y return | Sharpe | 2023 | 2022 | 2015 | 80/20 mix volatility | 80/20 mix annual return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEYS Keysight Technologies, Inc. (this page) | 1.00 | +91.9% | 0.55 | −7.0% | −17.2% | −16.1% | 34.8% | +17.3% |
| LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.37 | +119% | 1.48 | +17.4% | +3.8% | — | 28.6% | +18.1% |
| DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.33 | +225% | 1.34 | +42.0% | +6.0% | +7.7% | 28.8% | +20.1% |
| FJAN Multi-AssetFT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January | 0.45 | +69.0% | 1.05 | +21.6% | −4.0% | — | 28.8% | +16.9% |
| EMLP Broad MarketFirst Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.44 | +101% | 1.04 | +8.0% | +10.4% | −25.3% | 29.3% | +17.7% |
| FTLS Broad MarketFirst Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 0.46 | +62.9% | 0.99 | +16.9% | −5.6% | +4.7% | 28.7% | +16.8% |
| GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares | 0.13 | +126% | 0.96 | +12.7% | −0.8% | −10.7% | 28.5% | +18.6% |
| SPMO Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.46 | +136% | 0.93 | +17.6% | −10.4% | — | 30.0% | +18.9% |
| XLE EnergyState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.11 | +177% | 0.93 | −0.6% | +64.4% | −21.5% | 28.9% | +19.9% |
Stocks
| Investment | Correlation | 5Y return | Sharpe | 2023 | 2022 | 2015 | 80/20 mix volatility | 80/20 mix annual return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEYS Keysight Technologies, Inc. (this page) | 1.00 | +91.9% | 0.55 | −7.0% | −17.2% | −16.1% | 34.8% | +17.3% |
| CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc. | 0.25 | +479% | 1.55 | +34.1% | +54.1% | +12.6% | 29.6% | +22.3% |
| CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc. | 0.30 | +3,143% | 1.47 | +160% | +1.3% | −6.0% | 33.3% | +35.0% |
| MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation | 0.27 | +413% | 1.44 | +24.1% | +51.8% | −4.5% | 29.6% | +21.8% |
| MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation | 0.11 | +690% | 1.41 | +30.4% | +86.6% | +17.4% | 29.3% | +24.8% |
| HWM Aerospace & DefenseHowmet Aerospace Inc. | 0.40 | +594% | 1.36 | +37.8% | +24.2% | −36.3% | 31.2% | +24.4% |
Common questions
What was KEYS's worst drawdown?
KEYS's deepest decline since it began trading in 2014 was 45.5%, from March 2015 to February 2016. It took 13 months from the low to climb back to its old high. Because KEYS launched in October 2014, that record does not include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs.
What were KEYS's best and worst years?
Over 11 full calendar years, KEYS's best year was 2019, when it returned 65.3%. Its worst was 2022, with a return of -17.2%.
Is there a better investment than KEYS?
Among KEYS's popular alternatives, CSCO earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years: 16.8% a year at 26.1% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, WAB (industrial machinery) and APH (electronic components) earned more than KEYS with less volatility over the past 5 years. WAB returned 25.6% a year at 26.2% volatility, against 13.9% a year at 34.5%.
Is KEYS more volatile than the S&P 500?
Yes. KEYS's volatility over the past 5 years was 34.5%, about twice the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, KEYS's return lands within 34.5% 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 KEYS's Sharpe ratio?
KEYS's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.55, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so KEYS 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 KEYS with the S&P 500?
Over the past 5 years, KEYS's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.53 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 KEYS instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a KEYS holding.
What are the best alternatives to KEYS?
None of the 17 popular alternatives we compared outperformed KEYS in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, which says more about KEYS's strength than about its alternatives.
Did KEYS outperform the S&P 500?
KEYS finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in seven of 11 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +26.5%, against +17.7% for the index.
How did KEYS do in stock market crashes?
KEYS fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in three of the six major crashes it has traded through, and further in two. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when KEYS fell 17.7% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.
What diversifies KEYS?
These had a low correlation with KEYS over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.37), DXJ (correlation 0.33) and FJAN (correlation 0.45); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.25), CLS (correlation 0.30) and MCK (correlation 0.27). 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 KEYS's. Returns within 0.5 points or 3% of KEYS'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.