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Relative Intelligence · Specialty Retail

How O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on ORLY alone. It places ORLY (O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.) against 10 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 ORLY stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: ORLY's full trading record, from April 1993 through September 2026. 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.

Rank the market against ORLY →Chart ORLY vs. 10 alternatives →
On this page12 sections

Key findings

How much would $10,000 in ORLY have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in ORLY over the past 29 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of ORLY over the same span and ORLY'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.

Choose a period

From the end of September 1997 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. 11 of the 1,042 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of ORLY; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$10,000$100,000$1M$10M199720022007201220172022$10,000$100,000$1M$10M19972004201120182025
  • AAPL$21M+205,249% total · +30.1% a year
  • AMZN$11M+114,749% total · +27.5% a year
  • APH$3M+29,926% total · +21.7% a year
  • SCCO$3M+26,680% total · +21.3% a year
  • LRCX$2M+24,786% total · +21.0% a year
  • ORLY$2M+22,426% total · +20.5% a year
  • DORM$578,281+5,683% total · +15.0% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$132,907+1,229% total · +9.3% a year
  • GPC$104,439+944% total · +8.4% a year
  • SMP$32,123+221% total · +4.1% a year
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From the end of September 2021 to the end of September 2026. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 714 of the 3,628 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of ORLY; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$5,000$10,000$15,000$20,000$25,000$30,000$35,000202120222023202420252026$0$10,000$20,000$30,000$40,000202120222023202420252026
  • WMT$23,813+138% total · +18.9% a year
  • PSMT$23,465+135% total · +18.6% a year
  • ROST$22,648+126% total · +17.8% a year
  • PAG$22,510+125% total · +17.6% a year
  • COST$21,378+114% total · +16.4% a year
  • ORLY$20,965+110% total · +16.0% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
  • DORM$12,950+29.5% total · +5.3% a year
  • GPC$11,985+19.8% total · +3.7% a year
  • SMP$9,941−0.6% total · −0.1% a year
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ORLY 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.

The company

Market value
$73B
Industry
Specialty Retail
Price history from
April 1993

Returns

Past 1 year
−10.8%total return
Past 3 years
+48.9%+14.2% a year
Past 5 years
+110%+15.9% a year
Past 10 years
+393%+17.3% a year
Best calendar year
+80.0%1998
Worst calendar year
−30.9%2002
Losing years
4 of 29full calendar years

Risk

Volatility
23.4%typical yearly swing, 5 years
Sharpe ratio
0.75return per unit of risk, 5 years
Worst decline ever
−65.4%Jul 1999 to Mar 2000
From its all-time high
−16.5%below the peak

ORLY against the whole market

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

How does ORLY rank among all stocks?

This section ranks ORLY 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 ORLY stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.

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.

MeasureORLYRankStanding
1-year return−10.8%2,367 of 3,287bottom 29%
3-year return+48.9%1,563 of 3,017bottom 49%
5-year return+110%627 of 2,893top 22%
10-year return+393%427 of 2,202top 19%
Volatility, 5 years23.4%228 of 2,893top 8%
Sharpe ratio, 5 years0.75357 of 2,893top 12%
Worst decline, past 10 years−42.0%202 of 2,187top 9%

What has beaten ORLY 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). ORLY sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than ORLY 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.

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 ORLY; faint dots are 12 more of the 30 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.

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%12.0%14.0%16.0%18.0%20.0%22.0%24.0%26.0%28.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than ORLYBTI: +18.7% a year, volatility 22.0%MO: +17.8% a year, volatility 21.4%CM: +19.2% a year, volatility 21.6%AFL: +19.0% a year, volatility 20.8%SDCI: +20.6% a year, volatility 18.4%GLD: +17.7% a year, volatility 18.9%MLPX: +18.6% a year, volatility 19.7%EUFN: +18.5% a year, volatility 21.8%EWP: +19.2% a year, volatility 20.3%CRAK: +19.8% a year, volatility 20.9%ATMP: +21.2% a year, volatility 21.5%ORI: +17.0% a year, volatility 22.2%ORLY: +15.9% a year, volatility 23.4%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%WMT: +20.8% a year, volatility 22.6%COST: +17.4% a year, volatility 22.9%ROST: +18.1% a year, volatility 29.5%PAG: +18.3% a year, volatility 31.9%PSMT: +18.6% a year, volatility 28.2%TJX: +19.9% a year, volatility 22.3%LVHI: +17.0% a year, volatility 11.1%NVS: +17.1% a year, volatility 20.7%SPMO: +18.7% a year, volatility 20.8%RY: +17.3% a year, volatility 18.2%MPLX: +23.5% a year, volatility 18.8%GILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%DBJP: +20.9% a year, volatility 19.2%EPD: +16.4% a year, volatility 17.1%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%ORLYSPY (S&P 500)WMTCOSTROSTPAGPSMTTJXLVHINVSSPMORYMPLXGILDDBJPEPDDXJ10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%10.0%12.5%15.0%17.5%20.0%22.5%25.0%27.5%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than ORLYBTI: +18.7% a year, volatility 22.0%MO: +17.8% a year, volatility 21.4%CM: +19.2% a year, volatility 21.6%AFL: +19.0% a year, volatility 20.8%SDCI: +20.6% a year, volatility 18.4%GLD: +17.7% a year, volatility 18.9%MLPX: +18.6% a year, volatility 19.7%EUFN: +18.5% a year, volatility 21.8%EWP: +19.2% a year, volatility 20.3%CRAK: +19.8% a year, volatility 20.9%ATMP: +21.2% a year, volatility 21.5%ORI: +17.0% a year, volatility 22.2%ORLY: +15.9% a year, volatility 23.4%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%WMT: +20.8% a year, volatility 22.6%COST: +17.4% a year, volatility 22.9%ROST: +18.1% a year, volatility 29.5%PAG: +18.3% a year, volatility 31.9%PSMT: +18.6% a year, volatility 28.2%TJX: +19.9% a year, volatility 22.3%LVHI: +17.0% a year, volatility 11.1%NVS: +17.1% a year, volatility 20.7%SPMO: +18.7% a year, volatility 20.8%RY: +17.3% a year, volatility 18.2%MPLX: +23.5% a year, volatility 18.8%GILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%DBJP: +20.9% a year, volatility 19.2%EPD: +16.4% a year, volatility 17.1%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%ORLYSPY (S&P 500)WMTCOSTROSTPAGPSMTTJXLVHINVSSPMORYMPLXGILDDBJPEPDDXJ
  • Same and neighboring categories, and shared themes
  • The whole market
  • Others in the green region

Is there a better investment than ORLY?

Investments that beat ORLY over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.

How this works

The table below lists investments that beat ORLY 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 ORLY'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 ORLY 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 ORLY'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× ORLY's volatility counts as better.

These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than ORLY's.

Screen the whole market against ORLY for any period in BetterThanSPYOpen these 15 in EasyCompare
InvestmentWhy it is betterPast 5 yearsDownsideLong runFit
Annual return?higher is betterVolatility?lower is calmerSharpe?return per unit of riskWorst decline?past 10 years10Y returntotalCorr. with ORLY?lower diversifies moreExpenseper year
ORLYO'Reilly Automotive, Inc. · this page
+15.9%23.4%0.75−42.0%+393%1.00—
SPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF · S&P 500
+12.7%17.1%0.79−33.7%+321%0.380.09%
Same and neighboring categories, and shared themesbest 6 shownEverything else in Specialty Retail and the categories next to it (Discount Retail, Apparel & Footwear, Automobiles), plus ORLY's specific themes. 6 of 55 passed at least one test.
WMTWalmart Inc. · Discount Retail
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+20.8%22.6%0.96−25.7%+508%0.35—
COSTCostco Wholesale Corporation · Discount Retail
Higher return in most periods+17.4%22.9%0.82−31.4%+685%0.29—
ROSTRoss Stores, Inc. · Specialty Retail
Higher return in most periods+18.1%29.5%0.71−51.4%+312%0.21—
PAGPenske Automotive Group, Inc. · Specialty Retail
Higher return in most periods+18.3%31.9%0.69−60.0%+528%0.27—
PSMTPriceSmart, Inc. · Discount Retail
Higher return in most periods+18.6%28.2%0.75−53.2%+124%0.14—
TJXThe TJX Companies, Inc. · Specialty Retail
Higher return, similar volatility+19.9%22.3%0.93−42.5%+361%0.39—
The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 261 of 3,569 passed at least one test.
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Equity
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+17.0%11.1%1.48−32.4%+194%0.210.40%
NVSNovartis AG · Pharmaceuticals
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+17.1%20.7%0.87−26.8%+226%0.24—
SPMOInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF · US Momentum Equity
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+18.7%20.8%0.93−30.9%+499%0.380.13%
RYRoyal Bank of Canada · Banks
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+17.3%18.2%0.97−40.0%+352%0.08—
MPLXMPLX Lp · Oil & Gas Midstream
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+23.5%18.8%1.22−75.2%+350%0.38—
GILDGilead Sciences, Inc. · Biotechnology
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+22.8%24.9%0.95−30.5%+200%0.33—
DBJPXtrackers MSCI Japan Hedged Equity ETF · International
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+20.9%19.2%1.09−31.3%+348%0.170.45%
EPDEnterprise Products Partners L.P. · Oil & Gas Midstream
Similar return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+16.4%17.1%0.98−58.1%+178%0.35—
What these numbers mean for ORLY
Annual return
ORLY returned 15.9% 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 $21,000. 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
ORLY's volatility over the past 5 years was 23.4%, 1.4 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, ORLY's return lands within 23.4% 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
ORLY's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.75, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so ORLY 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
ORLY's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 42.0%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 42.0% fall takes a 72.4% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
Correlation
Over the past 5 years, ORLY's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.38 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 ORLY instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a ORLY holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →
Show all 30 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than ORLY with less volatility

Out of 3,633 tested over 5 years. The strongest 19 are listed, best first, with funds that hold the same thing listed once.

#InvestmentFound inAnnual returnVolatilitySharpeWorst decline10Y returnCorr. with ORLYExpense
1
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Equity
Whole market+17.0%11.1%1.48−32.4%+194%0.210.40%
2
NVSNovartis AG · Pharmaceuticals
Whole market+17.1%20.7%0.87−26.8%+226%0.24—
3
SPMOInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF · US Momentum Equity
Whole market+18.7%20.8%0.93−30.9%+499%0.380.13%
4
RYRoyal Bank of Canada · Banks
Whole market+17.3%18.2%0.97−40.0%+352%0.08—
5
MPLXMPLX Lp · Oil & Gas Midstream
Whole market+23.5%18.8%1.22−75.2%+350%0.38—
6
DBJPXtrackers MSCI Japan Hedged Equity ETF · International
Whole market+20.9%19.2%1.09−31.3%+348%0.170.45%
7
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity
Whole market+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+428%0.150.48%
8
BTIBritish American Tobacco p.l.c. · Tobacco
Whole market+18.7%22.0%0.90−56.1%+98.2%0.33—
9
MOAltria Group, Inc. · Tobacco
Whole market+17.8%21.4%0.88−53.7%+140%0.45—
10
CMCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce · Banks
Whole market+19.2%21.6%0.93−47.3%+395%0.10—
11
AFLAflac Incorporated · Life Insurance
Whole market+19.0%20.8%0.95−54.9%+335%0.41—
12
SDCIUSCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund · Bonds
Whole market+20.6%18.4%1.12−45.7%—0.050.80%
13
GLDSPDR Gold Shares · Gold
Whole market+17.7%18.9%0.96−26.4%+213%0.040.40%
14
MLPXGlobal X - MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF · Energy
Whole market+18.6%19.7%0.97−64.6%+186%0.420.45%
15
EUFNiShares MSCI Europe Financials ETF · Financial Sector Equity
Whole market+18.5%21.8%0.89−53.2%+233%0.230.49%
16
EWPiShares MSCI Spain ETF · Broad Market
Whole market+19.2%20.3%0.97−46.4%+196%0.210.50%
17
CRAKVanEck Oil Refiners ETF · Energy
Whole market+19.8%20.9%0.97−58.8%+336%0.140.61%
18
ATMPBarclays ETN+ Select MLP ETN · Broad Market
Whole market+21.2%21.5%1.01−70.3%+172%0.390.95%
19
ORIOld Republic International Corporation · Property & Casualty Insurance
Whole market+17.0%22.2%0.82−47.8%+349%0.39—

ORLY against its popular alternatives

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

How do ORLY'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 ORLY, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.

Green points earned more than ORLY with less volatility; red points earned less with more. Hover over a point for its figures. Total returns with dividends reinvested, annualized.

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%50.0%55.0%60.0%−30.0%−20.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityORLY: 16.0% a year, volatility 23.4%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%DORM: 3.9% a year, volatility 33.7%GPC: 1.9% a year, volatility 28.2%SMP: −1.7% a year, volatility 32.2%AZO: 12.3% a year, volatility 25.3%AAP: −26.1% a year, volatility 55.4%MNRO: −21.0% a year, volatility 48.3%AN: 6.7% a year, volatility 36.0%GNTX: −8.6% a year, volatility 26.5%LKQ: −14.9% a year, volatility 31.0%GT: −26.5% a year, volatility 51.5%ORLYSPY (S&P 500)DORMGPCSMPAZOAAPMNROANGNTXLKQGT10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%−30.0%−20.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityORLY: 16.0% a year, volatility 23.4%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%DORM: 3.9% a year, volatility 33.7%GPC: 1.9% a year, volatility 28.2%SMP: −1.7% a year, volatility 32.2%AZO: 12.3% a year, volatility 25.3%AAP: −26.1% a year, volatility 55.4%MNRO: −21.0% a year, volatility 48.3%AN: 6.7% a year, volatility 36.0%GNTX: −8.6% a year, volatility 26.5%LKQ: −14.9% a year, volatility 31.0%GT: −26.5% a year, volatility 51.5%ORLYSPY (S&P 500)DORMGPCSMPAAPMNROANGNTXLKQGT
All figures
InvestmentAnnual returnVolatility
ORLY This pageO'Reilly Automotive, Inc.+16.0%23.4%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF+12.7%17.1%
AZO AutoZone, Inc.+12.3%25.3%
AN AutoNation, Inc.+6.7%36.0%
DORM Dorman Products, Inc.+3.9%33.7%
GPC Genuine Parts Company+1.9%28.2%
SMP Standard Motor Products, Inc.−1.7%32.2%
GNTX Gentex Corporation−8.6%26.5%
LKQ LKQ Corporation−14.9%31.0%
MNRO Monro Inc.−21.0%48.3%
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.−26.1%55.4%
GT The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company−26.5%51.5%
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Has ORLY consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares ORLY 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 ORLY helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.

A green cell means the alternative earned more than ORLY 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.

InvestmentPeriods outperformed Short termLong termRisk · 5 yearsFund
1M3M6MYTD1Y3Y5Y10YVolatilitylower is calmerSharpehigher is betterWorst declinepast 10 yearsExpenseAssetsOverlapsame sectors
ORLY O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (this page)—+8.6%+6.5%−3.0%−0.4%−10.8%+48.9%+110%+393%23.4%0.75−42.0%—$73B—
DORM Auto - PartsDorman Products, Inc.1/5 short1/3 long+2.9%−10.0%+11.1%−0.1%−13.8%+69.3%+21.0%+99.9%33.7%0.28−50.8%—$3.7B—
GPC Auto - PartsGenuine Parts Company3/5 short0/3 long−2.3%+1.7%+11.8%+2.4%−2.9%+5.6%+10.1%+85.3%28.2%0.21−54.9%—$17B—
SMP Auto - PartsStandard Motor Products, Inc.3/5 short0/3 long−0.1%−1.1%+0.3%+2.6%−5.1%+27.1%−8.3%−0.7%32.2%0.11−55.6%—$829M—
AZO Specialty RetailAutoZone, Inc.1/5 short0/3 long+12.7%+5.5%−11.8%−4.3%−20.4%+27.0%+78.6%+323%25.3%0.59−42.1%—$52B—
AAP Specialty RetailAdvance Auto Parts, Inc.1/5 short0/3 long+8.3%−14.7%−22.1%+15.9%−14.8%−8.3%−78.0%−63.9%55.4%-0.28−86.4%—$2.7B—
MNRO Auto - PartsMonro Inc.1/5 short0/3 long+11.2%−12.7%−16.9%−23.3%−14.1%−32.2%−69.2%−66.8%48.3%-0.25−84.2%—$448M—
AN Auto - DealershipsAutoNation, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−4.1%−18.2%−22.7%−21.6%−25.3%+21.1%+38.4%+246%36.0%0.36−63.6%—$5.4B—
GNTX Auto - PartsGentex Corporation0/5 short0/3 long−3.4%−10.8%−5.5%−8.3%−17.9%−26.1%−36.2%+49.2%26.5%-0.21−43.0%—$4.5B—
LKQ Auto - PartsLKQ Corporation0/5 short0/3 long−7.2%−13.0%−28.6%−25.9%−25.3%−50.9%−55.3%−24.8%31.0%-0.36−68.0%—$5.4B—
GT Auto - PartsThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company0/5 short0/3 long−15.5%−41.4%−41.3%−52.5%−39.8%−65.5%−78.5%−85.4%51.5%-0.34−87.8%—$1.2B—
Open these 11 in EasyCompare

How did ORLY do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where ORLY ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with ORLY and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.

Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of ORLY; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places ORLY among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.

InvestmentYears ahead of ORLY20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997
ORLY This pageO'Reilly Automotive, Inc.—+15.4%+24.8%+12.6%+19.5%+56.0%+3.3%+27.3%+43.1%−13.6%+9.9%+31.5%+49.6%+44.0%+11.8%+32.3%+58.7%+23.9%−5.1%+0.9%+0.5%+42.0%+16.3%+53.0%−30.9%+36.8%+24.4%−9.0%+80.0%+64.1%
Rank among alternativesTop quarter in 12 of 293 of 112 of 115 of 112 of 115 of 114 of 115 of 113 of 118 of 116 of 111 of 111 of 118 of 114 of 113 of 116 of 117 of 113 of 117 of 118 of 113 of 116 of 114 of 109 of 108 of 91 of 94 of 91 of 92 of 9
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF12 of 29+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%+16.0%+1.9%+15.1%+26.4%−36.8%+5.1%+15.9%+4.8%+10.7%+28.2%−21.6%−11.7%−9.8%+20.4%+28.7%+33.5%
DORM Dorman Products, Inc.12 of 29−4.9%+55.3%+3.1%−28.4%+30.2%+14.7%−15.9%+47.2%−16.3%+53.9%−1.7%−13.9%+58.6%+100%+1.9%+131%+18.9%−7.8%+32.0%+14.1%−24.1%+61.2%+53.3%+45.8%+319%−64.3%−43.4%−14.8%+26.4%
GPC Genuine Parts Company7 of 29+8.7%−13.2%−18.1%+26.8%+43.4%−2.2%+14.0%+4.1%+2.4%+14.3%−17.1%+31.4%+34.5%+7.3%+23.2%+40.5%+5.2%−15.1%+0.6%+11.4%+2.6%+36.8%+11.9%−13.1%+45.6%+11.0%−23.0%+1.4%+17.7%
SMP Standard Motor Products, Inc.12 of 29+23.4%−19.5%+18.0%−31.8%+32.3%−23.2%+12.0%+9.8%−14.2%+42.3%+1.4%+5.1%+68.0%+13.2%+49.5%+64.4%+147%−55.0%−43.7%+68.8%−39.6%+33.1%−3.5%−3.9%+94.6%−52.4%−32.0%+7.0%+65.0%
AZO AutoZone, Inc.10 of 29+5.9%+23.8%+4.8%+17.6%+76.8%−0.5%+42.1%+17.8%−9.9%+6.5%+19.8%+29.5%+34.8%+9.1%+19.2%+72.5%+13.3%+16.3%+3.8%+25.9%+0.5%+7.2%+20.6%−1.6%+152%−11.8%−1.9%+13.6%+5.5%
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.8 of 24−15.0%−21.1%−57.6%−36.5%+54.7%−1.2%+1.9%+58.2%−40.9%+12.5%−5.4%+44.2%+53.4%+4.2%+5.7%+64.1%+21.0%−10.8%+7.5%−17.6%+49.2%+7.3%+66.4%−1.7%—————
MNRO Monro Inc.10 of 29−13.8%−12.0%−33.1%−20.6%+11.1%−30.6%+15.0%+22.2%+0.9%−12.7%+15.6%+3.5%+62.6%−8.7%+13.2%+56.6%+32.7%+32.5%−16.0%+16.6%+20.3%+26.8%+76.9%+23.8%+52.5%+19.3%+3.5%−47.1%−7.1%
AN AutoNation, Inc.9 of 29+21.6%+13.1%+40.0%−8.2%+67.4%+43.5%+36.2%−30.4%+5.5%−18.4%−1.2%+21.6%+25.2%+7.7%+30.7%+47.3%+93.8%−36.9%−26.6%−1.9%+13.1%+4.6%+46.3%+1.9%+106%−28.1%−37.8%−36.2%−25.3%
GNTX Gentex Corporation12 of 29−17.4%−10.7%+21.7%−20.4%+4.2%+19.2%+46.3%−1.6%+8.5%+25.8%−9.7%+11.7%+79.5%−34.8%+1.7%+69.4%+110%−48.8%+16.8%−18.3%+7.4%−14.8%+40.1%+18.4%+43.4%−32.9%+38.8%+48.6%+33.3%
LKQ LKQ Corporation9 of 22−15.0%−20.9%−8.6%−9.3%+71.1%−1.3%+50.5%−41.7%+32.7%+3.4%+5.4%−14.6%+56.0%+40.3%+32.5%+15.9%+68.2%−44.6%+83.0%+32.7%+72.5%+12.4%———————
GT The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company8 of 29−2.7%−37.1%+41.1%−52.4%+95.4%−29.1%−20.8%−35.4%+6.1%−4.5%+15.3%+20.9%+73.1%−2.5%+19.6%−16.0%+136%−78.8%+34.4%+20.8%+18.5%+86.6%+15.3%−70.3%+8.0%−13.4%−43.0%−19.1%+26.3%
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Risk and diversification

How ORLY 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 ORLY's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents ORLY's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 1993, 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.

Green means ORLY fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.

DuringORLY fellS&P 500, same datesPeakLowTime to the lowBack at the peakTime to recover
No named crash−65.4%−0.3%Jul 1999Mar 20008 monthsDec 20009 months
2008 financial crisis−45.3%−43.9%Jun 2007Oct 200816 monthsApr 20096 months
Covid crash−42.0%−27.8%Nov 2019Mar 20204 monthsJul 20204 months
No named crash−40.6%+13.8%Jul 2016Jul 201712 monthsJul 201812 months
Dot-com bust−39.6%−25.5%Dec 2001Feb 200314 monthsJul 20035 months

How did ORLY do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far ORLY, 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.

Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than ORLY.

InvestmentHeld up better2023 regional bank crisisMar 20232022 bear marketJan 2022Covid crashFeb 2020Late-2018 sell-offSep 2018February 2018 volatility shockFeb 20182015 China and oil sell-offAug 20152011 euro debt crisisJul 20112010 flash crashMay 20102008 financial crisisOct 2007Dot-com bustMar 2000
ORLY This pageO'Reilly Automotive, Inc.—−1.5%−23.0%−34.0%−8.7%−2.4%−16.0%−9.4%−1.3%−39.8%−34.0%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF1 of 10−3.4%−24.5%−33.7%−19.3%−6.5%−12.8%−17.9%−1.5%−55.2%−47.5%
DORM Dorman Products, Inc.1 of 10−3.4%−29.7%−28.3%−16.2%−5.3%−23.1%−33.6%−4.6%−55.8%−55.6%
GPC Genuine Parts Company3 of 10−3.7%−15.3%−49.1%−11.2%−5.8%−15.3%−17.1%−1.6%−46.6%−27.7%
SMP Standard Motor Products, Inc.2 of 10−9.6%−39.0%−30.2%−17.4%−3.1%−24.3%−33.8%0.0%−85.2%−57.8%
AZO AutoZone, Inc.4 of 10−1.6%−21.4%−37.0%−9.3%−4.3%−12.8%−9.2%−1.1%−36.9%−29.0%
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.0 of 9−5.9%−33.7%−47.3%−19.4%−4.2%−30.9%−13.2%−1.0%−45.7%—
MNRO Monro Inc.3 of 10−3.8%−34.1%−32.8%−21.4%−5.2%−18.4%−19.8%−2.4%−33.8%−29.9%
AN AutoNation, Inc.0 of 10−7.7%−23.9%−53.6%−25.1%−7.9%−36.4%−22.9%−1.5%−77.0%−49.0%
GNTX Gentex Corporation0 of 10−6.0%−33.3%−35.4%−16.8%−3.7%−20.2%−28.6%−2.0%−69.3%−57.1%
LKQ LKQ Corporation0 of 9−7.2%−28.1%−59.1%−27.2%−5.1%−23.5%−23.3%−4.0%−62.8%—
GT The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company0 of 10−10.9%−58.2%−60.1%−20.9%−12.7%−24.6%−47.6%−5.2%−88.7%−76.7%
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How closely does ORLY 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 ORLY with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.

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 ORLY's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.

InvestmentUpside captureDownside captureCapture ratioBeta
ORLY This pageO'Reilly Automotive, Inc.86%66%1.300.78
AZO AutoZone, Inc.72%54%1.340.63
AN AutoNation, Inc.106%127%0.831.16
DORM Dorman Products, Inc.73%100%0.730.88
GPC Genuine Parts Company77%116%0.660.87
GNTX Gentex Corporation63%98%0.640.92
SMP Standard Motor Products, Inc.47%94%0.500.62
LKQ LKQ Corporation74%163%0.451.25
GT The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company77%263%0.291.63
MNRO Monro Inc.44%165%0.261.09
AAP Advance Auto Parts, Inc.40%158%0.251.19
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What diversifies ORLY?

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 ORLY's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing ORLY with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.

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 ORLY lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% ORLY and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.

ETFs

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe201720082002199980/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
ORLY O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (this page)1.00+110%0.75−13.6%−5.1%−30.9%−9.0%22.2%+16.0%
LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF0.21+119%1.48+10.0%———18.2%+16.6%
DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund0.15+225%1.34+22.8%−20.8%——18.3%+18.6%
EMLP Broad MarketFirst Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund0.46+101%1.04+1.1%———19.3%+16.2%
FDL Dividend & IncomeFirst Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund0.40+91.8%0.98+12.0%−31.1%——19.3%+15.9%
SMH TechnologyVanEck Semiconductor ETF0.13+323%0.97+38.5%−44.7%−47.0%—19.9%+21.4%
DBEF InternationalXtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF0.27+85.0%0.96+16.7%———18.5%+16.0%
GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares0.04+126%0.96+12.8%+4.9%——18.2%+17.1%
SPMO Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF0.38+136%0.93+27.8%———19.7%+17.6%

Stocks

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe201720082002199980/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
ORLY O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (this page)1.00+110%0.75−13.6%−5.1%−30.9%−9.0%22.2%+16.0%
CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc.0.27+479%1.55−12.7%−39.6%−8.3%−36.8%19.9%+20.8%
CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc.0.06+3,143%1.47−11.6%−20.5%−65.1%+350%21.8%+34.3%
FIX Engineering & ConstructionComfort Systems USA, Inc.0.36+1,636%1.46+32.1%−15.2%−9.4%−58.7%22.6%+29.6%
MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation0.32+413%1.44+12.0%−40.4%−27.2%−71.3%20.0%+20.2%
MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation0.17+690%1.41+34.8%———19.9%+23.1%
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Common questions

What was ORLY's worst drawdown?

ORLY's deepest decline since it began trading in 1993 was 65.4%, from July 1999 to March 2000. It took nine months from the low to climb back to its old high.

What were ORLY's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, ORLY's best year was 1998, when it returned 80.0%. Its worst was 2002, with a return of -30.9%.

Is there a better investment than ORLY?

Looking beyond its popular alternatives, WMT (discount retail) earned more for the risk it took than ORLY over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 25.7%, against 42.0% for ORLY. Few investments have done better on both counts: only 30 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than ORLY with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them NVS, RY and GLD.

Is ORLY more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. ORLY's volatility over the past 5 years was 23.4%, 1.4 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, ORLY's return lands within 23.4% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

What is ORLY's Sharpe ratio?

ORLY's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.75, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so ORLY 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 ORLY with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, ORLY's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.38 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 ORLY instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a ORLY holding.

What are the best alternatives to ORLY?

None of the ten popular alternatives we compared outperformed ORLY in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, which says more about ORLY's strength than about its alternatives.

Did ORLY outperform the S&P 500?

ORLY finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 16 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +15.4%, against +17.7% for the index.

How did ORLY do in stock market crashes?

ORLY fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in seven of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in one. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when ORLY fell 39.8% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

What diversifies ORLY?

These had a low correlation with ORLY over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.21), DXJ (correlation 0.15) and EMLP (correlation 0.46); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.27), CLS (correlation 0.06) and FIX (correlation 0.36). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

How we measure

More research

Popular alternatives to ORLY

Other stocks and ETFs