# How S&P Global (SPGI) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

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

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on SPGI alone. It places SPGI (S&P Global 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 SPGI stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: SPGI's full trading record, from October 1986 through September 2026. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** SPGI is 21.5% below its high, bear-market territory, while the S&P 500 sits 1.3% below a record. SPGI has gone against the market, falling 0.6% over the past 6 months while the S&P 500 rose 9.1%.
- **Stock or market?:** SPGI fell 2.1% over the past 3 months, in line with the financial data ETF IYF (iShares U.S. Financials ETF), which fell 2.3%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. SPGI rose 8.3% last month as the S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq 100 fell 3.2%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** Over the past year, SPGI fell 7.4% while the S&P 500 rose 15.8%. The same gap shows up over 3 years (28.2% against 89.3%). SPGI finished behind the S&P 500 in both 2024 and 2025.
- **Long term:** SPGI turned $10,000 into $39,300 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500. On the flip side, year by year, SPGI has outpaced the S&P 500 72% of the time since 1997.
- **In a crash:** Across seven sell-offs, SPGI has typically fallen 1.2 times as far as the S&P 500. The 2022 bear market took 36.3% off SPGI, against 24.5% for the S&P 500. That was more than CME (CME Group, 31.7%) but less than MCO (Moody's, 37.6%).
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, SPGI has a correlation of 0.70 over 5 years, more closely than 99% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Next to an index fund it is more of the same, not a cushion. When the S&P 500 had a down month, SPGI usually fell with it (21 of 22 months).
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) and CME (CME Group) earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. ICE returned 5.4% a year at 21.8% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%.
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** CTAS (Cintas, business services) and ADP (Automatic Data Processing, business services) earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. CTAS returned 16.5% a year at 23.1% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%.
  - **Versus the S&P 500:** Simply owning the S&P 500 would have done better over the past 5 years: 12.7% a year at 17.1% volatility, against 0.7% at 25.6% for SPGI.

## How much would $10,000 in SPGI have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in SPGI over the past 24 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of SPGI over the same span and SPGI's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in SPGI at the end of September 2002 would have grown to $194,414 by September 2026, more than the $144,215 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Six of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of SPGI, and BLK finished highest, at $434,103.

## SPGI 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.

- SPGI is still 21.5% below its all-time high.
- SPGI's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 74.7%, from June 2007 to March 2009. It took about four years from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 29 full calendar years, SPGI's best was 1997, when it returned 64.4%, and its worst was 2008, when it lost 45.5%. It lost money in four of those years.

- Type: Stock, Financials (Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges)
- Trading since: October 17, 1986
- Market value: $129B
- Volatility (5 years): 25.6%; Sharpe ratio: 0.16
- Worst decline ever: −74.7%, from June 4, 2007 to March 9, 2009; back at its high by July 15, 2013

| Period | SPGI total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | +8.3% |
| 3 months | −2.1% |
| 6 months | −0.6% |
| year to date | −13.9% |
| 1 year | −7.4% |
| 3 years | +28.2% |
| 5 years | +3.7% |
| 10 years | +293% |

## SPGI against the whole market

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

### How does SPGI rank among all stocks?

This section ranks SPGI on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history.

- SPGI's worst decline of the past 10 years ranks in the top 7% of the 2,187 stocks worth at least $300 million, where the top fell the least.

| Measure | SPGI | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | −7.4% | 2,260 of 3,287 (top 69%) |
| 3-year return | +28.2% | 1,878 of 3,017 (top 63%) |
| 5-year return | +3.7% | 1,681 of 2,893 (top 59%) |
| 10-year return | +293% | 606 of 2,202 (top 28%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 25.6% | 378 of 2,893 (top 14%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.16 | 1,966 of 2,893 (top 68%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −39.8% | 147 of 2,187 (top 7%) |

### What has beaten SPGI 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).

- 181 stocks and 731 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than SPGI over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 25% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half SPGI's swings, DXJ has the best return for its risk: 26.6% a year at 19.1% volatility, 26% less than SPGI's 25.6%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.34 against 0.16 for SPGI.
- Among SPGI's popular alternatives, CME and ICE are in the region. CME earned 11.2% a year against 0.7% a year for SPGI, at 20.8% volatility, 19% less than SPGI's 25.6%.

### Is there a better investment than SPGI?

The table below lists investments that beat SPGI 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.

- Among SPGI's popular alternatives, ICE and CME earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. ICE returned 5.4% a year at 21.8% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, CTAS (business services) and ADP (business services) earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. CTAS returned 16.5% a year at 23.1% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%.
- Simply owning the S&P 500 would have done better over the past 5 years: 12.7% a year at 17.1% volatility, against 0.7% at 25.6% for SPGI.

The 15 strongest of 912 investments that beat SPGI over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with SPGI | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SPGI: S&P Global Inc. (this page) |  | +0.7% | 25.6% | 0.16 | −39.8% | +293% |  |  |
| [VOO](https://easycompare.io/research/voo): Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | US Large-Cap Equity | +12.8% | 16.9% | 0.80 | −34.0% | +324% | 0.70 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [COST](https://easycompare.io/research/cost): Costco Wholesale Corporation | Discount Retail | +17.4% | 22.9% | 0.82 | −31.4% | +685% | 0.56 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [LIN](https://easycompare.io/research/lin): Linde plc | Chemicals | +11.5% | 20.9% | 0.63 | −32.6% | +394% | 0.39 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [IWF](https://easycompare.io/research/iwf): iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | US Large-Cap Growth | +11.7% | 21.8% | 0.62 | −32.7% | +416% | 0.63 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [RSG](https://easycompare.io/research/rsg): Republic Services, Inc. | Environmental Services | +13.9% | 18.5% | 0.80 | −34.0% | +446% | 0.42 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [MSI](https://easycompare.io/research/msi): Motorola Solutions, Inc. | Communications Equipment | +14.8% | 23.6% | 0.71 | −32.8% | +625% | 0.47 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [WM](https://easycompare.io/research/wm): Waste Management, Inc. | Environmental Services | +9.3% | 19.2% | 0.56 | −30.1% | +344% | 0.35 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [QUAL](https://easycompare.io/research/qual): iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | US Quality Equity | +11.4% | 17.3% | 0.71 | −34.1% | +293% | 0.68 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| IUSG: iShares Core S&P U.S. Growth ETF | US Growth Equity | +12.9% | 21.2% | 0.68 | −32.4% | +405% | 0.63 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| SPHQ: Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF | US Quality Equity | +12.0% | 16.7% | 0.76 | −31.6% | +300% | 0.55 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| MTUM: iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF | US Momentum Equity | +10.9% | 22.1% | 0.58 | −34.1% | +336% | 0.39 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| IOO: iShares Global 100 ETF | Global Equity | +15.7% | 17.2% | 0.94 | −31.4% | +361% | 0.66 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| XLG: Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF | US Large-Cap Equity | +13.8% | 18.9% | 0.78 | −30.5% | +379% | 0.66 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [WMT](https://easycompare.io/research/wmt): Walmart Inc. | Discount Retail | +20.8% | 22.6% | 0.96 | −25.7% | +508% | 0.34 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [BRK-B](https://easycompare.io/research/brk-b): Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Insurance | +13.4% | 17.1% | 0.82 | −29.6% | +274% | 0.42 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |

## SPGI against its popular alternatives

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

### How do SPGI'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.

- Six of the 17 popular alternatives, led by CBOE, CME and NDAQ, were both more rewarding and calmer than SPGI over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, SPGI returned 0.7% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (25.6% against 17.1%).

### Has SPGI consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares SPGI with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Eight of the 17 popular alternatives, led by CBOE, NDAQ and CME, outperformed SPGI in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- CBOE, NDAQ and CME outperformed SPGI in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- CME, NDAQ and ICE earned more for the risk they took than SPGI (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of SPGI | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SPGI: S&P Global Inc. (this page) | −7.4% | +28.2% | +3.7% | +293% |  |  | 0.16 |
| CBOE: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. | +34.2% | +101% | +165% | +463% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.91 |
| [NDAQ](https://easycompare.io/research/ndaq): Nasdaq, Inc. | +8.1% | +95.1% | +52.9% | +407% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.47 |
| [CME](https://easycompare.io/research/cme): CME Group Inc. | +14.6% | +57.7% | +70.1% | +319% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.62 |
| [BLK](https://easycompare.io/research/blk): BlackRock, Inc. | −0.6% | +96.3% | +41.1% | +313% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.39 |
| [IBKR](https://easycompare.io/research/ibkr): Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. | +24.4% | +320% | +355% | +935% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 1.04 |
| [MCO](https://easycompare.io/research/mco): Moody's Corporation | +1.1% | +57.3% | +33.4% | +383% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.35 |
| SSNC: SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. | +8.3% | +81.0% | +26.0% | +200% | 4/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.31 |
| [ICE](https://easycompare.io/research/ice): Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. | +3.5% | +52.4% | +30.0% | +240% | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.35 |
| FICO: Fair Isaac Corporation | −50.6% | −12.3% | +94.8% | +549% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.52 |
| [MSCI](https://easycompare.io/research/msci): MSCI Inc. | +11.8% | +25.5% | +0.5% | +702% | 3/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.16 |
| BR: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. | −20.2% | +9.7% | +8.7% | +234% | 3/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.19 |
| TRU: TransUnion | −1.7% | +22.2% | −30.6% | +149% | 5/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.02 |
| FDS: FactSet Research Systems Inc. | +9.5% | −24.7% | −21.8% | +127% | 5/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.01 |
| [TRI](https://easycompare.io/research/tri): Thomson Reuters Corporation | −28.1% | −2.5% | +3.6% | +244% | 4/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.17 |
| MORN: Morningstar, Inc. | −1.9% | −3.7% | −22.9% | +203% | 4/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.00 |
| VRSK: Verisk Analytics, Inc. | −18.1% | −16.8% | −6.7% | +151% | 3/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.08 |
| EFX: Equifax Inc. | −22.7% | +2.6% | −31.9% | +49.9% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.04 |

### How did SPGI do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where SPGI ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, SPGI finished in the top quarter in seven of 29 years and in the bottom quarter in one. In 2025, it ranked 9 of 18.
- SPGI finished ahead of the S&P 500 in 21 of its 29 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last two.
- Among its popular alternatives, NDAQ came out ahead of SPGI most often, in 13 of the 23 years both traded.

| Year | SPGI | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +5.7% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +13.9% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +32.8% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −28.4% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +44.7% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +21.4% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +62.3% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | +1.4% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +59.3% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +10.5% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How SPGI 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 SPGI's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In all three of SPGI's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- The slowest recovery came after SPGI fell 74.7% from June 2007 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until July 2013, four years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −74.7% | June 4, 2007 | March 9, 2009 | July 15, 2013 | −54.1% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −50.2% | August 18, 1989 | October 11, 1990 | October 28, 1993 | — |  |
| −42.6% | September 10, 1987 | January 20, 1988 | April 24, 1989 | — |  |
| −39.8% | December 15, 2021 | October 14, 2022 | July 11, 2024 | −22.9% | 2022 bear market |
| −38.1% | February 19, 2020 | March 23, 2020 | May 18, 2020 | −33.7% | Covid crash |

### How did SPGI do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far SPGI, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- SPGI fell further than the S&P 500 in seven of the ten crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2022 bear market, when SPGI fell 36.3% and the S&P 500 fell 24.5%.
- Among its popular alternatives, CME held up best, falling less than SPGI in seven of the nine crashes they both traded through.

| Crash | Dates | SPGI fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | −29.5% | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −66.4% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −0.4% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −20.8% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −21.3% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.2% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −24.6% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −38.1% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −36.3% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −4.2% | −3.4% |

### How closely does SPGI 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.

- Ten of the 17 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than SPGI's 0.85, led by CME, CBOE and IBKR.
- IBKR took just 92% of the S&P 500's losses, against 125% for SPGI, while still keeping 128% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, SPGI captured 107% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 125% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.04. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SPGI: S&P Global Inc. (this page) | 107% | 125% | 1.04 |
| CBOE: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. | 79.0% | 50.0% | 0.53 |
| [NDAQ](https://easycompare.io/research/ndaq): Nasdaq, Inc. | 104% | 97.0% | 0.91 |
| [CME](https://easycompare.io/research/cme): CME Group Inc. | 50.0% | 11.0% | 0.33 |
| [BLK](https://easycompare.io/research/blk): BlackRock, Inc. | 127% | 157% | 1.30 |
| [IBKR](https://easycompare.io/research/ibkr): Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. | 128% | 92.0% | 1.03 |
| [MCO](https://easycompare.io/research/mco): Moody's Corporation | 131% | 151% | 1.26 |
| SSNC: SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. | 113% | 153% | 1.32 |
| [ICE](https://easycompare.io/research/ice): Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. | 88.0% | 94.0% | 0.84 |
| FICO: Fair Isaac Corporation | 137% | 159% | 1.31 |
| [MSCI](https://easycompare.io/research/msci): MSCI Inc. | 131% | 121% | 1.12 |
| BR: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. | 90.0% | 105% | 0.90 |
| TRU: TransUnion | 142% | 228% | 1.47 |
| FDS: FactSet Research Systems Inc. | 71.0% | 97.0% | 0.76 |
| [TRI](https://easycompare.io/research/tri): Thomson Reuters Corporation | 69.0% | 67.0% | 0.63 |
| MORN: Morningstar, Inc. | 93.0% | 117% | 1.07 |
| VRSK: Verisk Analytics, Inc. | 63.0% | 73.0% | 0.73 |
| EFX: Equifax Inc. | 103% | 191% | 1.39 |

### What diversifies SPGI?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in SPGI into DXJ would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 17% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (-0.6% for SPGI alone, +4.9% for the mix).
- MCK made money in three of the four calendar years in which SPGI lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and GCOW have moved largely independently of SPGI over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.46 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with SPGI | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in SPGI's 4 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.42 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 1 of 4 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.21 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 1 of 4 |
| GCOW: Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF | 0.46 | +93.4% | 13.6% | 1.04 | 1 of 4 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.45 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 1 of 4 |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.47 | +83.3% | 13.0% | 1.00 | 1 of 4 |
| EWP: iShares MSCI Spain ETF | 0.48 | +140% | 20.3% | 0.97 | 1 of 4 |
| [SMH](https://easycompare.io/research/smh): VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.33 | +323% | 36.9% | 0.97 | 1 of 4 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.14 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 2 of 4 |

## Common questions

### What was SPGI's worst drawdown?

SPGI's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 74.7%, from June 2007 to March 2009. It took about four years from the low to climb back to its old high.

### What were SPGI's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, SPGI's best year was 1997, when it returned 64.4%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -45.5%.

### Is there a better investment than SPGI?

Among SPGI's popular alternatives, ICE and CME earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. ICE returned 5.4% a year at 21.8% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, CTAS (business services) and ADP (business services) earned more than SPGI with less volatility over the past 5 years. CTAS returned 16.5% a year at 23.1% volatility, against 0.7% a year at 25.6%.

### Is SPGI more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. SPGI's volatility over the past 5 years was 25.6%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, SPGI's return lands within 25.6% 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 SPGI's Sharpe ratio?

SPGI's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.16, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so SPGI 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 SPGI with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, SPGI's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.70 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 SPGI instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a SPGI holding.

### What are the best alternatives to SPGI?

Of the 17 popular alternatives we compared, eight outperformed SPGI in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: CBOE, NDAQ and CME.

### Did SPGI outperform the S&P 500?

SPGI finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 21 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +5.7%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did SPGI do in stock market crashes?

SPGI fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in two of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in seven. The clearest case was the 2022 bear market, when SPGI fell 36.3% and the S&P 500 fell 24.5%.

### What diversifies SPGI?

These had a low correlation with SPGI over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.42), DXJ (correlation 0.21) and GCOW (correlation 0.46); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.24), CLS (correlation 0.15) and FIX (correlation 0.16). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/spgi
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against SPGI live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=SPGI&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research