# How Block (XYZ) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/xyz
> 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 XYZ alone. It places XYZ (Block, Inc.) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where XYZ stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: XYZ's full trading record, from November 2015 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.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** The slide is XYZ's own: it is 72.3% below its high, against 1.3% for the S&P 500. Its payment processing peers split over the past 3 months: SHOP (Shopify) rose 39.4%, while FOUR (Shift4 Payments) fell 20.5%.
- **Stock or market?:** The weakness is XYZ's own: it fell 1.5% over the past 3 months while the technology sector ETF XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) rose 5.7%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. Its payment processing peers did not move as one over the past 3 months: SHOP (Shopify) rose 39.4%, while FOUR (Shift4 Payments) fell 20.5%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** XYZ has trailed the market, rising 2.1% over the past year against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. The same gap shows up over 3 years (77.6% against 89.3%). The last two calendar years both went the same way: XYZ fell 23.4% in 2025, against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Long term:** Over the past decade, XYZ returned 21.5% a year against 15.5% a year for the S&P 500 (598% in total against 321%). On the flip side, over 5 years XYZ trailed the index: 69.4% against 81.7%.
- **In a crash:** The 2022 bear market took 65.8% off XYZ, against 24.5% for the S&P 500. That was more than V (Visa, 24.1%) but less than SHOP (Shopify, 79.0%). XYZ fell further than the S&P 500 in four of the last four sell-offs, including the 2022 bear market (65.8% against 24.5%).
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, XYZ has a correlation of 0.71 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. Over 10 years, XYZ's beta versus the S&P 500 was 2.52: in the S&P 500's rising months it gained 2.1 times as much as the index, and in falling months it lost 2.7 times as much.
- **Better options**
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** AAPL (Apple, digital payments theme) and MSFT (Microsoft, software) earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years. AAPL returned 18.5% a year at 28.0% volatility, against a loss of 21.1% a year at 59.9%.
  - **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 21.1% at 59.9% for XYZ.
  - **Whole market:** 2,981 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them NVDA (NVIDIA), AAPL (Apple) and GOOG (Alphabet).

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

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

- $10,000 invested in XYZ at the end of September 2016 would have grown to $63,061 by September 2026, more than the $41,286 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Five of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of XYZ, and SHOP finished highest, at $345,690.

## XYZ 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.

- XYZ is still 72.3% below its all-time high.
- XYZ's deepest decline since it began trading in 2015 was 86.1%, from August 2021 to October 2023. It has not yet climbed back to that peak.
- Over ten full calendar years, XYZ's best was 2020, when it returned 248%, and its worst was 2022, when it lost 61.1%. It lost money in three of those years.

- Type: Stock, Technology (Software - Infrastructure)
- Trading since: November 19, 2015
- Market value: $47B
- Volatility (5 years): 59.9%; Sharpe ratio: -0.10
- Worst decline ever: −86.1%, from August 5, 2021 to October 30, 2023; not yet back at its high

| Period | XYZ total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | +0.3% |
| 3 months | −1.5% |
| 6 months | +5.7% |
| year to date | +19.9% |
| 1 year | +2.1% |
| 3 years | +77.6% |
| 5 years | −69.4% |
| 10 years | +598% |

## XYZ against the whole market

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

### How does XYZ rank among all stocks?

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

- XYZ's 5-year return ranks in the bottom 9% of the 2,893 stocks worth at least $300 million with 5 years of history.
- XYZ's 10-year return ranks in the top 11% of the 2,202 stocks worth at least $300 million with 10 years of history.

| Measure | XYZ | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +2.1% | 1,905 of 3,287 (top 58%) |
| 3-year return | +77.6% | 1,156 of 3,017 (top 39%) |
| 5-year return | −69.4% | 2,626 of 2,893 (top 91%) |
| 10-year return | +598% | 235 of 2,202 (top 11%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 59.9% | 2,272 of 2,893 (top 79%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | -0.10 | 2,545 of 2,893 (top 88%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −86.1% | 1,815 of 2,187 (top 83%) |

### What has beaten XYZ 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).

- 1,977 stocks and 1,004 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than XYZ over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 82% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half XYZ's swings, FIX has the best return for its risk: 77.0% a year at 46.7% volatility, 22% less than XYZ's 59.9%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.46 against -0.10 for XYZ. BELFB earned the most, 78.0% a year, while still swinging less than XYZ (52.1% against 59.9%).
- Among XYZ's popular alternatives, V, MA and PAYO are in the region. V earned 12.8% a year against a loss of 21.1% a year for XYZ, at 22.9% volatility, 62% less than XYZ's 59.9%.

### Is there a better investment than XYZ?

The table below lists investments that beat XYZ 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 XYZ's popular alternatives, V, MA and WEX earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years. V returned 12.8% a year at 22.9% volatility, against a loss of 21.1% a year at 59.9%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, AAPL (digital payments theme) and MSFT (software) earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years. AAPL returned 18.5% a year at 28.0% volatility, against a loss of 21.1% a year at 59.9%.
- Simply owning the S&P 500 would have done better over the past 5 years: 12.7% a year at 17.1% volatility, against 21.1% at 59.9% for XYZ.

The 15 strongest of 2,981 investments that beat XYZ 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 XYZ | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| XYZ: Block, Inc. (this page) |  | −21.1% | 59.9% | -0.10 | −86.1% | +598% |  |  |
| [TSM](https://easycompare.io/research/tsm): Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited | Semiconductors | +31.5% | 38.5% | 0.91 | −56.6% | +1,505% | 0.46 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | Pharmaceuticals | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | -0.05 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | -0.02 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [DELL](https://easycompare.io/research/dell): Dell Technologies Inc. | Computer Hardware | +55.2% | 54.4% | 1.08 | −59.6% | +3,701% | 0.22 | 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% | 0.42 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ASML](https://easycompare.io/research/asml): ASML Holding N.V. | Semiconductor Equipment | +17.4% | 43.4% | 0.59 | −56.9% | +1,628% | 0.41 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ANET](https://easycompare.io/research/anet): Arista Networks, Inc. | Communications Equipment | +49.0% | 49.0% | 1.06 | −52.2% | +3,439% | 0.34 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [MCK](https://easycompare.io/research/mck): McKesson Corporation | Health Care Distribution | +38.7% | 25.0% | 1.44 | −38.1% | +586% | 0.00 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [APH](https://easycompare.io/research/aph): Amphenol Corporation | Electronic Components | +33.8% | 32.2% | 1.07 | −37.5% | +965% | 0.52 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [STX](https://easycompare.io/research/stx): Seagate Technology Holdings plc | Computer Hardware | +57.4% | 48.7% | 1.18 | −57.0% | +2,698% | 0.31 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [SCCO](https://easycompare.io/research/scco): Southern Copper Corporation | Metals & Mining | +32.0% | 40.7% | 0.89 | −55.3% | +1,017% | 0.33 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [VGT](https://easycompare.io/research/vgt): Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Technology Equity | +18.4% | 26.0% | 0.78 | −35.1% | +779% | 0.63 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ADI](https://easycompare.io/research/adi): Analog Devices, Inc. | Semiconductors | +19.5% | 34.1% | 0.69 | −33.6% | +652% | 0.42 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ASX](https://easycompare.io/research/asx): ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. | Semiconductors | +48.8% | 43.0% | 1.15 | −52.5% | +967% | 0.41 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [PGR](https://easycompare.io/research/pgr): The Progressive Corporation | Property & Casualty Insurance | +21.3% | 25.6% | 0.89 | −30.3% | +816% | -0.07 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |

## XYZ against its popular alternatives

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

### How do XYZ'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.

- 11 of the 22 popular alternatives, led by V, MA and WEX, were both more rewarding and calmer than XYZ over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, XYZ returned -21.1% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (59.9% against 17.1%).

### Has XYZ consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

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

- Three of the 23 popular alternatives, SHOP, PAY and TOST, outperformed XYZ in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- SHOP outperformed XYZ in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- V, MA and PAY earned more for the risk they took than XYZ (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 XYZ | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| XYZ: Block, Inc. (this page) | +2.1% | +77.6% | −69.4% | +598% |  |  | -0.10 |
| [SHOP](https://easycompare.io/research/shop): Shopify Inc. | +5.3% | +239% | +16.6% | +3,916% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.38 |
| PAY: Paymentus Holdings, Inc. | +12.0% | +122% | +35.0% | — | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.41 |
| TOST: Toast, Inc. | −13.3% | +85.7% | −35.9% | — | 3/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.15 |
| AFRM: Affirm Holdings, Inc. | +2.5% | +305% | −50.0% | — | 2/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.30 |
| [COIN](https://easycompare.io/research/coin): Coinbase Global, Inc. | −50.3% | +129% | −45.7% | — | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.29 |
| [HOOD](https://easycompare.io/research/hood): Robinhood Markets, Inc. | −27.7% | +976% | +135% | — | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.59 |
| SOFI: SoFi Technologies, Inc. | −48.8% | +99.2% | −30.3% | — | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.21 |
| PAGS: PagSeguro Digital Ltd. | +38.4% | +73.1% | −66.9% | — | 5/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.07 |
| RELY: Remitly Global, Inc. | +52.9% | −6.6% | −28.9% | — | 5/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.17 |
| [MA](https://easycompare.io/research/ma): Mastercard Incorporated | +10.3% | +64.3% | +79.2% | +541% | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.61 |
| [V](https://easycompare.io/research/v): Visa Inc. | +19.0% | +78.2% | +82.5% | +429% | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.64 |
| PAYO: Payoneer Global Inc. | +19.6% | +23.6% | −13.5% | — | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.22 |
| WEX: WEX Inc. | +21.1% | −1.4% | −3.9% | +74.9% | 3/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.17 |
| [INTU](https://easycompare.io/research/intu): Intuit Inc. | −48.9% | −32.1% | −38.8% | +237% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.06 |
| GPN: Global Payments Inc. | −1.3% | −21.1% | −44.7% | +22.4% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.14 |
| STNE: StoneCo Ltd. | −21.7% | +46.8% | −63.0% | — | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.02 |
| FISV: Fiserv, Inc. | −61.1% | −56.3% | −56.2% | −2.7% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.24 |
| FIS: Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. | −44.3% | −21.6% | −66.6% | −41.3% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.47 |
| FOUR: Shift4 Payments, Inc. | −46.7% | −20.1% | −47.4% | — | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.07 |
| EEFT: Euronet Worldwide, Inc. | −24.3% | −21.1% | −49.9% | −19.7% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | -0.21 |
| [PYPL](https://easycompare.io/research/pypl): PayPal Holdings, Inc. | −16.5% | +8.2% | −77.6% | +44.1% | 3/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.47 |
| DLO: Dlocal Limited | +2.5% | −10.3% | −69.4% | — | 3/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.04 |
| [IBIT](https://easycompare.io/research/ibit): iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | −25.8% | — | — | — | 2/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | — |

### How did XYZ do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2016, along with where XYZ ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- XYZ finished ahead of the S&P 500 in three of its ten full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last five.
- Among its popular alternatives, SOFI came out ahead of XYZ most often, in four of the five years both traded.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, XYZ finished in the top quarter in three of ten years and in the bottom quarter in one. In 2025, it ranked 17 of 24.

| Year | XYZ | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | −23.4% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +9.9% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +23.1% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −61.1% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | −25.8% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +248% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +11.5% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | +61.8% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +154% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +4.1% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How XYZ 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 XYZ's worst declines?

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

- In all five of XYZ's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: XYZ fell 86.1% from August 2021 to October 2023, while the S&P 500 slipped only 2.7%.
- None of these declines kept XYZ below its old high for long; the longest climb back took eight months.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −86.1% | August 5, 2021 | October 30, 2023 | not yet | −2.7% | 2022 bear market |
| −61.5% | September 28, 2018 | March 20, 2020 | June 22, 2020 | −18.9% | late-2018 sell-off |
| −44.3% | April 12, 2016 | June 27, 2016 | February 23, 2017 | −2.6% |  |
| −36.1% | December 31, 2015 | February 8, 2016 | March 21, 2016 | −9.0% | 2015 China and oil sell-off |
| −29.0% | November 24, 2017 | December 29, 2017 | March 5, 2018 | +3.0% |  |

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

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

- XYZ fell further than the S&P 500 in all five crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2022 bear market, when XYZ fell 65.8% and the S&P 500 fell 24.5%.
- Among its popular alternatives, MA held up best, falling less than XYZ in all five crashes they both traded through.
- XYZ began trading after the 2008 financial crisis, but seven of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was INTU's 38.3%, against 55.2% for the S&P 500.

| Crash | Dates | XYZ fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | not trading | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | not trading | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | not trading | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | not trading | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −9.4% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −48.8% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −55.5% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −65.8% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −10.9% | −3.4% |

### How closely does XYZ 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.

- SHOP took just 203% of the S&P 500's losses, against 273% for XYZ, while still keeping 233% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, XYZ captured 212% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 273% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 2.52. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.
- Four of the ten popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than XYZ's 0.78, led by MA, V and SHOP.

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

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| XYZ: Block, Inc. (this page) | 212% | 273% | 2.52 |
| [SHOP](https://easycompare.io/research/shop): Shopify Inc. | 233% | 203% | 2.09 |
| [MA](https://easycompare.io/research/ma): Mastercard Incorporated | 105% | 88.0% | 0.95 |
| [V](https://easycompare.io/research/v): Visa Inc. | 93.0% | 79.0% | 0.87 |
| WEX: WEX Inc. | 114% | 190% | 1.37 |
| [INTU](https://easycompare.io/research/intu): Intuit Inc. | 99.0% | 126% | 1.03 |
| GPN: Global Payments Inc. | 76.0% | 139% | 0.98 |
| FISV: Fiserv, Inc. | 51.0% | 107% | 0.86 |
| FIS: Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. | 54.0% | 150% | 0.82 |
| EEFT: Euronet Worldwide, Inc. | 65.0% | 144% | 1.22 |
| [PYPL](https://easycompare.io/research/pypl): PayPal Holdings, Inc. | 106% | 186% | 1.25 |

### What diversifies XYZ?

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 XYZ into MCK would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 19% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (-21.1% for XYZ alone, -9.3% for the mix).
- MCK made money in three of the three calendar years in which XYZ lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and EMLP have moved largely independently of XYZ over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.47 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with XYZ | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in XYZ's 3 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.41 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 3 of 3 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.33 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 3 of 3 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.47 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 3 of 3 |
| EWP: iShares MSCI Spain ETF | 0.42 | +140% | 20.3% | 0.97 | 2 of 3 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.10 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 1 of 3 |
| [XLE](https://easycompare.io/research/xle): State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.16 | +177% | 25.5% | 0.93 | 3 of 3 |
| EWT: iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF | 0.49 | +153% | 24.2% | 0.89 | 2 of 3 |
| AMLP: Alerian MLP ETF | 0.38 | +111% | 18.9% | 0.89 | 3 of 3 |

## Common questions

### What was XYZ's worst drawdown?

XYZ's deepest decline since it began trading in 2015 was 86.1%, from August 2021 to October 2023. It has not yet climbed back to that peak. Because XYZ launched in November 2015, that record does not include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or two other sell-offs.

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

Over ten full calendar years, XYZ's best year was 2020, when it returned 248%. Its worst was 2022, with a return of -61.1%.

### Is there a better investment than XYZ?

Among XYZ's popular alternatives, V, MA and WEX earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years. V returned 12.8% a year at 22.9% volatility, against a loss of 21.1% a year at 59.9%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, AAPL (digital payments theme) and MSFT (software) earned more than XYZ with less volatility over the past 5 years. AAPL returned 18.5% a year at 28.0% volatility, against a loss of 21.1% a year at 59.9%.

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

Yes. XYZ's volatility over the past 5 years was 59.9%, 3.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, XYZ's return lands within 59.9% 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 XYZ's Sharpe ratio?

XYZ's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was -0.10, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so XYZ 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 XYZ with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, XYZ's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.71 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 XYZ instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a XYZ holding.

### What are the best alternatives to XYZ?

Of the 23 popular alternatives we compared, three outperformed XYZ in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: SHOP, PAY and TOST.

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

XYZ finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in three of ten full calendar years. In 2025, it returned -23.4%, against +17.7% for the index.

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

XYZ fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the five major crashes it has traded through, and further in five. The clearest case was the 2022 bear market, when XYZ fell 65.8% and the S&P 500 fell 24.5%.

### What diversifies XYZ?

These had a low correlation with XYZ over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.41), DXJ (correlation 0.33) and EMLP (correlation 0.47); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.24), CLS (correlation 0.45) and FIX (correlation 0.47). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

## More research

- [Shopify (SHOP) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/shop)
- [Coinbase Global (COIN) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/coin)
- [Robinhood Markets (HOOD) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/hood)
- [Mastercard (MA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/ma)
- [Visa (V) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/v)
- [Intuit (INTU) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/intu)
- [PayPal (PYPL) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/pypl)
- [iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/ibit)
- [Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/schd)
- [NVIDIA (NVDA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/nvda)
- [Apple (AAPL) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/aapl)
- [Alphabet (GOOG) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/goog)

## Explore further

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