Which investing styles are working?
Growth or value, large or small, momentum or defense: these styles take turns leading, sometimes for years. Knowing which is in favor explains why a portfolio is ahead of or behind the index when its stock picks haven’t changed.
Updated Oct 9, 2026
Growth leads
Over the past three months growth has beaten value by 6.2 points, and small caps have trailed the S&P 500 by 8.5. The strongest style is growth; the weakest is small-cap growth.
Over time
Select any pair or style. Score is the three-month lead against its own five years; Value is the ratio of the two funds.
Every style against the S&P 500
Sorted by the last three months. Score compares that lead with the style’s own last five years. Select a column to sort.
| Style | Trend | 1M | 3M | 1Y | Past year vs S&P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth VUG | 73Strong | +2.7 pts | +2.7 pts | −2 pts | |
| Cash cows COWZ | 68Strong | −3.8 pts | +2.2 pts | +4 pts | |
| High beta SPHB | 57Neutral | +3.5 pts | +1.8 pts | +20 pts | |
| Nasdaq-100 QQQ | 61Neutral | +3.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +7 pts | |
| Quality JQUA | 72Strong | +1.3 pts | +1.2 pts | +5 pts | |
| Low volatility USMV | 55Neutral | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −10 pts | |
| Wide moats MOAT | 41Neutral | −2.3 pts | −1.7 pts | −8 pts | |
| Momentum MTUM | 35Neutral | +2.8 pts | −2.1 pts | +9 pts | |
| Value VTV | 25Weak | −3.5 pts | −3.2 pts | +2 pts | |
| Equal weight RSP | 15Weak | −2.8 pts | −4.3 pts | −4 pts | |
| Mid caps IJH | 7Weak | −3.3 pts | −6.1 pts | −4 pts | |
| Small-cap value AVUV | 10Weak | −6.1 pts | −7.1 pts | +4 pts | |
| Small caps IWM | 7Weak | −5.8 pts | −8.5 pts | −3 pts | |
| Small-cap growth IWO | 7Weak | −5.2 pts | −9.4 pts | −7 pts |
How to read this page
How it’s measured. Each style is represented by a widely held fund and measured against the S&P 500, or growth against value, over three months. Scores compare that reading with the style’s own last five years.
Sources. Daily prices from Financial Modeling Prep.
Returns are price changes. Value and dividend-heavy styles pay more income, so over a year their total return is a point or two better than shown.
Style leadership describes where returns have come from. In our research, leadership by a fixed theme has reversed over long stretches; none of these readings is a forecast.
This page is information, not investment advice. About our data and methods ›