Growth vs. value investing? Perhaps you should consider both approaches (2024)

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Growth and value are two fundamental approaches, or styles, in stock and stock mutual fund investing.Footnote1 Growth investors seek companies that offer strong earnings growth while value investors seek stocks that appear to be undervalued in the marketplace. Because the two styles complement each other, they can help add diversity to your portfolio when used together.

Growth and value defined

Growth stocks represent companies that have demonstrated better-than-average gains in earnings in recent years and that are expected to continue delivering high levels of profit growth, although there are no guarantees. "Emerging" growth companies are those that have the potential to achieve high earnings growth, but have not established a history of strong earnings growth.

The key characteristics of growth funds are as follows:

  • Higher priced than broader market. Investors are willing to pay high price-to-earnings multiples with the expectation of selling them at even higher prices as the companies continue to grow
  • High earnings growth records. While the earnings of some companies may be depressed during periods of slower economic improvement, growth companies may potentially continue to achieve high earnings growth regardless of economic conditions
  • More volatile than broader market. The risk in buying a given growth stock is that its lofty price could fall sharply on any negative news about the company, particularly if earnings disappoint Wall Street

Value fund managers look for companies that have fallen out of favor but still have good fundamentals. The value group may also include stocks of new companies that have yet to be recognized by investors.

The key characteristics of value funds include:

  • Lower priced than broader market. The idea behind value investing is that stocks of good companies will bounce back in time if and when the true value is recognized by other investors
  • Priced below similar companies in industry. Many value investors believe that a majority of value stocks are created due to investors' overreacting to recent company problems, such as disappointing earnings, negative publicity or legal problems, all of which may raise doubts about the company's long-term prospects.
  • Carry somewhat less risk than broader market. However, as they take time to turn around, value stocks may be more suited to longer term investors and may carry more risk of price fluctuation than growth stocks

Growth or value... or both?

Which strategy — growth or value — is likely to produce higher returns over the long term? The battle between growth and value investing has been going on for years, with each side offering statistics to support its arguments. Some studies show that value investing has outperformed growth over extended periods of time on a value-adjusted basis. Value investors argue that a short-term focus can often push stock prices to low levels, which creates great buying opportunities for value investors.

History shows us that:

  • Growth stocks, in general, have the potential to perform better when interest rates are falling and company earnings are rising. However, they may also be the first to be punished when the economy is cooling.
  • Value stocks, often stocks of cyclical industries, may do well early in an economic recovery but are typically more likely to lag in a sustained bull market

Growth vs. Value: Compare the Performance

Growth vs. value investing? Perhaps you should consider both approaches (1)The chart shows the annual total return of growth and value stocks for the 30 years ended December 31, 2022. In 1993, growth stocks had a total return of 1.68%, and value stocks had a total return of 18.61%. In 1994, growth stocks had a total return of 3.13%, and value stocks had a total return of -0.64%. In 1995, growth stocks had a total return of 38.13%, and value stocks had a total return of 36.99%. In 1996, growth stocks had a total return of 23.97%, and value stocks had a total return of 22.00%. In 1997, growth stocks had a total return of 36.52%, and value stocks had a total return of 29.98%. In 1998, growth stocks had a total return of 42.16%, and value stocks had a total return of 14.67%. In 1999, growth stocks had a total return of 28.25%, and value stocks had a total return of 12.72%. In 2000, growth stocks had a total return of -22.08%, and value stocks had a total return of 6.08%. In 2001, growth stocks had a total return of -12.73%, and value stocks had a total return of -11.71%. In 2002, growth stocks had a total return of -23.59%, and value stocks had a total return of -20.85%. In 2003, growth stocks had a total return of 25.66%, and value stocks had a total return of 31.79%. In 2004, growth stocks had a total return of 6.13%, and value stocks had a total return of 15.71%. In 2005, growth stocks had a total return of 3.46%, and value stocks had a total return of 6.34%. In 2006, growth stocks had a total return of 10.99%, and value stocks had a total return of 20.79%. In 2007, growth stocks had a total return of 9.15%, and value stocks had a total return of 1.99%. In 2008, growth stocks had a total return of -34.91%, and value stocks had a total return of -39.22%. In 2009, growth stocks had a total return of 31.60%, and value stocks had a total return of 21.18%. In 2010, growth stocks had a total return of 15.14%, and value stocks had a total return of 15.10%. In 2011, growth stocks had a total return of 4.65%, and value stocks had a total return of -0.48%. In 2012, growth stocks had a total return of 14.61%, and value stocks had a total return of 17.68%. In 2013, growth stocks had a total return of 32.75%, and value stocks had a total return of 31.99%. In 2014, growth stocks had a total return of 14.89%, and value stocks had a total return of 12.36%. In 2015, growth stocks had a total return of 5.52%, and value stocks had a total return of -3.13%. In 2016, growth stocks had a total return of 6.89%, and value stocks had a total return of 17.14%. In 2017, growth stocks had a total return of 27.44%, and value stocks had a total return of 15.36%. In 2018, growth stocks had a total return of -0.01%, and value stocks had a total return of -8.95%. In 2019, growth stocks had a total return of 31.13%, and value stocks had a total return of 31.93%. In 2020, growth stocks had a total return of 33.47%, and value stocks had a total return of 1.37%. In 2021, growth stocks had a total return of 32.01%, and value stocks had a total return of 24.90%. In 2022, growth stocks had a total return of -29.41%, and value stocks had a total return of -5.22%.

Both growth and value stocks have taken turns leading and lagging one another during different markets and economic conditions.

Source: ChartSource®, SS&C Retirement Solutions, LLC. For the period from January 1, 1993, through December 31, 2022. Growth stocks are represented by a composite of the S&P 500/BARRA Growth index and the S&P 500/Citi Growth index. Value stocks are represented by a composite of the S&P 500/BARRA Value index and the S&P 500/Citi Value index. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Index performance does not reflect the effects of investing costs and taxes. Actual results would vary from benchmarks and would likely have been lower. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. © 2023 SS&C. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited, except by permission. All rights reserved. Not responsible for any errors or omissions. (T2C30)

When investing long term, some individuals combine growth and value stocks or funds for the potential of high returns with less risk. This approach allows investors to, in theory, gain throughout economic cycles in which the general market situations favor either the growth or value investment style, smoothing any returns over time.

Footnote1 Investing in growth stocks incurs the possibility of losses because their prices are sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings. Value stocks are securities of companies that may have experienced adverse business or industry developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused the stocks to be out of favor. If the manager's assessment of a company's prospects is wrong, the price of the stock may not approach the value the manager has placed on it.

© SS&C. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited, except by permission. All rights reserved. Not responsible for any errors or omissions.

The material was authored by a third party, DST Retirement Solutions, LLC, an SS&C company ("SS&C"), not affiliated with Merrill or any of its affiliates and is for information and educational purposes only. The opinions and views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Merrill or any of its affiliates. Any assumptions, opinions and estimates are as of the date of this material and are subject to change without notice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The information contained in this material does not constitute advice on the tax consequences of making any particular investment decision. This material does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situations or needs and is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security, financial instrument, or strategy. Before acting on any recommendation in this material, you should consider whether it is in your best interest based on your particular circ*mstances and, if necessary, seek professional advice.

Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by SS&C or its sources, neither SS&C nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall SS&C be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber's or others' use of the content.

Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

MAP5604812-04242024

Growth vs. value investing? Perhaps you should consider both approaches (2024)

FAQs

Growth vs. value investing? Perhaps you should consider both approaches? ›

Growth and value are two fundamental approaches, or styles, in stock and stock mutual fund investing. Growth investors seek companies that offer strong earnings growth while value investors seek stocks that appear to be undervalued in the marketplace.

What is the difference between growth investing and value investing? ›

Growth Investing vs. Value Investing. Where growth investing seeks out companies that are growing their revenue, profits or cash flow at a faster-than-average pace, value investing targets older companies priced below their intrinsic value.

Can you be both a value and growth investor? ›

One way to diversify is by owning the stocks of companies of both small- and large-sized companies. A second important way to diversify is to own both growth and value stocks.

Is growth investing more risky than value investing? ›

In addition, growth shares are typically more volatile than value shares. Investors have high expectations of earnings growth, and if a company fails to achieve forecast earnings, this can lead to a significant fall in share price.

How do you determine value vs growth? ›

The definition of growth versus value stocks is simple, at least in theory. Value companies generally have low price-to-book ratios, high dividend yields, and low price-to-earnings ratios; the opposite is true for growth companies.

What is core vs growth vs value? ›

The value score is subtracted from the growth score. If the result is strongly negative, the stock's style is value; if the result is strongly positive, the stock is classified as growth. If the scores for value and growth are not substantially different, the stock is classified as 'core'.

What is a growth investment strategy? ›

Growth investing is a popular investment strategy that has been used by investors for decades. It involves buying and holding stocks of companies with the potential for above-average earnings growth. These companies may be part of fast-growing industries and are often high-risk, high-reward investments.

What is the 2 rule in investing? ›

The 2% rule is an investing strategy where an investor risks no more than 2% of their available capital on any single trade. To implement the 2% rule, the investor first must calculate what 2% of their available trading capital is: this is referred to as the capital at risk (CaR).

What are the characteristics of value vs growth stocks? ›

Unlike growth stocks, which typically do not pay dividends, value stocks often have higher than average dividend yields. Value stocks also tend to have strong fundamentals with comparably low price-to-book (P/B) ratios and low P/E values—the opposite of growth stocks.

What is the number one rule of value investing? ›

Principle 1: Low Price to Earnings

Stocks with low price/earnings ratios historically have outperformed the overall market and provided investors with less downside risk than other equity investment strategies.

What is the value vs growth in 2024? ›

Value stocks are flat so far in 2024, while growth stocks have fallen 1.8%. Here's what investors need to know about what's ahead for this less-than-flashy corner of the market.

What are the disadvantages of value investing? ›

Disadvantages of Value Investing

Value investing relies on an investor's ability to correctly identify undervalued stocks, which can be difficult and time-consuming. This strategy is also based on the assumption of a long-term return, so short-term gains may not be possible, making it unsuitable for day traders.

Will value outperform growth? ›

Sources: Vanguard calculations, based on data from FactSet. On an average annualised basis, our forecast suggests value should outperform growth by between 9% and 13% over the next five years and 5% to 7% over the next ten years for a US-dollar investor.

What is the difference between growth and value strategy? ›

Growth investors seek companies that offer strong earnings growth while value investors seek stocks that appear to be undervalued in the marketplace.

Are value stocks good in a recession? ›

A common perception is that value stocks are more cyclical and therefore more vulnerable to economic downturn. We find that this conventional wisdom is false: empirical evidence shows that value stocks actually tend to outperform in recessions. Value stocks have the charm of low expectations.

Is value investing still relevant? ›

Value investing has been used by many investors, in conjunction with other investment considerations, to profit over long periods. Is value investing still relevant? Yes—and here are some tips on how to do it successfully: Value stocks are generally good bargains, but not all bargain stocks offer good value.

Should I invest in growth or value mutual funds? ›

Additionally, value funds don't emphasize growth above all, so even if the stock doesn't appreciate, investors typically benefit from dividend payments. Value stocks have more limited upside potential and, therefore, can be safer investments than growth stocks.

Which is riskier growth or value stocks? ›

Value stocks are expected to gain value eventually when the market corrects their prices. In the unlikely event that the stock doesn't appreciate in value as was expected, investors can lose their money. Hence, value stocks are relatively riskier investments.

What is the difference between investing for growth and investing for income? ›

Income investing – has the goal of providing regular income on a quarterly or monthly basis. Growth investing – has the goal of increasing the value of an investor's portfolio. Growth and income investing – tends to be higher risk. Many of these investments don't guarantee an income and they can go down in value.

What is an example of a growth stock? ›

1. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Amazon is considered one of the best-performing, successful growth stocks over the years, as one can tell from the giant online retailer's immense and continuing success over the years.

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