BetterThanSPY

Relative Intelligence · Electric Vehicles

How Tesla (TSLA) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on TSLA alone. It places TSLA (Tesla, Inc.) against 18 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 TSLA stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: TSLA's full trading record, from June 2010 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 22, 2026.

Data as of October 22, 2026. Full tables and charts read best on a larger screen.

Rank the market against TSLA →Chart TSLA vs. 18 alternatives →

This page answers the following questions about TSLA

Key findings

Not AI-generated

These key findings are generated by our proprietary relative intelligence engine, directly from the data on this page.

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

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in TSLA over the past 16 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of TSLA over the same span and TSLA'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.

Note: TSLA began trading on June 29, 2010, so the chart cannot reach back to the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash. It covers the most recent 16 years of TSLA's record, starting at the end of September 2010.

Choose a period

From the end of September 2010 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. 2 of the 2,052 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of TSLA. The other 5 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$10,000$100,000$1M$10M201020132016201920222025$10,000$100,000$1M$10M20102014201820222026
  • XPEL$11M+110,323% total · +54.9% a year
  • NVDA$9M+85,752% total · +52.5% a year
  • TSLA$3M+25,988% total · +41.6% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$88,503+785% total · +14.6% a year
  • TM$40,076+301% total · +9.1% a year
  • ALB$28,321+183% total · +6.7% a year
  • STLA$22,245+122% total · +5.1% a year
  • F$19,803+98.0% total · +4.4% a year
  • HMC$14,448+44.5% total · +2.3% a year
Change the dates or add tickers to this chart in EasyCompare

From the end of September 2021 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. 1,814 of the 3,630 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of TSLA; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$1,000$10,000$100,000202120222023202420252026$1,000$10,000$100,000202120222023202420252026
  • NVDA$110,811+1,008% total · +61.8% a year
  • PLPC$64,692+547% total · +45.3% a year
  • NEU$29,325+193% total · +24.0% a year
  • RACE$19,540+95.4% total · +14.3% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
  • GM$15,245+52.4% total · +8.8% a year
  • TSLA$13,726+37.3% total · +6.5% a year
  • HMC$12,319+23.2% total · +4.3% a year
  • TM$11,911+19.1% total · +3.6% a year
  • CHPT$252−97.5% total · −52.1% a year
Change the dates or add tickers to this chart in EasyCompare

TSLA 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.

Note: TSLA began trading on June 29, 2010, so every figure here, including its worst decline, covers only the time since then. None of them reflect the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash.

The company

Market value
$1.5T
Industry
Auto - Manufacturers
Price history from
June 2010

Returns

Past 1 year
−14.7%total return
Past 3 years
+76.6%+20.9% a year
Past 5 years
+23.5%+4.3% a year
Past 10 years
+2,671%+39.4% a year
Best calendar year
+743%2020
Worst calendar year
−65.0%2022
Losing years
2 of 15full calendar years

Risk

Volatility
60.0%typical yearly swing, 5 years
Sharpe ratio
0.37return per unit of risk, 5 years
Worst decline ever
−73.6%Nov 2021 to Jan 2023
From its all-time high
−23.5%below the peak

TSLA against the whole market

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

How does TSLA rank among all stocks?

This section ranks TSLA 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 TSLA 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.

MeasureTSLARankStanding
1-year return−14.7%2,529 of 3,282bottom 24%
3-year return+76.6%1,196 of 3,016top 40%
5-year return+23.5%1,432 of 2,897top 49%
10-year return+2,671%19 of 2,201top 1%
Volatility, 5 years60.0%2,278 of 2,897bottom 22%
Sharpe ratio, 5 years0.371,342 of 2,897top 46%
Worst decline, past 10 years−73.6%1,413 of 2,184bottom 36%

What has beaten TSLA 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). TSLA sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than TSLA 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 TSLA; faint dots are 93 more of the 1,763 in the green region (the strongest, one per fund family). 3,641 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million were screened. Hover over a dot for its figures.

−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than TSLALLY: +41.2% a year, volatility 32.8%VOO: +12.6% a year, volatility 16.9%WMT: +21.1% a year, volatility 22.6%XOM: +27.5% a year, volatility 26.5%JPM: +17.3% a year, volatility 24.3%ABBV: +25.5% a year, volatility 23.4%JNJ: +13.5% a year, volatility 18.0%HSBC: +32.8% a year, volatility 25.9%V: +13.2% a year, volatility 22.9%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%KO: +15.2% a year, volatility 16.8%LVHI: +16.9% a year, volatility 11.1%COST: +17.4% a year, volatility 22.9%DELL: +53.8% a year, volatility 54.5%MUFG: +33.5% a year, volatility 29.4%QQQ: +14.2% a year, volatility 23.0%PM: +21.3% a year, volatility 23.4%ASML: +15.3% a year, volatility 43.5%CSCO: +16.9% a year, volatility 26.1%INSW: +58.7% a year, volatility 40.6%NVS: +17.4% a year, volatility 20.7%PANW: +33.4% a year, volatility 43.4%MCK: +37.8% a year, volatility 25.1%VTV: +12.2% a year, volatility 13.7%RTX: +18.7% a year, volatility 24.4%AMGN: +20.1% a year, volatility 24.9%APH: +31.3% a year, volatility 32.4%GILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%STX: +53.4% a year, volatility 48.8%TD: +16.5% a year, volatility 20.0%MS: +16.2% a year, volatility 28.9%VEA: +9.1% a year, volatility 16.9%IBM: +20.1% a year, volatility 30.2%CRWD: +27.4% a year, volatility 52.7%IBKR: +35.3% a year, volatility 35.5%MFG: +33.9% a year, volatility 30.6%SAP: +12.9% a year, volatility 30.0%VGT: +18.1% a year, volatility 26.1%WFC: +13.1% a year, volatility 29.5%SCCO: +30.1% a year, volatility 40.8%PSX: +32.7% a year, volatility 32.9%SMFG: +34.0% a year, volatility 29.4%UBS: +24.9% a year, volatility 30.4%BTI: +19.4% a year, volatility 22.0%ADI: +18.6% a year, volatility 34.2%AXP: +13.1% a year, volatility 29.2%MO: +18.3% a year, volatility 21.4%CB: +15.8% a year, volatility 20.4%ASX: +47.3% a year, volatility 43.3%WMB: +25.2% a year, volatility 24.1%CM: +19.5% a year, volatility 21.6%BNY: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.4%DE: +15.1% a year, volatility 29.9%ITUB: +27.7% a year, volatility 33.7%TRV: +22.4% a year, volatility 22.3%E: +23.7% a year, volatility 25.6%MAR: +21.7% a year, volatility 28.6%MFC: +23.3% a year, volatility 24.0%BMO: +14.0% a year, volatility 21.4%GWW: +26.7% a year, volatility 24.9%BNS: +13.2% a year, volatility 20.0%FTNT: +20.9% a year, volatility 44.8%COR: +23.6% a year, volatility 22.8%AEM: +28.2% a year, volatility 38.5%KMI: +20.1% a year, volatility 22.3%NEM: +17.8% a year, volatility 39.1%CTAS: +17.1% a year, volatility 23.1%MNST: +17.4% a year, volatility 24.9%HLT: +20.7% a year, volatility 26.8%HPE: +32.8% a year, volatility 42.3%SMH: +32.2% a year, volatility 37.0%VT: +10.1% a year, volatility 16.2%HCA: +14.0% a year, volatility 30.1%JCI: +16.4% a year, volatility 29.2%LYG: +19.8% a year, volatility 32.1%URI: +25.7% a year, volatility 39.1%ROST: +17.8% a year, volatility 29.5%WAB: +25.2% a year, volatility 26.3%ETR: +19.8% a year, volatility 22.4%EMR: +12.9% a year, volatility 27.7%ALL: +17.9% a year, volatility 26.2%CCEP: +20.4% a year, volatility 23.3%AEP: +12.8% a year, volatility 20.2%WPM: +25.8% a year, volatility 37.0%FAST: +16.2% a year, volatility 24.6%NUE: +22.1% a year, volatility 37.4%AU: +38.0% a year, volatility 50.0%ARGX: +24.5% a year, volatility 39.9%SCHG: +12.8% a year, volatility 22.5%B: +17.8% a year, volatility 37.4%MET: +12.8% a year, volatility 25.4%CTVA: +16.2% a year, volatility 28.4%DYNF: +14.4% a year, volatility 17.5%TSLA: +4.3% a year, volatility 60.0%SPY (S&P 500): +12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%GM: +6.9% a year, volatility 36.7%RACE: +13.2% a year, volatility 30.0%TM: +5.7% a year, volatility 27.0%HMC: +6.7% a year, volatility 27.5%NVDA: +56.5% a year, volatility 51.9%NEU: +20.9% a year, volatility 26.8%PLPC: +38.3% a year, volatility 48.5%ODC: +36.9% a year, volatility 36.9%VRT: +52.2% a year, volatility 64.3%SHW: +3.4% a year, volatility 27.1%RY: +17.5% a year, volatility 18.2%WELL: +27.0% a year, volatility 23.8%CAH: +41.7% a year, volatility 24.7%AAPL: +19.1% a year, volatility 28.0%TSM: +31.0% a year, volatility 38.6%VTI: +11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%MU: +67.0% a year, volatility 57.1%SGOV: +3.8% a year, volatility 0.3%FIX: +73.0% a year, volatility 46.9%BELFB: +75.9% a year, volatility 52.3%TSLASPY (S&P 500)GMRACETMHMCNVDANEUPLPCODCVRTSHWRYWELLCAHAAPLTSMVTIMUSGOVFIXBELFB−20.0%0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than TSLALLY: +41.2% a year, volatility 32.8%VOO: +12.6% a year, volatility 16.9%WMT: +21.1% a year, volatility 22.6%XOM: +27.5% a year, volatility 26.5%JPM: +17.3% a year, volatility 24.3%ABBV: +25.5% a year, volatility 23.4%JNJ: +13.5% a year, volatility 18.0%HSBC: +32.8% a year, volatility 25.9%V: +13.2% a year, volatility 22.9%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%KO: +15.2% a year, volatility 16.8%LVHI: +16.9% a year, volatility 11.1%COST: +17.4% a year, volatility 22.9%DELL: +53.8% a year, volatility 54.5%MUFG: +33.5% a year, volatility 29.4%QQQ: +14.2% a year, volatility 23.0%PM: +21.3% a year, volatility 23.4%ASML: +15.3% a year, volatility 43.5%CSCO: +16.9% a year, volatility 26.1%INSW: +58.7% a year, volatility 40.6%NVS: +17.4% a year, volatility 20.7%PANW: +33.4% a year, volatility 43.4%MCK: +37.8% a year, volatility 25.1%VTV: +12.2% a year, volatility 13.7%RTX: +18.7% a year, volatility 24.4%AMGN: +20.1% a year, volatility 24.9%APH: +31.3% a year, volatility 32.4%GILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%STX: +53.4% a year, volatility 48.8%TD: +16.5% a year, volatility 20.0%MS: +16.2% a year, volatility 28.9%VEA: +9.1% a year, volatility 16.9%IBM: +20.1% a year, volatility 30.2%CRWD: +27.4% a year, volatility 52.7%IBKR: +35.3% a year, volatility 35.5%MFG: +33.9% a year, volatility 30.6%SAP: +12.9% a year, volatility 30.0%VGT: +18.1% a year, volatility 26.1%WFC: +13.1% a year, volatility 29.5%SCCO: +30.1% a year, volatility 40.8%PSX: +32.7% a year, volatility 32.9%SMFG: +34.0% a year, volatility 29.4%UBS: +24.9% a year, volatility 30.4%BTI: +19.4% a year, volatility 22.0%ADI: +18.6% a year, volatility 34.2%AXP: +13.1% a year, volatility 29.2%MO: +18.3% a year, volatility 21.4%CB: +15.8% a year, volatility 20.4%ASX: +47.3% a year, volatility 43.3%WMB: +25.2% a year, volatility 24.1%CM: +19.5% a year, volatility 21.6%BNY: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.4%DE: +15.1% a year, volatility 29.9%ITUB: +27.7% a year, volatility 33.7%TRV: +22.4% a year, volatility 22.3%E: +23.7% a year, volatility 25.6%MAR: +21.7% a year, volatility 28.6%MFC: +23.3% a year, volatility 24.0%BMO: +14.0% a year, volatility 21.4%GWW: +26.7% a year, volatility 24.9%BNS: +13.2% a year, volatility 20.0%FTNT: +20.9% a year, volatility 44.8%COR: +23.6% a year, volatility 22.8%AEM: +28.2% a year, volatility 38.5%KMI: +20.1% a year, volatility 22.3%NEM: +17.8% a year, volatility 39.1%CTAS: +17.1% a year, volatility 23.1%MNST: +17.4% a year, volatility 24.9%HLT: +20.7% a year, volatility 26.8%HPE: +32.8% a year, volatility 42.3%SMH: +32.2% a year, volatility 37.0%VT: +10.1% a year, volatility 16.2%HCA: +14.0% a year, volatility 30.1%JCI: +16.4% a year, volatility 29.2%LYG: +19.8% a year, volatility 32.1%URI: +25.7% a year, volatility 39.1%ROST: +17.8% a year, volatility 29.5%WAB: +25.2% a year, volatility 26.3%ETR: +19.8% a year, volatility 22.4%EMR: +12.9% a year, volatility 27.7%ALL: +17.9% a year, volatility 26.2%CCEP: +20.4% a year, volatility 23.3%AEP: +12.8% a year, volatility 20.2%WPM: +25.8% a year, volatility 37.0%FAST: +16.2% a year, volatility 24.6%NUE: +22.1% a year, volatility 37.4%AU: +38.0% a year, volatility 50.0%ARGX: +24.5% a year, volatility 39.9%SCHG: +12.8% a year, volatility 22.5%B: +17.8% a year, volatility 37.4%MET: +12.8% a year, volatility 25.4%CTVA: +16.2% a year, volatility 28.4%DYNF: +14.4% a year, volatility 17.5%TSLA: +4.3% a year, volatility 60.0%SPY (S&P 500): +12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%GM: +6.9% a year, volatility 36.7%RACE: +13.2% a year, volatility 30.0%TM: +5.7% a year, volatility 27.0%HMC: +6.7% a year, volatility 27.5%NVDA: +56.5% a year, volatility 51.9%NEU: +20.9% a year, volatility 26.8%PLPC: +38.3% a year, volatility 48.5%ODC: +36.9% a year, volatility 36.9%VRT: +52.2% a year, volatility 64.3%SHW: +3.4% a year, volatility 27.1%RY: +17.5% a year, volatility 18.2%WELL: +27.0% a year, volatility 23.8%CAH: +41.7% a year, volatility 24.7%AAPL: +19.1% a year, volatility 28.0%TSM: +31.0% a year, volatility 38.6%VTI: +11.4% a year, volatility 17.5%MU: +67.0% a year, volatility 57.1%SGOV: +3.8% a year, volatility 0.3%FIX: +73.0% a year, volatility 46.9%BELFB: +75.9% a year, volatility 52.3%TSLASPY (S&P 500)GMTMHMCNVDANEUPLPCODCVRTRYWELLCAHTSMVTIMUSGOVFIX
  • Popular alternatives
  • Same and neighboring categories, and shared themes
  • The whole market
  • Others in the green region

Is there a better investment than TSLA?

Investments that beat TSLA 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 TSLA 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 TSLA'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 TSLA 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 TSLA'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× TSLA's volatility counts as better.

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

Screen the whole market against TSLA for any period in BetterThanSPYOpen these 19 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 TSLA?lower diversifies moreExpenseper year
TSLATesla, Inc. · this page
+4.3%60.0%0.37−73.6%+2,671%1.00—
SPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF · S&P 500
+12.5%17.2%0.78−33.7%+316%0.490.09%
Popular alternativesbest 4 shownThe investments people most often weigh against TSLA. 4 of 16 passed at least one test.
GMGeneral Motors Company · Automobiles
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher return in most periods+6.9%36.7%0.36−59.9%+182%0.31—
RACEFerrari N.V. · Automobiles
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+13.2%30.0%0.56−39.2%+699%0.26—
TMToyota Motor Corporation · Automobiles
Higher return, lower volatility+5.7%27.0%0.34−36.8%+132%0.17—
HMCHonda Motor Co., Ltd. · Automobiles
Higher return, lower volatility+6.7%27.5%0.37−42.0%+64.7%0.06—
Same and neighboring categories, and shared themesbest 6 shownEverything else in Electric Vehicles and Automobiles and the categories next to it (Electrical Equipment, Battery Technology, Specialty Chemicals, Auto Parts), plus TSLA's specific themes. 39 of 118 passed at least one test.
NVDANVIDIA Corporation · Semiconductors · Autonomous Vehicles theme
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+56.5%51.9%1.12−66.3%+12,166%0.44—
NEUNewMarket Corporation · Specialty Chemicals
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+20.9%26.8%0.85−40.7%+162%0.07—
PLPCPreformed Line Products Company · Electrical Equipment
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+38.3%48.5%0.91−59.5%+733%0.28—
ODCOil-Dri Corporation of America · Specialty Chemicals
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+36.9%36.9%1.04−48.9%+474%0.07—
VRTVertiv Holdings Co · Electrical Equipment
Higher return, similar volatility+52.2%64.3%0.99−71.3%—0.32—
SHWThe Sherwin-Williams Company · Specialty Chemicals
Similar return, lower volatility+3.4%27.1%0.26−42.5%+309%0.23—
The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 2,061 of 3,528 passed at least one test.
RYRoyal Bank of Canada · Banks
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+17.5%18.2%0.98−40.0%+361%0.25—
WELLWelltower Inc. · Healthcare REITs
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+27.0%23.8%1.13−63.3%+378%0.13—
CAHCardinal Health, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+41.7%24.7%1.54−46.1%+345%0.07—
AAPLApple Inc. · Computer Hardware
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+19.1%28.0%0.77−38.5%+1,194%0.50—
TSMTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited · Semiconductors
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+31.0%38.6%0.90−56.6%+1,440%0.36—
VTIVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF · US Total Market
Higher return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+11.4%17.5%0.71−35.0%+298%0.510.03%
MUMicron Technology, Inc. · Semiconductors
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst declineHigher return in most periods+67.0%57.1%1.19−57.6%+5,050%0.22—
SGOViShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF · Treasury Bills
On the frontierSimilar return, lower volatilityHigher Sharpe, smaller worst decline+3.8%0.3%13.25−0.3%—0.040.09%
What these numbers mean for TSLA
Annual return
TSLA returned 4.3% a year over the past 5 years with dividends reinvested, against 12.5% a year for the S&P 500. At that pace, $10,000 became about $12,400. 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
TSLA's volatility over the past 5 years was 60.0%, 3.5 times the S&P 500's 17.2%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, TSLA's return lands within 60.0% 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
TSLA's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.37, against 0.78 for the S&P 500, so TSLA 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
TSLA's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 73.6%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 73.6% fall takes a 279% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
Correlation
Over the past 5 years, TSLA's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.49 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 TSLA instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a TSLA holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →
Show all 1,763 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than TSLA with less volatility

Out of 3,641 tested over 5 years. The strongest 100 are listed, best first, with funds that hold the same thing listed once.

#InvestmentFound inAnnual returnVolatilitySharpeWorst decline10Y returnCorr. with TSLAExpense
1
RYRoyal Bank of Canada · Banks
Whole market+17.5%18.2%0.98−40.0%+361%0.25—
2
WELLWelltower Inc. · Healthcare REITs
Whole market+27.0%23.8%1.13−63.3%+378%0.13—
3
CAHCardinal Health, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
Whole market+41.7%24.7%1.54−46.1%+345%0.07—
4
AAPLApple Inc. · Computer Hardware
Whole market+19.1%28.0%0.77−38.5%+1,194%0.50—
5
TSMTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited · Semiconductors
Whole market+31.0%38.6%0.90−56.6%+1,440%0.36—
6
LLYEli Lilly and Company · Pharmaceuticals
Whole market+41.2%32.8%1.22−34.5%+1,870%-0.10—
7
VTIVanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF · US Total Market
Whole market+11.4%17.5%0.71−35.0%+298%0.510.03%
8
VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETF · US Large-Cap Equity
Whole market+12.6%16.9%0.79−34.0%+319%0.490.03%
9
WMTWalmart Inc. · Discount Retail
Whole market+21.1%22.6%0.97−25.7%+521%0.23—
10
XOMExxonmobil Holdings Corporation · Integrated Oil & Gas
Whole market+27.5%26.5%1.05−61.0%+216%-0.18—
11
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co. · Banks
Whole market+17.3%24.3%0.78−43.6%+534%0.14—
12
ABBVAbbVie Inc. · Specialty Pharmaceuticals
Whole market+25.5%23.4%1.09−45.1%+600%-0.16—
13
JNJJohnson & Johnson · Pharmaceuticals
Whole market+13.5%18.0%0.80−27.4%+209%-0.15—
14
HSBCHSBC Holdings plc · Banks
Whole market+32.8%25.9%1.23−62.3%+314%0.17—
15
VVisa Inc. · Payment Processing
Whole market+13.2%22.9%0.66−36.4%+435%0.10—
16
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · Japan Equity
Whole market+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+415%0.220.48%
17
KOThe Coca-Cola Company · Nonalcoholic Beverages
Whole market+15.2%16.8%0.93−37.0%+205%-0.23—
18
LVHIFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF · International Dividend Equity
Whole market+16.9%11.1%1.48−32.4%+194%0.040.40%
19
COSTCostco Wholesale Corporation · Discount Retail
Whole market+17.4%22.9%0.82−31.4%+692%0.36—
20
DELLDell Technologies Inc. · Computer Hardware
Whole market+53.8%54.5%1.06−59.6%+3,613%0.15—
21
MUFGMitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. · Banks
Whole market+33.5%29.4%1.14−54.9%+485%0.01—
22
QQQInvesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 · US Large-Cap Growth
Whole market+14.2%23.0%0.69−35.1%+531%0.610.18%
23
PMPhilip Morris International Inc. · Tobacco
Whole market+21.3%23.4%0.94−42.9%+240%-0.21—
24
ASMLASML Holding N.V. · Semiconductor Equipment
Whole market+15.3%43.5%0.55−56.9%+1,527%0.35—
25
CSCOCisco Systems, Inc. · Communications Equipment
Whole market+16.9%26.1%0.73−42.0%+361%0.21—
26
INSWInternational Seaways, Inc. · Oil & Gas
Whole market+58.7%40.6%1.35−57.4%—-0.13—
27
NVSNovartis AG · Pharmaceuticals
Whole market+17.4%20.7%0.89−26.8%+234%-0.16—
28
PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc. · Cybersecurity
Whole market+33.4%43.4%0.89−48.0%+1,306%0.38—
29
MCKMcKesson Corporation · Health Care Distribution
Whole market+37.8%25.1%1.41−38.1%+582%0.04—
30
VTVVanguard Morningstar Value ETF · US Large-Cap Value
Whole market+12.2%13.7%0.91−36.8%+237%0.230.03%
31
RTXRTX Corporation · Aerospace & Defense
Whole market+18.7%24.4%0.83−52.0%+319%-0.20—
32
AMGNAmgen Inc. · Biotechnology
Whole market+20.1%24.9%0.86−24.9%+280%-0.26—
33
APHAmphenol Corporation · Electronic Components
Whole market+31.3%32.4%1.01−37.5%+887%0.38—
34
GILDGilead Sciences, Inc. · Biotechnology
Whole market+22.8%24.9%0.95−30.5%+202%-0.20—
35
STXSeagate Technology Holdings plc · Computer Hardware
Whole market+53.4%48.8%1.12−57.0%+2,597%0.29—
36
TDThe Toronto-Dominion Bank · Banks
Whole market+16.5%20.0%0.87−42.0%+319%0.30—
37
MSMorgan Stanley · Capital Markets
Whole market+16.2%28.9%0.67−51.3%+630%0.36—
38
VEAVanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF · Developed International Equity
Whole market+9.1%16.9%0.60−35.8%+152%0.260.03%
39
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation · IT Services
Whole market+20.1%30.2%0.76−41.1%+163%0.15—
40
CRWDCrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. · Cybersecurity
Whole market+27.4%52.7%0.72−67.7%—0.36—
41
IBKRInteractive Brokers Group, Inc. · Investment Banking & Brokerage
Whole market+35.3%35.5%1.03−55.1%+929%0.39—
42
MFGMizuho Financial Group, Inc. · Banks
Whole market+33.9%30.6%1.11−45.7%+343%0.06—
43
SAPSAP SE · Enterprise Software
Whole market+12.9%30.0%0.56−52.5%+217%0.18—
44
VGTVanguard Information Technology ETF · Technology Equity
Whole market+18.1%26.1%0.77−35.1%+753%0.560.09%
45
WFCWells Fargo & Company · Banks
Whole market+13.1%29.5%0.57−64.5%+140%0.30—
46
SCCOSouthern Copper Corporation · Copper Mining
Whole market+30.1%40.8%0.85−55.3%+915%0.17—
47
PSXPhillips 66 · Oil Refining
Whole market+32.7%32.9%1.03−64.2%+413%-0.10—
48
SMFGSumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. · Banks
Whole market+34.0%29.4%1.15−47.6%+470%-0.08—
49
UBSUBS Group AG · Banks
Whole market+24.9%30.4%0.89−59.8%+363%0.22—
50
BTIBritish American Tobacco p.l.c. · Tobacco
Whole market+19.4%22.0%0.92−56.1%+110%-0.18—
51
ADIAnalog Devices, Inc. · Semiconductors
Whole market+18.6%34.2%0.67−33.6%+625%0.23—
52
AXPAmerican Express Company · Consumer Finance
Whole market+13.1%29.2%0.57−49.6%+455%0.38—
53
MOAltria Group, Inc. · Tobacco
Whole market+18.3%21.4%0.90−53.7%+133%-0.09—
54
CBChubb Limited · Property & Casualty Insurance
Whole market+15.8%20.4%0.82−42.6%+256%-0.08—
55
ASXASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. · Semiconductors
Whole market+47.3%43.3%1.11−52.5%+883%0.21—
56
WMBThe Williams Companies, Inc. · Oil & Gas Midstream
Whole market+25.2%24.1%1.06−68.1%+291%0.11—
57
CMCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce · Banks
Whole market+19.5%21.6%0.94−47.3%+409%0.37—
58
BNYBank of New York Mellon Corp · Banks
Whole market+22.8%24.4%0.97−50.5%+332%0.26—
59
DEDeere & Company · Industrial Machinery
Whole market+15.1%29.9%0.62−37.9%+764%0.20—
60
ITUBItaú Unibanco Holding S.A. · Banks
Whole market+27.7%33.7%0.90−62.1%+187%0.06—
61
NVDANVIDIA Corporation · Semiconductors · Autonomous Vehicles theme
Same or nearby category+56.5%51.9%1.12−66.3%+12,166%0.44—
62
TRVThe Travelers Companies, Inc. · Property & Casualty Insurance
Whole market+22.4%22.3%1.02−46.3%+360%-0.15—
63
EEni S.p.A. · Integrated Oil & Gas
Whole market+23.7%25.6%0.96−61.4%+283%-0.21—
64
MARMarriott International, Inc. · Hotels & Resorts
Whole market+21.7%28.6%0.83−61.3%+544%0.34—
65
MFCManulife Financial Corporation · Life Insurance
Whole market+23.3%24.0%1.00−57.5%+386%0.15—
66
BMOBank of Montreal · Banks
Whole market+14.0%21.4%0.72−51.0%+304%0.35—
67
GWWW.W. Grainger, Inc. · Industrial Distribution
Whole market+26.7%24.9%1.08−41.6%+670%0.35—
68
BNSThe Bank of Nova Scotia · Banks
Whole market+13.2%20.0%0.73−46.9%+191%0.35—
69
FTNTFortinet, Inc. · Cybersecurity
Whole market+20.9%44.8%0.65−38.3%+2,668%0.26—
70
CORCencora, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
Whole market+23.6%22.8%1.05−32.4%+403%-0.01—
71
AEMAgnico Eagle Mines Limited · Gold Mining
Whole market+28.2%38.5%0.84−54.2%+335%0.08—
72
KMIKinder Morgan, Inc. · Oil & Gas Midstream
Whole market+20.1%22.3%0.94−55.1%+159%0.18—
73
NEMNewmont Corporation · Gold Mining
Whole market+17.8%39.1%0.62−62.4%+307%0.07—
74
CTASCintas Corporation · Business Services
Whole market+17.1%23.1%0.80−48.4%+834%0.17—
75
MNSTMonster Beverage Corporation · Nonalcoholic Beverages
Whole market+17.4%24.9%0.77−30.4%+278%0.07—
76
HLTHilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. · Hotels & Resorts
Whole market+20.7%26.8%0.84−50.8%+693%0.32—
77
HPEHewlett Packard Enterprise Company · Computer Hardware
Whole market+32.8%42.3%0.89−56.9%+481%0.29—
78
SMHVanEck Semiconductor ETF · Semiconductors
Whole market+32.2%37.0%0.94−45.3%+1,570%0.430.35%
79
VTVanguard Total World Stock ETF · Global Equity
Whole market+10.1%16.2%0.68−34.2%+220%0.440.06%
80
HCAHCA Healthcare, Inc. · Health Care Facilities
Whole market+14.0%30.1%0.59−54.7%+517%0.11—
81
JCIJohnson Controls International plc · Building Products
Whole market+16.4%29.2%0.67−46.4%+407%0.28—
82
LYGLloyds Banking Group plc · Banks
Whole market+19.8%32.1%0.73−66.5%+215%0.13—
83
URIUnited Rentals, Inc. · Equipment Rental
Whole market+25.7%39.1%0.78−63.3%+1,407%0.42—
84
ROSTRoss Stores, Inc. · Apparel Retail
Whole market+17.8%29.5%0.71−51.4%+311%0.10—
85
WABWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation · Industrial Machinery
Whole market+25.2%26.3%0.99−64.1%+258%0.27—
86
ETREntergy Corporation · Electric Utilities
Whole market+19.8%22.4%0.92−42.0%+326%-0.02—
87
EMREmerson Electric Co. · Industrial Machinery
Whole market+12.9%27.7%0.58−50.8%+307%0.26—
88
ALLThe Allstate Corporation · Property & Casualty Insurance
Whole market+17.9%26.2%0.76−41.4%+377%-0.18—
89
CCEPCoca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC · Food & Beverages
Whole market+20.4%23.3%0.92−48.8%+294%-0.20—
90
AEPAmerican Electric Power Company, Inc. · Electric Utilities
Whole market+12.8%20.2%0.70−32.9%+192%-0.02—
91
WPMWheaton Precious Metals Corp. · Precious Metals
Whole market+25.8%37.0%0.81−46.7%+488%0.10—
92
FASTFastenal Company · Industrial Distribution
Whole market+16.2%24.6%0.74−30.7%+582%0.26—
93
NUENucor Corporation · Steel
Whole market+22.1%37.4%0.72−57.2%+569%0.20—
94
AUAngloGold Ashanti Plc · Gold Mining
Whole market+38.0%50.0%0.90−66.3%+661%0.02—
95
ARGXargenx SE · Immunology Therapeutics
Whole market+24.5%39.9%0.75−38.2%—0.11—
96
SCHGSchwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF · US Large-Cap Growth
Whole market+12.8%22.5%0.65−34.5%+438%0.610.04%
97
BBarrick Mining Corporation · Gold Mining
Whole market+17.8%37.4%0.63−53.9%+189%0.04—
98
METMetLife, Inc. · Life Insurance
Whole market+12.8%25.4%0.60−55.2%+248%0.07—
99
CTVACorteva, Inc. · Chemicals
Whole market+16.2%28.4%0.67−34.7%—0.14—
100
DYNFiShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF · US Multifactor Equity
Whole market+14.4%17.5%0.86−34.7%—0.500.26%

See everything that outperformed TSLA →

TSLA against its popular alternatives

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

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

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

0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%100%120%140%160%−60.0%−50.0%−40.0%−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 volatilityTSLA: 4.3% a year, volatility 60.0%SPY (S&P 500): 12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%GM: 6.9% a year, volatility 36.7%TM: 5.7% a year, volatility 27.0%HMC: 6.7% a year, volatility 27.5%RACE: 13.2% a year, volatility 30.0%CHPT: −54.6% a year, volatility 88.0%VFS: −21.2% a year, volatility 147%FLNC: −30.4% a year, volatility 97.5%LCID: −57.2% a year, volatility 84.3%LI: −18.7% a year, volatility 62.1%NIO: −38.9% a year, volatility 70.9%PSNY: −59.0% a year, volatility 81.8%XPEV: −26.8% a year, volatility 77.9%F: −0.1% a year, volatility 39.2%ALB: −15.7% a year, volatility 54.9%STLA: −21.4% a year, volatility 42.6%APTV: −23.6% a year, volatility 41.4%TSLASPY (S&P 500)GMTMHMCCHPTVFSFLNCLCIDLINIOPSNYXPEVFALBSTLAAPTV0.0%50.0%100%150%−60.0%−40.0%−20.0%0.0%20.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityTSLA: 4.3% a year, volatility 60.0%SPY (S&P 500): 12.5% a year, volatility 17.2%GM: 6.9% a year, volatility 36.7%TM: 5.7% a year, volatility 27.0%HMC: 6.7% a year, volatility 27.5%RACE: 13.2% a year, volatility 30.0%CHPT: −54.6% a year, volatility 88.0%VFS: −21.2% a year, volatility 147%FLNC: −30.4% a year, volatility 97.5%LCID: −57.2% a year, volatility 84.3%LI: −18.7% a year, volatility 62.1%NIO: −38.9% a year, volatility 70.9%PSNY: −59.0% a year, volatility 81.8%XPEV: −26.8% a year, volatility 77.9%F: −0.1% a year, volatility 39.2%ALB: −15.7% a year, volatility 54.9%STLA: −21.4% a year, volatility 42.6%APTV: −23.6% a year, volatility 41.4%TSLASPY (S&P 500)GMTMHMCCHPTVFSFLNCLCIDLINIOPSNYXPEVFALBSTLAAPTV
All figures
InvestmentAnnual returnVolatility
RACE Ferrari N.V.+13.2%30.0%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF+12.5%17.2%
GM General Motors Company+6.9%36.7%
HMC Honda Motor Co., Ltd.+6.7%27.5%
TM Toyota Motor Corporation+5.7%27.0%
TSLA This pageTesla, Inc.+4.3%60.0%
F Ford Motor Company−0.1%39.2%
ALB Albemarle Corporation−15.7%54.9%
LI Li Auto Inc.−18.7%62.1%
VFS VinFast Auto Ltd.−21.2%147%
STLA Stellantis N.V.−21.4%42.6%
APTV Aptiv PLC−23.6%41.4%
XPEV XPeng Inc.−26.8%77.9%
FLNC Fluence Energy, Inc.−30.4%97.5%
NIO NIO Inc.−38.9%70.9%
CHPT ChargePoint Holdings, Inc.−54.6%88.0%
LCID Lucid Group, Inc.−57.2%84.3%
PSNY Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC−59.0%81.8%
Open these 18 in EasyCompare

Has TSLA consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

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

A green cell means the alternative earned more than TSLA 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
TSLA Tesla, Inc. (this page)—−1.1%+0.2%−3.3%−14.5%−14.7%+76.6%+23.5%+2,671%60.0%0.37−73.6%—$1.5T—
GM QualifiedGeneral Motors Company3/5 short2/3 long−7.5%−5.8%−1.9%−4.0%+15.7%+172%+39.5%+182%36.7%0.36−59.9%—$68B—
TM Auto - ManufacturersToyota Motor Corporation5/5 short1/3 long+5.0%+12.1%+0.6%−6.0%+0.6%+24.9%+32.2%+132%27.0%0.34−36.8%—$235B—
HMC Auto - ManufacturersHonda Motor Co., Ltd.5/5 short1/3 long+6.7%+21.2%+40.5%+18.5%+11.5%+19.7%+38.2%+64.7%27.5%0.37−42.0%—$45B—
RACE Auto - ManufacturersFerrari N.V.4/5 short1/3 long−3.8%+7.0%+10.9%+8.2%+2.1%+34.5%+85.5%+699%30.0%0.56−39.2%—$70B—
CHPT Specialty RetailChargePoint Holdings, Inc.3/5 short0/3 long−16.7%+40.8%+15.6%+16.6%−24.3%−85.3%−98.1%—88.0%-0.48−99.5%—$220M—
F Auto - ManufacturersFord Motor Company2/5 short0/3 long−8.9%−16.3%−3.3%−7.4%+0.5%+25.4%−0.3%+65.8%39.2%0.20−64.7%—$48B—
VFS Auto - ManufacturersVinFast Auto Ltd.2/5 short0/3 long−8.4%−6.0%−36.9%−12.4%−7.5%−38.3%−69.7%—147%0.27−97.1%—$6.9B—
ALB Chemicals - SpecialtyAlbemarle Corporation1/5 short0/3 long−20.8%−20.9%−52.1%−35.2%+2.6%−28.8%−57.5%+26.4%54.9%-0.04−83.9%—$11B—
RIVN Auto - ManufacturersRivian Automotive, Inc.1/5 short0/3 long−20.3%−29.8%−32.0%−37.9%−6.7%−29.3%————−95.1%—$17B—
STLA Auto - ManufacturersStellantis N.V.0/5 short0/3 long−11.6%−26.4%−49.8%−62.6%−60.5%−73.8%−70.1%+34.3%42.6%-0.35−83.3%—$12B—
APTV Auto - PartsAptiv PLC0/5 short0/3 long−1.8%−24.8%−28.0%−44.1%−48.1%−51.1%−74.0%−12.8%41.4%-0.44−75.8%—$9.1B—
FLNC Renewable UtilitiesFluence Energy, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−21.6%−61.1%−57.8%−75.2%−62.5%−68.3%−83.7%—97.5%0.11−90.4%—$1.1B—
LCID Auto - ManufacturersLucid Group, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−19.9%−49.0%−49.9%−69.0%−81.3%−92.0%−98.6%—84.3%-0.60−99.5%—$1.1B—
LI Auto - ManufacturersLi Auto Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−1.6%−5.4%−38.5%−33.5%−47.5%−64.7%−64.5%—62.1%-0.03−77.1%—$11B—
MBLY Auto - PartsMobileye Global Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−9.5%−20.8%−12.0%−38.1%−51.4%−80.1%————−86.1%—$5.9B—
NIO Auto - ManufacturersNIO Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−11.0%−29.1%−48.9%−35.6%−51.6%−56.4%−91.5%—70.9%-0.35−95.0%—$7.8B—
PSNY Auto - ManufacturersPolestar Automotive Holding UK PLC0/5 short0/3 long−52.1%−75.0%−80.3%−82.0%−85.8%−94.9%−98.8%—81.8%-0.69−99.3%—$583M—
XPEV Auto - ManufacturersXPeng Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−13.5%−29.4%−46.6%−55.6%−57.3%−34.8%−79.0%—77.9%-0.03−91.1%—$8.6B—
Open these 19 in EasyCompare

How did TSLA do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2011, along with where TSLA ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with TSLA and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.

Note: TSLA began trading on June 29, 2010, so the table starts with 2011, its first full calendar year, and cannot show how it fared during the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash.

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

InvestmentYears ahead of TSLA202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011
TSLA This pageTesla, Inc.—+11.4%+62.5%+102%−65.0%+49.8%+743%+25.7%+6.9%+45.7%−10.9%+7.9%+47.9%+344%+18.9%+6.7%
Rank among alternativesTop quarter in 8 of 1510 of 191 of 191 of 1914 of 184 of 142 of 114 of 101 of 95 of 98 of 94 of 81 of 81 of 87 of 81 of 7
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF4 of 15+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%
GM General Motors Company4 of 15+54.2%+49.8%+8.0%−42.4%+40.8%+15.2%+14.0%−15.0%+22.5%+7.4%+1.5%−11.6%+41.8%+42.2%−45.0%
TM Toyota Motor Corporation4 of 15+13.8%+8.8%+38.2%−24.4%+23.2%+13.6%+24.9%−5.8%+12.1%−1.5%+0.9%+5.9%+33.7%+43.6%−14.5%
HMC Honda Motor Co., Ltd.4 of 15+7.7%−3.8%+39.8%−16.6%+4.0%+2.9%+11.0%−19.8%+20.2%−5.8%+9.5%−27.3%+15.8%+23.9%−20.8%
RACE Ferrari N.V.4 of 10−12.3%+26.3%+59.1%−16.7%+13.3%+39.7%+67.9%−4.5%+80.3%+22.7%—————
CHPT ChargePoint Holdings, Inc.1 of 6−69.0%−54.3%−75.4%−50.0%−52.5%+309%—————————
F Ford Motor Company6 of 15+42.3%−13.1%+15.9%−42.2%+137%−3.9%+29.7%−34.4%+8.8%−8.0%−5.4%+3.7%+22.4%+22.6%−35.9%
VFS VinFast Auto Ltd.1 of 4−17.1%−51.8%−16.3%+3.2%———————————
ALB Albemarle Corporation6 of 15+67.7%−39.5%−32.8%−6.6%+59.8%+105%−3.3%−38.9%+49.7%+56.2%−4.7%−3.5%+3.5%+22.2%−6.5%
RIVN Rivian Automotive, Inc.1 of 4+48.2%−43.3%+27.3%−82.2%———————————
STLA Stellantis N.V.4 of 15−9.2%−40.2%+79.0%−18.2%+21.9%+35.0%+17.8%−18.9%+95.3%−0.4%+20.8%+42.7%+60.5%+12.5%−49.5%
APTV Aptiv PLC6 of 14+25.8%−32.6%−3.7%−43.5%+26.6%+37.5%+55.9%−27.1%+57.6%−20.1%+19.3%+22.7%+59.4%+77.6%—
FLNC Fluence Energy, Inc.2 of 4+24.6%−33.4%+39.1%−51.8%———————————
LCID Lucid Group, Inc.1 of 5−65.0%−28.3%−38.4%−82.0%+280%——————————
LI Li Auto Inc.1 of 5−29.4%−35.9%+83.5%−36.4%+11.3%——————————
MBLY Mobileye Global Inc.0 of 3−47.6%−54.0%+23.6%————————————
NIO NIO Inc.2 of 7+17.0%−51.9%−7.0%−69.2%−35.0%+1,112%−36.9%————————
PSNY Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC1 of 4−32.2%−53.5%−57.4%−54.6%———————————
XPEV XPeng Inc.1 of 5+71.6%−19.0%+46.8%−80.3%+17.5%——————————
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Risk and diversification

How TSLA 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 TSLA's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents TSLA's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 2010, 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.

Note: TSLA began trading on June 29, 2010, so this list cannot include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash. The crash tests on this page show how older funds and the S&P 500 fared through those years.

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

DuringTSLA fellS&P 500, same datesPeakLowTime to the lowBack at the peakTime to recover
2022 bear market−73.6%−16.8%Nov 2021Jan 202314 monthsDec 202423 months
Covid crash−60.6%−29.1%Feb 2020Mar 20201 monthJun 20203 months
No named crash−53.8%−17.3%Dec 2024Apr 20254 monthsDec 20258 months
Late-2018 sell-off−53.5%+13.1%Sep 2017Jun 201921 monthsDec 20196 months
2015 China and oil sell-off−49.8%−4.6%Sep 2014Feb 201617 monthsApr 201714 months

How did TSLA do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far TSLA, 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.

Note: TSLA began trading on June 29, 2010, so its row reads "Not yet trading" for the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash. The older alternatives and the S&P 500 show how those crashes played out.

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

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
TSLA This pageTesla, Inc.—−5.0%−45.4%−60.6%−21.6%−10.0%−45.6%−25.1%Not yet tradingNot yet tradingNot yet trading
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF7 of 7−3.4%−24.5%−33.7%−19.3%−6.5%−12.8%−17.9%−1.5%−55.2%−47.5%
GM General Motors Company4 of 7−10.1%−53.0%−51.8%−14.9%−3.9%−25.5%−34.4%———
TM Toyota Motor Corporation7 of 7−1.9%−36.8%−22.0%−11.1%−3.4%−18.7%−21.2%−0.3%−48.9%−56.4%
HMC Honda Motor Co., Ltd.6 of 7−3.1%−29.9%−27.3%−16.8%−4.9%−29.4%−29.7%−0.9%−50.5%−40.4%
RACE Ferrari N.V.4 of 5−3.6%−36.9%−27.8%−31.8%−5.9%—————
CHPT ChargePoint Holdings, Inc.1 of 3−7.5%−56.4%−7.0%———————
F Ford Motor Company4 of 7−7.3%−55.6%−50.0%−21.1%−4.5%−25.7%−29.6%−2.4%−86.3%−75.5%
VFS VinFast Auto Ltd.2 of 2−0.3%−1.3%————————
ALB Albemarle Corporation4 of 7−11.9%−30.0%−45.7%−32.0%−2.2%−20.3%−43.0%−3.8%−66.3%−30.7%
RIVN Rivian Automotive, Inc.0 of 2−9.3%−79.7%————————
STLA Stellantis N.V.3 of 7−6.2%−42.6%−52.2%−22.4%−5.8%−45.9%−52.2%—−86.9%—
APTV Aptiv PLC2 of 6−5.7%−55.1%−63.2%−33.4%−6.0%−35.7%————
FLNC Fluence Energy, Inc.0 of 2−11.2%−81.9%————————
LCID Lucid Group, Inc.0 of 2−6.0%−72.5%————————
LI Li Auto Inc.1 of 2−4.1%−53.4%————————
MBLY Mobileye Global Inc.1 of 1−3.7%—————————
NIO NIO Inc.1 of 4−7.3%−59.9%−46.1%−31.3%——————
PSNY Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC0 of 2−11.2%−61.1%————————
XPEV XPeng Inc.1 of 2−3.1%−81.1%————————
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How closely does TSLA 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 TSLA 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 TSLA's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.

InvestmentUpside captureDownside captureCapture ratioBeta
TSLA This pageTesla, Inc.182%129%1.401.91
RACE Ferrari N.V.101%56%1.790.92
TM Toyota Motor Corporation62%72%0.860.56
GM General Motors Company107%135%0.791.31
HMC Honda Motor Co., Ltd.51%71%0.710.62
F Ford Motor Company105%167%0.631.51
ALB Albemarle Corporation128%221%0.581.48
STLA Stellantis N.V.124%215%0.581.61
APTV Aptiv PLC106%219%0.481.80
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What diversifies TSLA?

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 TSLA's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing TSLA 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 TSLA lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% TSLA and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.

ETFs

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe2022201680/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
TSLA Tesla, Inc. (this page)1.00+23.5%0.37−65.0%−10.9%61.2%+6.5%
LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF0.04+119%1.48+3.8%—49.1%+11.7%
DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund0.22+225%1.34+6.0%+1.1%49.6%+13.4%
EMLP Broad MarketFirst Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund0.22+103%1.06+10.4%+29.8%49.7%+11.3%
HDV Dividend & IncomeiShares Core High Dividend ETF-0.02+86.8%1.03+7.0%+15.8%49.0%+10.9%
DBEF InternationalXtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF0.30+83.6%0.95−5.1%+6.3%49.7%+10.8%
SMH TechnologyVanEck Semiconductor ETF0.43+304%0.94−33.5%+35.6%52.3%+14.7%
XLE EnergyState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF-0.07+178%0.94+64.4%+28.0%48.9%+13.6%
GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares0.02+120%0.93−0.8%+8.0%49.1%+12.2%

Stocks

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe2022201680/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
TSLA Tesla, Inc. (this page)1.00+23.5%0.37−65.0%−10.9%61.2%+6.5%
CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc.0.07+471%1.54+54.1%−17.5%49.6%+15.9%
CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc.0.25+2,780%1.43+1.3%+7.4%53.1%+27.2%
MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation0.04+397%1.41+51.8%−28.3%49.4%+15.5%
FIX Engineering & ConstructionComfort Systems USA, Inc.0.39+1,452%1.41+17.0%+18.3%53.0%+22.9%
MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation-0.02+660%1.39+86.6%+0.7%49.2%+18.3%
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Common questions

What was TSLA's worst drawdown?

TSLA's deepest decline since it began trading in 2010 was 73.6%, from November 2021 to January 2023. It took 23 months from the low to climb back to its old high. Because TSLA launched in June 2010, that record does not include the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis or the 2010 flash crash.

What were TSLA's best and worst years?

Over 15 full calendar years, TSLA's best year was 2020, when it returned 743%. Its worst was 2022, with a return of -65.0%.

Is there a better investment than TSLA?

Among TSLA's popular alternatives, GM, RACE and TM earned more than TSLA with less volatility over the past 5 years. GM returned 6.9% a year at 36.7% volatility, against 4.3% a year at 60.0%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, NVDA (autonomous vehicles theme) and NEU (specialty chemicals) earned more than TSLA with less volatility over the past 5 years. NVDA returned 56.5% a year at 51.9% volatility, against 4.3% a year at 60.0%.

Is TSLA more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. TSLA's volatility over the past 5 years was 60.0%, 3.5 times the S&P 500's 17.2%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, TSLA's return lands within 60.0% 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 TSLA's Sharpe ratio?

TSLA's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.37, against 0.78 for the S&P 500, so TSLA 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 TSLA with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, TSLA's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.49 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 TSLA instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a TSLA holding.

What are the best alternatives to TSLA?

Of the 18 popular alternatives we compared, one outperformed TSLA in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: GM.

Did TSLA outperform the S&P 500?

TSLA finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 11 of 15 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +11.4%, against +17.7% for the index.

How did TSLA do in stock market crashes?

TSLA fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the seven major crashes it has traded through, and further in seven. The clearest case was the 2015 China and oil sell-off, when TSLA fell 45.6% and the S&P 500 fell 12.8%.

What diversifies TSLA?

These had a low correlation with TSLA over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.04), DXJ (correlation 0.22) and EMLP (correlation 0.22); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.07), CLS (correlation 0.25) and MCK (correlation 0.04). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

How we measure

More research

Popular alternatives to TSLA

Other stocks and ETFs