Quietest Compounders
Strong returns at low volatility — the sleep-at-night winners
Updated July 11, 2026
Two stocks can post the same one-year return and be completely different things to own. One climbs in a steady line; the other gets there through stomach-churning swings you’d probably have bailed on. This board rewards the first kind — strong returns earned quietly.
We score each name by its one-year return divided by the week-to-week volatility of its performance against the index — return per unit of turbulence. The names at the top compounded hard without making you watch. The volatility column shows roughly how much its weekly result wobbled around the market; the smaller that number for a given return, the smoother the ride.
| # | Stock | 1Y return | Weekly swing | 1M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BNYBNY MellonFinancials | +62.9% | 2.4 pp | +6.7% |
| Financials — returned +62.9% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.4 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 2 | STTState Street CorporationFinancials | +64.2% | 2.8 pp | +11.4% |
| Financials — returned +64.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 3 | MSMorgan StanleyFinancials | +54.6% | 2.5 pp | +4.9% |
| Financials — returned +54.6% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 4 | ROSTRoss StoresConsumer Discretionary | +70.4% | 3.5 pp | −3.3% |
| Consumer Discretionary — returned +70.4% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 5 | VLOValero EnergyEnergy | +95.3% | 4.8 pp | +9.7% |
| Energy — returned +95.3% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 6 | FDXFedExIndustrials | +66.2% | 3.3 pp | −4.9% |
| Industrials — returned +66.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 7 | CCitigroupFinancials | +60.5% | 3.1 pp | +6.1% |
| Financials — returned +60.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.1 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 8 | KEYSKeysight TechnologiesInformation Technology | +98.2% | 5.1 pp | −2.4% |
| Information Technology — returned +98.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.1 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 9 | NTRSNorthern TrustFinancials | +42.8% | 2.3 pp | +7.7% |
| Financials — returned +42.8% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 10 | PWRQuanta ServicesIndustrials | +76.4% | 4.1 pp | −8.0% |
| Industrials — returned +76.4% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.1 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 11 | JNJJohnson & JohnsonHealth Care | +64.7% | 3.5 pp | +12.6% |
| Health Care — returned +64.7% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 12 | PFGPrincipal Financial GroupFinancials | +40.0% | 2.3 pp | +6.7% |
| Financials — returned +40.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 13 | CSCOCiscoInformation Technology | +76.0% | 4.5 pp | −0.3% |
| Information Technology — returned +76.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 14 | INCYIncyteHealth Care | +73.5% | 4.4 pp | +14.0% |
| Health Care — returned +73.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.4 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 15 | JBHTJ.B. HuntIndustrials | +87.2% | 5.2 pp | −1.8% |
| Industrials — returned +87.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.2 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 16 | CFGCitizens Financial GroupFinancials | +49.5% | 3.0 pp | +9.9% |
| Financials — returned +49.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.0 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 17 | VTRSViatrisHealth Care | +76.8% | 4.7 pp | +2.5% |
| Health Care — returned +76.8% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.7 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 18 | STLDSteel DynamicsMaterials | +71.1% | 4.4 pp | −14.9% |
| Materials — returned +71.1% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.4 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 19 | NUENucorMaterials | +66.0% | 4.1 pp | −10.6% |
| Materials — returned +66.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.1 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 20 | MPWRMonolithic Power SystemsInformation Technology | +82.5% | 5.2 pp | −8.7% |
| Information Technology — returned +82.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.2 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 21 | DALDelta Air LinesIndustrials | +74.8% | 4.8 pp | +10.0% |
| Industrials — returned +74.8% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 22 | AAPLApple Inc.Information Technology | +50.2% | 3.2 pp | +2.6% |
| Information Technology — returned +50.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.2 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 23 | IVZInvescoFinancials | +73.3% | 4.7 pp | +6.0% |
| Financials — returned +73.3% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.7 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 24 | CSXCSX CorporationIndustrials | +49.5% | 3.2 pp | +5.2% |
| Industrials — returned +49.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.2 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 25 | MNSTMonster BeverageConsumer Staples | +55.0% | 3.6 pp | +8.8% |
| Consumer Staples — returned +55.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.6 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||