Quietest Compounders
Strong returns at low volatility — the sleep-at-night winners
Updated September 6, 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 | STTState Street CorporationFinancials | +70.3% | 2.8 pp | +5.1% |
| Financials — returned +70.3% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 2 | BNYBNY MellonFinancials | +56.2% | 2.4 pp | +3.8% |
| Financials — returned +56.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.4 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 3 | FDXFedExIndustrials | +77.8% | 3.8 pp | +2.1% |
| Industrials — returned +77.8% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 4 | CATCaterpillar Inc.Industrials | +93.7% | 4.6 pp | −5.0% |
| Industrials — returned +93.7% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.6 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 5 | NUENucorMaterials | +80.1% | 4.2 pp | −4.0% |
| Materials — returned +80.1% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.2 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 6 | JBHTJ.B. HuntIndustrials | +88.4% | 5.0 pp | +2.4% |
| Industrials — returned +88.4% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.0 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 7 | STLDSteel DynamicsMaterials | +85.0% | 4.9 pp | −7.4% |
| Materials — returned +85.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.9 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 8 | PSXPhillips 66Energy | +93.9% | 5.5 pp | +24.1% |
| Energy — returned +93.9% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 9 | FTNTFortinetInformation Technology | +98.3% | 5.8 pp | −2.1% |
| Information Technology — returned +98.3% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 10 | MSMorgan StanleyFinancials | +44.6% | 2.7 pp | +1.8% |
| Financials — returned +44.6% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.7 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 11 | KEYSKeysight TechnologiesInformation Technology | +96.0% | 5.8 pp | −2.9% |
| Information Technology — returned +96.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 12 | TGTTarget CorporationConsumer Staples | +77.4% | 4.7 pp | +11.8% |
| Consumer Staples — returned +77.4% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.7 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 13 | NTRSNorthern TrustFinancials | +44.1% | 2.7 pp | +1.4% |
| Financials — returned +44.1% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.7 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 14 | MRKMerck & Co.Health Care | +78.9% | 5.0 pp | +17.1% |
| Health Care — returned +78.9% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 5.0 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 15 | CSXCSX CorporationIndustrials | +51.3% | 3.3 pp | −2.5% |
| Industrials — returned +51.3% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 16 | ROSTRoss StoresConsumer Discretionary | +51.0% | 3.3 pp | −9.3% |
| Consumer Discretionary — returned +51.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 17 | TRGPTarga ResourcesEnergy | +74.2% | 4.9 pp | +8.1% |
| Energy — returned +74.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.9 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 18 | IEXIDEX CorporationIndustrials | +35.7% | 2.4 pp | −4.3% |
| Industrials — returned +35.7% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.4 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 19 | VTRSViatrisHealth Care | +63.4% | 4.3 pp | +3.6% |
| Health Care — returned +63.4% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.3 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 20 | PWRQuanta ServicesIndustrials | +66.0% | 4.5 pp | −6.5% |
| Industrials — returned +66.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.5 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 21 | NDSNNordson CorporationIndustrials | +40.9% | 2.9 pp | +3.0% |
| Industrials — returned +40.9% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 2.9 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 22 | CAHCardinal HealthHealth Care | +65.5% | 4.6 pp | +4.0% |
| Health Care — returned +65.5% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.6 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 23 | JNJJohnson & JohnsonHealth Care | +54.0% | 3.8 pp | +7.1% |
| Health Care — returned +54.0% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.8 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 24 | EXPDExpeditors InternationalIndustrials | +55.2% | 3.9 pp | +5.7% |
| Industrials — returned +55.2% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 3.9 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||
| 25 | AMGNAmgenHealth Care | +56.1% | 4.0 pp | +8.0% |
| Health Care — returned +56.1% over the year while its weekly move versus the index swung only about 4.0 pp — a lot of return for very little turbulence. | ||||