Printed on December twentieth, 2024 by Bob Ciura
On the planet of investing, volatility issues. Buyers are reminded of this each time there’s a downturn within the broader market and particular person shares which can be extra risky than others expertise monumental swings in value.
Volatility is a proxy for danger; extra volatility usually means a riskier portfolio. The volatility of a safety or portfolio towards the imply is known as normal deviation.
In brief, normal deviation is an investing metric that calculates the magnitude of a safety’s dispersion from its common value over a given time interval.
Because of this, we consider normal deviation is a vital monetary metric that traders ought to familiarize themselves with, when buying particular person shares.
To that finish, we created a listing of low volatility shares. The checklist consists of the 100 lowest normal deviation shares within the S&P 500 Index.
You’ll be able to obtain a spreadsheet of the 100 low volatility shares (together with different essential monetary metrics like price-to-earnings ratios and dividend yields) by clicking on the hyperlink beneath:
This text will talk about normal deviation extra totally, and supply a dialogue of the 5 lowest-volatility dividend shares within the Positive Evaluation Analysis Database.
The desk of contents beneath permits for simple navigation.
Desk of Contents
Commonplace Deviation Overview
Commonplace deviation is a calculation that entails plenty of inputs, reminiscent of a safety’s closing share costs over a given time period, the imply worth over that point, and the variety of knowledge factors within the knowledge set.
Why this issues is as a result of traders can make the most of normal deviation to get a greater understanding of a safety’s volatility, and subsequently its danger.
Importantly, low or excessive normal deviation measures the scale of the actions a safety may make from its common efficiency.
In a standard distribution, a inventory’s value motion ought to fall inside one normal distribution of its imply value, roughly 68% of the time.
Moreover, the share value of the safety in query, must be inside two normal deviations of the imply, roughly 95% of the time.
To place this into perspective, assume a inventory has a imply value of $100, and a regular deviation of $10. In a standard distribution, the inventory in query ought to shut between $80-$120 per share, roughly 95% of the time.
After all, this nonetheless leaves a 5% likelihood that the inventory will shut exterior the vary of $80-$120. On this means, traders typically use normal deviation as a proxy for danger.
The traditional knowledge would recommend that low volatility shares ought to under-perform throughout market uptrends and outperform throughout downturns.
The next part discusses the 5 dividend-paying shares within the S&P 500 with the bottom normal deviation of day by day returns over the previous 5 years.
Low Volatility Inventory #5: Verizon Communications (VZ)
Verizon Communications was created by a merger between Bell Atlantic Corp and GTE Corp in June 2000. Verizon is among the largest wi-fi carriers within the nation.
Wi-fi contributes three-quarters of all revenues, and broadband and cable companies account for a few quarter of gross sales. The corporate’s community covers ~300 million individuals and 98% of the U.S.
On October twenty second, 2024, Verizon reported third quarter outcomes for the interval ending September thirtieth, 2024. For the quarter, income declined 0.1% to $33.3 billion, which missed estimates by $120 million.
Supply: Investor Presentation
Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.19 in contrast unfavorably to $1.22 within the prior 12 months, however this was $0.01 greater than anticipated.
For the quarter, Verizon had postpaid telephone web additions of 239K, which was significantly better than lack of 51K that the corporate had in the identical quarter a 12 months in the past. Retail postpaid web additions totaled 349K.
Wi-fi retail postpaid telephone churn fee stays low at 0.89%. Wi-fi income grew 2.7% to $19.8 billion whereas the Shopper phase elevated 0.4% to $25.4 billion.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Positive Evaluation report on VZ (preview of web page 1 of three proven beneath):
Low Volatility Inventory #4: Procter & Gamble (PG)
Procter & Gamble is a shopper merchandise large that sells its merchandise in additional than 180 international locations and generates roughly $82 billion in annual gross sales.
Its core manufacturers embody Gillette, Tide, Charmin, Crest, Pampers, Febreze, Head & Shoulders, Bounty, Oral-B, and plenty of extra.
P&G has slimmed down to simply 65 manufacturers, from 170 beforehand. And these manufacturers have been gaining world market share at a wholesome fee over the previous few years.
Supply: Investor Presentation
In mid-October, Procter & Gamble reported (10/18/24) monetary outcomes for the primary quarter of fiscal 2025. Its gross sales dipped -1% whereas its natural gross sales grew 2% over final 12 months’s quarter because of 1% value hikes and 1% quantity development. Core earnings-per-share grew 5%, from $1.83 to $1.93, beating the analysts’ consensus by $0.03.
Administration reaffirmed its steering for 3%-5% development of natural gross sales and 5%-7% development of earnings-per-share in fiscal 2025.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Positive Evaluation report on PG (preview of web page 1 of three proven beneath):
Low Volatility Inventory #3: The Coca-Cola Firm (KO)
Coca-Cola was based in 1892. Immediately, it’s the world’s largest non-alcoholic beverage firm. It owns or licenses greater than 500 non-alcoholic drinks, together with each glowing and nonetheless drinks.
Its manufacturers account for about 2 billion servings of drinks worldwide on daily basis, producing greater than $45 billion in annual income.
The glowing beverage portfolio consists of the flagship Coca-Cola model, in addition to different soda manufacturers like Food plan Coke, Sprite, Fanta, and extra.
The nonetheless beverage portfolio consists of water, juices, and ready-to-drink teas, reminiscent of Dasani, Minute Maid, Vitamin Water, and Trustworthy Tea.
Supply: Investor Presentation
Coca-Cola dominates glowing gentle drinks, however the firm is trying to keep up and even enhance this dominant place with product extensions of present standard manufacturers, together with decreased and zero-sugar variations of manufacturers like Sprite and Fanta.
Coca-Cola posted third quarter earnings on October twenty third, 2024, and outcomes have been higher than anticipated on each income and earnings. The corporate noticed adjusted earnings-per-share of 77 cents, which was two cents higher than estimates.
Income was off fractionally year-over-year to $11.9 billion, however did beat estimates by $290 million. Natural revenues have been up by 9%. That included 10% development in value and blend, a 2% decline in focus gross sales, and a 1% achieve in case volumes.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Positive Evaluation report on KO (preview of web page 1 of three proven beneath):
Low Volatility Inventory #2: Colgate-Palmolive (CL)
Colgate-Palmolive was based in 1806 and has constructed a powerful and in depth portfolio of shopper manufacturers. It operates globally, promoting in most international locations around the globe.
About one-sixth of its income comes from Hill’s pet meals division, which has proven very robust development in recent times.
The opposite five-sixths of income comes from a mixture of cleansing and private care merchandise, with the corporate’s most recognizable manufacturers being Colgate (tooth care) and Palmolive (cleaning soap).
The corporate has structured itself into 4 items: Oral Care, Private Care, Residence Care, and Pet Diet.
Supply: Investor presentation
Colgate-Palmolive posted third quarter earnings on October twenty fifth, 2024, and outcomes have been higher than anticipated on each the highest and backside traces. Adjusted earnings-per-share got here to 91 cents, which was three cents forward of estimates.
Income was up 2.2% year-over-year to $5.03 billion, which was additionally $20 million forward of expectations. North American natural gross sales, that are about 20% of income, fell 1.9% year-over-year. Latin American natural gross sales have been up 14.2%, and up 10.8% in Africa/Eurasia.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Positive Evaluation report on CL (preview of web page 1 of three proven beneath):
Low Volatility Inventory #1: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Johnson & Johnson was based in 1886 and has remodeled into one of many largest corporations on the earth. Johnson & Johnson is a mega-cap inventory. The corporate generates annual gross sales above $99 billion.
Johnson & Johnson operates a diversified enterprise mannequin, permitting it to attraction to all kinds of shoppers throughout the healthcare sector. J&J now operates two segments, prescription drugs and medical gadgets, after spinning off its shopper well being franchises.
Johnson & Johnson reported third-quarter 2024 gross sales development of 5.2%, reaching $22.5 billion, with operational development of 6.3%.
Supply: Investor Presentation
Nevertheless, earnings per share (EPS) decreased by 34.3%, largely resulting from a one-time particular cost and bought in-process analysis and improvement (IPR&D).
Adjusted EPS fell 9.0% to $2.42, pushed by the identical IPR&D impression. The corporate made vital developments, together with approvals for therapies like TREMFYA and RYBREVANT, and the submission of a brand new common surgical procedure robotic system, OTTAVA.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Positive Evaluation report on JNJ (preview of web page 1 of three proven beneath):
Last Ideas
Buyers ought to take danger into consideration when buying particular person shares. In spite of everything, if two securities are in any other case related when it comes to anticipated returns however one affords a decrease normal deviation, the investor would doubtless see stronger returns from the low volatility inventory.
Commonplace deviation may also help traders decide which securities will produce better deviation from the market common.
The 5 shares within the article not solely have low normal deviation, however additionally they supply enticing dividend yields and whole anticipated returns.
The next databases of dividend development shares may additionally be helpful for revenue traders:
Thanks for studying this text. Please ship any suggestions, corrections, or inquiries to [email protected].
