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Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was a strong driver of returns, particularly in the large and mid cap universes. Stocks that outperformed the most over the previous six months continued to outperform last week. The large cap MTM spread was +4.46% and the mid cap MTM spread was +4.02%. Both were greater than one standard deviation above their respective average.
Brian
1 day ago
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was strong in the large and mid cap indices. The MTM spread in the Russell MidCap was over 4.0%, while the large cap MTM spread was 3.23%. Both returns were greater than one standard deviation above their average. MTM in the small cap space experienced a small negative return.
Brian
Oct 27
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was the lone factor with similar returns across all three indices in both direction and magnitude. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the past six months continued to outperform last week. MTM spreads were linear across the capitalization spectrum.
Brian
Oct 20
Weekly Factor Returns
Value was negative. The most attractively valued stocks underperformed the least attractively valued by 3.88% in the small cap universe, by 2.97% in the mid cap universe, and by 2.81% among large caps. Each spread was greater than one standard deviation below its weekly average.
Brian
Oct 13
Weekly Factor Returns
Volatility was a driving factor last week. Within the Russell 2000, the most volatile stocks outperformed the least volatile by 5.06%, on average. Volatility spreads were +3.53% and +3.81% in the large and mid cap universes, respectively. All spreads were greater than one standard deviation above their averages.
Brian
Oct 6
Weekly Factor Returns
Both measures of Momentum were negative. Medium-term momentum (MTM) and Short-term momentum (STM) declined the most in the large and mid cap universes. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the past six months and four weeks tended to underperform last week.
Brian
Sep 29
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was positive. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the preceding six months continued to outperform last week. Each MTM spread was greater than one standard deviation above average. Short-term momentum (STM) was slightly negative in each index.
Brian
Sep 22
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was influential. The stocks that outperformed the most over the past six months continued to outperform last week. MTM spreads ranged from +2.95% (mid caps) to +4.54% (small caps). All three returns were greater than one standard deviation above their averages.
Brian
Sep 15
2025 Q2 Small Cap Factor Review
Higher Volatility was a major theme in the second quarter. The small cap Volatility spread was 25.3% in Q2. This was by far the largest spread among the five key factors. The average return of the most volatile ten percent of stocks was 25.3% greater than the average return of the ten percent of stocks with the least Volatility. Volatility is now positive for the year.
Brian
Sep 11
Weekly Factor Blog
Short-term momentum was the strongest factor in each index with each spread about +2.3%. Stocks that outperformed the most over the previous four weeks continued to outperform last week. The large and small STM spreads were just at one standard deviation above average.
Brian
Sep 8
Weekly Factor Returns
Factor returns were mostly linear across the capitalization spectrum, with the largest spreads in the small cap universe, followed by mid cap spreads, and the smallest among large caps. Medium-term momentum (MTM) was the lone factor that did not follow that exact pattern. All factor returns were positive and  within normal ranges.
Brian
Sep 2
Weekly Factor Returns
Smaller companies were favored last week. The largest companies underperformed the smallest by 2.48%, on average, in the large cap index, where Size has a larger influence on the index relative to the mid and small cap universes. The large cap Size spread was greater than one standard deviation below average.
Brian
Aug 25
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) experienced a reversal last week. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the previous six months underperformed last week. MTM was most negative in the Russell 1000 (-2.29%). Short-term momentum (STM) also reversed within the large and mid cap spaces, but was positive in the Russell 2000. The biggest winners in the large and mid cap indices over the previous four weeks tended to underperform last week.
Brian
Aug 18
Weekly Factor Returns
Size had diverging returns between large and small cap stocks. Within the Russell 1000, the largest ten percent of stocks outperformed the smallest ten percent, on average. The opposite was true in the Russell 2000, where the smallest stocks tended to outperform the largest stocks. The negative small cap Size spread (-4.19%) was just under two standard deviations below its weekly average.
Brian
Aug 11
Weekly Factor Returns
Medium-term momentum (MTM) was strong across each index. Stocks that outperformed the most over the previous six months continued to outperform last week. MTM was highest in the Russell 2000 (+5.03%). Each MTM spread was greater than one standard deviation above average.
Brian
Aug 11
Weekly Factor Returns
Stocks that outperformed the most over the previous six months continued to outperform last week, compared to those stocks that underperformed the most over the previous six months. MTM spreads were more than one standard deviation below their averages in each index.
Brian
Jul 28
Weekly Factor Returns
Value was not favored last week. Stocks with the least attractive valuations outperformed those with the most attractive valuations, on average. The negative Value spread was greatest in the small cap space (-5.67%). The large cap Value spread was -4.18%. Each value spread was greater than two standard deviations below its average.
Brian
Jul 21
Weekly Factor Returns
Both measures of momentum had sizeable moves last week. Medium-term momentum (MTM) experienced a reversal with negative spreads across each index. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the past six months tended to underperform last week. MTM had the largest decline within the mid cap universe.
Brian
Jul 14
Weekly Factor Returns
Index gains were driven by a MTM reversal. Stocks that had outperformed the most over the previous six months underperformed last week. The large and mid cap MTM spreads were each greater than one standard deviation below their averages. The small cap MTM spread (-5.83%) was greater than two standard deviations below its average.
Brian
Jul 7
Weekly Factor Returns
Short-term momentum (STM) was positive in the large and mid cap indices. STM experienced a reversal in the small cap index (-2.86%). The stocks that had outperformed the most during the prior four weeks underperformed last week in the Russell 2000. The negative small cap STM spread was greater than one standard deviation below its average.
Brian
Jun 30