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Beta and Volatility: Risk Analysis of TSLA, AAPL, and SPY

This page analyzes the beta and volatility of selected stocks, offering insights into their risk profiles relative to the broader market. Beta, a measure of a stock's sensitivity to market movements, is a key metric for assessing systematic risk. The analysis includes TSLA, AAPL, and SPY, providing a comparative view of how these stocks respond to market fluctuations. Understanding beta is crucial for portfolio diversification and risk management, allowing investors to make informed decisions based on their risk tolerance and investment objectives.

Quick Answer This page provides an analysis of beta and volatility, key risk metrics, using TSLA, AAPL, and SPY as examples. Beta measures a stock's sensitivity to market movements, with values above 1 indicating higher volatility than the market, and values below 1 indicating lower volatility. The analysis helps investors understand how these stocks might impact portfolio risk.
Examples3Screens5Average score71.00Updated2026-04-09Prices as ofOct 7, 2026 session

Figures come from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP). If FMP has no figure for a ticker, a price or fundamental may come from a Yahoo Finance fallback, or a price from an Alpaca fallback. SEC EDGAR is used only for filing links and company identity details (legal name, address), never for figures.

MoonshotScore V2 rates eligible US-listed companies from 0 to 100 against their sector peers on five pillars: Business Quality (weight 26), Financial Safety (weight 20), Valuation (weight 18), Growth Durability (weight 16) and Momentum (weight 12). It reads no news-sentiment or analyst data, and it is not a probability of future returns.

21,000+ US companies analyzed

Understanding Beta and Volatility

Beta is a fundamental concept in finance that measures the volatility, or systematic risk, of a security or a portfolio in comparison to the market as a whole. A beta of 1 indicates that the security's price will move with the market. A beta greater than 1 suggests the security is more volatile than the market, while a beta less than 1 indicates lower volatility. Negative betas are possible but rare, indicating an inverse correlation with the market.

Worked Example: These Figures Today

The companies used as examples above, with the current figures behind them. Illustrations of the metric — not a ranking, not a shortlist, and not a recommendation.

Example companies for this topic, listed in the order the guide introduces them — prices, day change and market cap as of the Oct 7, 2026 trading session (FMP quote); P/E and MoonshotScore from our latest stored data. Source: Financial Modeling Prep, Yahoo Finance.
Ticker Company Price Change Market Cap MoonshotScore
TSLA Tesla, Inc. $375.63 -1.33% $1.5T 54
AAPL Apple Inc. $334.52 +0.27% $4.9T 88
SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF $773.86 -0.67% $824.3B —

Shortlist: TSLA, AAPL, and SPY

This analysis focuses on three specific securities: * **TSLA:** Known for its high growth and innovation in the electric vehicle industry, TSLA often exhibits high volatility. * **AAPL:** A large-cap technology company with a significant impact on market indices, AAPL's beta can influence portfolio risk. * **SPY:** An exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500 index, serving as a benchmark for overall market performance.
“MoonshotScore rates a US-listed stock 0 to 100 using five sector-relative pillars. Higher means stronger numbers across business quality, safety, valuation, growth and momentum. Eligible common stocks and ADRs only; funds, ETFs, warrants, units, SPACs, preferreds, and notes carry none. It is built for education and deeper due diligence, not financial advice.”
— Stock Expert AI published methodology (how MoonshotScore works)

Frequently asked questions about this topic

What does a high beta indicate for a stock?

A high beta suggests that a stock is more volatile than the market. It tends to amplify market movements, increasing potential gains but also potential losses.

How can beta be used in portfolio management?

Beta helps in assessing the overall risk of a portfolio. Investors can use beta to adjust their portfolio's risk level by including stocks with different betas.

What are the limitations of using beta?

Beta is based on historical data and may not accurately predict future volatility. It also doesn't account for unsystematic risk, which is specific to individual companies.

Is a high beta always undesirable?

Not necessarily. High beta stocks can offer higher potential returns, which may be attractive to investors with a higher risk tolerance. However, they also come with increased risk.

How does the beta of SPY influence portfolio risk?

As an ETF tracking the S&P 500, SPY has a beta of approximately 1.0. It serves as a benchmark for market risk, and portfolios are often evaluated relative to SPY's performance.

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Stock Expert AI provides data and analysis tools for educational purposes. This is not financial advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Figures come from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP). If FMP has no figure for a ticker, a price or fundamental may come from a Yahoo Finance fallback, or a price from an Alpaca fallback. SEC EDGAR is used only for filing links and company identity details (legal name, address), never for figures.