Multiple Expansion – Year-Over-Year Change in the S&P 500 Forward P/E Since the beginning of the year, the multiple expansion explains the S&P 500 return. Historically, S&P multiples contract or remain flat following years of big multiple expansion. Image: BofA Merrill Lynch US Equity & US Quant Strategy
U.S. Equities and The World: Earnings Growth vs. Multiple Expansion Since the 2009 low, the strong performance of the U.S. markets comes from earnings growth (73%) and multiple expansion (27%). You may also like “S&P 500 Return: Earnings Growth vs. Multiple Expansion.” Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
MSCI ACWI and S&P 500 Forward P/E Multiple This year, the forward P/E multiple for global equities and for the S&P 500 increased by approximately 24%. Historically, multiples contract or remain flat following years of big multiple expansion. Image: Morgan Stanley Research
S&P 500 vs. Russell 2000 – YTD Change in Price, Earnings, and Valuation The S&P 500’s year-to-date total return has been driven entirely by earnings growth, while the Russell 2000’s advance has come roughly half from multiple expansion and half from earnings growth. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
S&P 500 Valuation Despite lofty valuations, the fuel behind U.S. stock market performance this year has been earnings growth, not multiple expansion. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Percentage Contribution of Returns Between Dividends, Earnings and Valuation While multiple expansion has played an important role in boosting S&P 500 returns, future performance may depend more on earnings growth. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Valuation – S&P 500 P/E, S&P Equity Risk Premium and U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yields Significant multiple expansion in the absence of a corresponding increase in earnings growth can generally be a warning sign that U.S. stocks are getting too expensive. Image: Morgan Stanley Research
S&P 500 and Market Recoveries Historically, after a crisis, market recoveries came largely from multiple expansion. Image: Gavekal, Macrobond
S&P 500 Consensus Earnings Growth Expectations Analysts have rarely been this bullish on S&P 500 earnings heading into Q2 2026, a level typically seen only after recessions or at the start of a new cycle. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
Top-Down Estimates of Earnings per Share Growth (S&P 500, STOXX 600, TOPIX, MXAPJ) After years of rallies fueled by soaring multiples, especially in tech and AI sectors, 2026 could see fundamentals take the lead. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research