Valuation – S&P 500 Forward P/E Multiple Since October 2025, the S&P 500’s forward P/E has eased from 23 to 21, largely on the back of stronger forward earnings estimates. Valuations look less stretched than they did in the fall, but that does not make equities cheap. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
U.S. Equity Index P/E Valuations vs. History There is little sign that risk appetite is fading. The Russell 2000 trades at 25 times forward earnings, the Nasdaq 100 at 24, and the S&P 500 at 20. Valuations look stretched, but the bid under equities remains firm. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
U.S. Equity Valuation Metrics (Z-Score Since 1900) Valuations in U.S. equities remain extended, with most metrics running over two standard deviations above history. “Cheap” is largely a thing of the past, but stretched markets can defy gravity for longer than expected. Image: The Daily Shot
U.S. Tech Media Telecom Valuations vs. ROE Investors are still willing to pay a premium for U.S. tech, media, and telecom stocks, and with robust returns on equity, those valuations look broadly justified. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
S&P 500 Sector P/E Valuations Relative to History S&P 500 Financials continue to trade at relatively modest valuations compared with other sectors, while Industrials already price in a fair degree of optimism. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Valuation – S&P 500 NTM P/E At 17 times forward earnings, versus 21 for the benchmark, the equal-weight index is hardly cheap, but it still looks better on a relative basis. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Valuations – 12-Month Forward P/E Ranges (MSCI Regions) Valuations in U.S. and global equities remain stretched, with earnings momentum doing most of the work. As long as companies keep posting solid results, investors seem willing to live with the premium. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Average Percentile Rank for U.S. Equity Market Concentration, Valuation, and Magnitude of Rally U.S. equities are flashing familiar signs: rich valuations, heavy concentration, and outsized recent returns. This is less a signal that a crash is imminent and more a reminder that expectations leave little room for error. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Equities – Global Valuation Range U.S. stocks carry a rich premium, while markets abroad sit closer to their historical ranges. The result is a global landscape where relative value is easier to find outside the U.S., though true bargains are still hard to come by. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
S&P 500 Valuations The U.S. market looks cyclically overheated. Valuation composites show stretched conditions, raising the risk of a sharp correction. So far, however, recession signals remain absent. Image: Topdown Charts
Valuation – The Buffett Indicator The Buffett Indicator, which compares U.S. market capitalization to GDP, hit a fresh high. It’s not a crash signal, but it raises a flag. At these levels, history suggests weaker long-term returns and a thinner margin of safety Image: Real Investment Advice