SPLV is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests in low-volatility US stocks, focusing on the broader financial market.
It is designed as a defensive investment vehicle, aiming to provide investors with smoother returns and reduced risk compared to the overall stock market.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on the analysis, SPLV presents a compelling case for investment, particularly for investors seeking stability and lower risk. The ETF has consistently demonstrated its defensive characteristics by outperforming the broader market with approximately half the volatility, a crucial advantage in uncertain economic climates. Its current valuation appears moderate, and while trading near its 52-week high, the shallow historical drawdown suggests managed downside risk.
For investors prioritizing capital preservation and steady returns, SPLV's strategy of holding low-volatility S&P 500 stocks offers a prudent way to maintain equity exposure while mitigating turbulence. It is well-suited for the defensive portion of a portfolio or for those with a lower risk tolerance who wish to participate in market gains with reduced swings. The fund's lower beta combined with positive performance provides a favorable risk-adjusted return profile compared to the overall market.
Recommendation: BUY SPLV is a strong buy for risk-averse investors seeking stable equity exposure. Its proven ability to deliver gains with significantly lower volatility makes it an excellent defensive holding, especially in the current market environment. The fund's moderate valuation and strong relative performance suggest it is well-positioned to continue its outperformance. Investors should consider SPLV as a core holding to reduce portfolio volatility while maintaining market participation.
Based on the comprehensive analysis provided, here is a 12-month outlook for SPLV:
Over the next 12 months, SPLV is positioned to outperform in a potentially volatile or lower-return market environment, with its key catalyst being its defensive characteristics providing stability if economic growth slows or uncertainty persists. The primary risk is that the fund could underperform the broader S&P 500 during a strong, sustained bull market, as its low-volatility strategy may limit upside participation. Given the lack of a specific analyst target, the outlook is based on its risk/return profile; investors can expect returns aligned with its objective of capital preservation and steady gains, likely in a range that prioritizes lower volatility over maximizing absolute returns.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $75.70, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, SPLV has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
SPLV has demonstrated steady outperformance with low volatility characteristics over the past three months.
The ETF has posted consistent gains of 4.27% over one month and 4.89% over three months, outperforming the broader market by 3.04% during the latter period while exhibiting approximately half the market's volatility, as indicated by its 0.52 beta. This defensive yet positive performance reflects the fund's low-volatility strategy effectively navigating recent market conditions.
Currently trading at $75.7 approaching its 52-week high of $76.58, SPLV sits near the upper end of its yearly range with room for modest additional upside. The relatively shallow maximum drawdown of -9.23% over the past year suggests limited downside risk, though the proximity to recent highs indicates the ETF is neither severely overbought nor oversold at current levels.
| Period | SPLV Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +4.3% | +1.0% |
| 3m | +4.9% | +1.9% |
| 6m | +3.2% | +6.5% |
| 1y | +3.7% | +12.1% |
| ytd | +6.3% | +0.2% |
Based on the information provided, I cannot complete a fundamental analysis of SPLV as no financial data is available. SPLV is an ETF (Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF), which is a basket of stocks rather than a single operating company with its own revenue and debt. Analyzing an ETF requires examining its underlying holdings, investment strategy, and performance metrics rather than corporate financial statements.
Therefore, a traditional fundamental analysis based on revenue, debt ratios, and operational efficiency is not applicable in this context. An assessment of SPLV would instead focus on factors like its portfolio composition, expense ratio, tracking error, and dividend yield relative to its benchmark.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level: With a trailing PE ratio of 23.6, SPLV appears to be trading at a moderate valuation level. The absence of a forward PE ratio prevents a comparison with expected future earnings, limiting the depth of the valuation analysis. Based solely on the current TTM PE, the fund does not appear to be excessively overvalued or deeply undervalued.
Peer Comparison: A peer comparison cannot be conducted as the necessary industry average data is unavailable. Consequently, it is impossible to determine whether SPLV's valuation metrics are trading at a premium or discount relative to its broader market segment or comparable investment vehicles. This lack of benchmark data significantly limits the contextual analysis of its valuation.
Volatility Risk: With a Beta of 0.52, SPLV exhibits significantly lower volatility than the broader market, making it inherently less risky during market downturns. Its modest one-year maximum drawdown of -9.23% further confirms its defensive characteristics, though it still represents a quantifiable risk of capital loss during periods of market stress.
Other Risks: The absence of substantial short interest suggests that professional investors do not anticipate significant negative price pressure in the near term. However, the fund is still subject to sector concentration risks within its low-volatility portfolio and general market risks that affect all equity investments.
Bullish for conservative investors. SPLV's defensive qualities are compelling with its low volatility (0.52 beta) and modest maximum drawdown, offering steady outperformance in uncertain markets. It provides broad, low-volatility exposure ideal for capital preservation. This ETF is best suited for risk-averse, long-term, and retirement-focused investors seeking lower-risk equity exposure.
Based on available data, SPLV appears to be fairly valued. Its trailing PE ratio of 23.6 is moderately high, but without a forward PE or industry average for a specific low-volatility ETF category, a definitive premium or discount cannot be established. The primary reasons for this assessment are the limited valuation metrics and the fund's nature as an ETF, where valuation hinges more on its underlying holdings' collective quality and low-volatility characteristics rather than traditional corporate financials.
Based on the characteristics of the Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (SPLV), here are the key risks of holding it:
1. Sector Concentration Risk: The ETF's method of selecting the least volatile stocks from the S&P 500 can lead to an overweight concentration in specific defensive sectors, such as utilities or consumer staples, making it vulnerable to downturns in those particular areas. 2. Market Risk from Low Volatility Strategy Underperformance: While designed to be defensive, the fund's strategy inherently carries the risk of significant underperformance versus the broader market during extended bullish periods, as it may not hold high-growth, high-volatility stocks. 3. Valuation Risk from Proximity to Highs: Trading near its 52-week high increases the potential for a price pullback or period of consolidation, as many of its constituent low-volatility stocks may be expensively valued.
Based on its strategy of holding the 100 least volatile S&P 500 stocks, SPLV's 2026 forecast is highly dependent on the macroeconomic environment.
Our base case target range is $80-$87, assuming a backdrop of moderate economic growth and persistent, but not escalating, market volatility that favors its defensive holdings. The bull case target of $90+ would materialize in a significant market downturn or prolonged period of risk aversion, where investors heavily flock to low-volatility strategies. Key growth drivers are its inherent defensive characteristics, its high dividend yield which provides a return cushion, and potential for capital appreciation during turbulent markets.
A critical assumption is that the low-volatility factor will maintain its defensive properties and not experience a prolonged period of underperformance. This forecast carries significant uncertainty, as SPLV's performance is almost entirely contingent on market sentiment and volatility levels, which are inherently unpredictable over a multi-year horizon.