How Can I Beat the S&P 500? What the Evidence Says
The honest answer to the most asked question in investing: how many people beat the index, why it is so hard, why investors trail even their own funds, and how daily market context fits in.
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ZS Stock vs the S&P 500: Returns, Risk and Crash History
Zscaler, Inc., technology (market value $36.7 billion): how it compared with the S&P 500, how it behaved in every crash since 2008, its risk‑adjusted returns and what analysts said. Returns to Oct 30, 2026; analyst data as of Nov 9, 2026.
What changed since Nov 2
Exent re-checks this page every day. Ratings appear 30 days after they are published; the top‑ranked analysts’ calls are not counted here, they are in Gems.
+43 new ratings+1 analyst started coverage83% Buy ratings (was 82%)40 analysts covering (was 39)34 4★+ analysts covering (was 33)
Key takeaways
- ZS returned −25.4% over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026 versus +75.9% for the S&P 500: it lagged the index.
- Its 5-year Sharpe ratio was 0.04 against 0.58 for the S&P 500.
- Its deepest crisis drawdown was −57.6% in the 2022 inflation bear market (S&P 500: −25.4%).
- Five‑year volatility was 56.7% and beta 0.82.
- 40 analysts rated it in the past year; 83% of their latest calls were Buy.
- ZS beat earnings estimates in 12 of its last 12 reports; the stock moved 8.3% on average, up or down, around each report.
What do the best‑ranked analysts on ZS say now? See it in Exent Gems →
In this article
- Did ZS beat the S&P 500?
- What Wall Street analysts say about ZS
- ZS returns by year vs the S&P 500
- ZS risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
- How ZS behaved in past crashes
- What moves with ZS, and what doesn’t
- Latest ZS upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
- Do analysts get ZS right?
- How ZS moves after earnings
- Where ZS’s revenue comes from
- Members of Congress who traded ZS
- Are ZS insiders buying or selling?
- How much of ZS is sold short?
- How many institutions own ZS?
- Is ZS diluting shareholders?
- ZS financial health scores
- Which ETFs hold ZS?
- The right benchmark for ZS
- Other technology stocks
- Data and methodology
Did ZS beat the S&P 500?
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) returned −25.4% including dividends, versus +75.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It lagged the index by 101.3 percentage points, or −5.7% a year against +12.0%.
| Period | ZS | S&P 500 | ZS per year | S&P 500 per year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | −28.2% | +12.0% | −28.2% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| 3 years | +49.9% | +87.4% | +14.4% | +23.3% | Lagged |
| 5 years | −25.4% | +75.9% | −5.7% | +12.0% | Lagged |
| Period | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZS | −28.2% | +49.9% | −25.4% |
| S&P 500 | +12.0% | +87.4% | +75.9% |
| ZS per year | −28.2% | +14.4% | −5.7% |
| S&P 500 per year | +12.0% | +23.3% | +12.0% |
| Result | Lagged | Lagged | Lagged |
Total return with dividends reinvested, from month-end prices to Oct 30, 2026. Beating the index on raw return is only half the story: the next section adjusts for the risk taken. See also how to beat the S&P 500.
What Wall Street analysts say about ZS
In the 12 months to 30 days ago, 40 analysts published 577 ratings on ZS. Their latest calls were 83% Buy, 18% Hold and 0% Sell. 34 of them rank 4★ or higher in Exent’s analyst scoring, which is based on each analyst’s past price‑target hit rate and returns.
The consensus 12‑month price target was $222.58 (range $150.00–$298.00), +14.2% from the last price. Remember that the average analyst’s target is hit only about half the time: how accurate are price targets?
| Top‑ranked analyst covering | Firm | Stars | Price‑target hit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| ??? | ??? | 5.0★ | 62.5% |
| Jonathan Ruykhaver | Cantor Fitzgerald | 5.0★ | 57.3% |
| ??? | ??? | 5.0★ | 58.1% |
| ??? | ??? | 4.9★ | 67.1% |
| ??? | ??? | 4.9★ | 49.4% |
Other analysts covering ZS: Peter Weed · Peter Levine · Eric Heath · Gray Powell · Adam Borg · Roger Boyd
Ratings are shown with a 30‑day delay. Who the top‑ranked analysts on ZS are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts are in Exent Gems.
The average analyst’s target is reached about 53.1% of the time; Exent Gems is built on the top 50 of Exent’s ranking,where some reached 90% or more over the last two years. Unlock the top 50 analysts.
ZS returns by year vs the S&P 500
ZS beat the S&P 500 in 4 of the 7 full calendar years shown.
| Year | ZS | S&P 500 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct 30, 2026) | +5.7% | +11.7% | −6.0% |
| 2025 | +24.7% | +17.7% | +7.0% |
| 2024 | −18.6% | +24.9% | −43.5% |
| 2023 | +98.0% | +26.2% | +71.8% |
| 2022 | −65.2% | −18.2% | −47.0% |
| 2021 | +60.9% | +28.7% | +32.2% |
| 2020 | +329.5% | +18.3% | +311.2% |
| 2019 | +18.6% | +31.2% | −12.6% |
ZS risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility
Over 5 years, ZS had a Sharpe ratio of 0.04 against 0.58 for the S&P 500, so it earned less return per unit of risk than the index. Its annualized volatility was 48.8% and its beta 0.82: it tended to move about 0.8× as much as the market.
| Metric | ZS | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | −5.7% | +12.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 48.8% | 15.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.04 | 0.58 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.06 | 0.91 |
| Max drawdown (month-end) | −74.0% | −23.9% |
| Beta to the S&P 500 | 0.82 | 1.00 |
How ZS behaved in past crashes
ZS’s deepest fall in the crises below was −57.6% in the 2022 inflation bear market, against −25.4% for the S&P 500. The last column turns that into money: what a $100,000 position would have lost from peak to trough.
| Crisis | ZS | S&P 500 | Loss on $100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 trade-war selloff | −24.4% | −20.2% | −$24,370 |
| COVID crash (Feb–Mar 2020) | −39.4% | −34.1% | −$39,400 |
| 2022 inflation bear market | −57.6% | −25.4% | −$57,650 |
| 2025 tariff selloff | −19.0% | −19.0% | −$19,030 |
| Window | ZS max drawdown |
|---|---|
| Last 1 year | −64.9% |
| Last 3 years | −64.9% |
| Last 5 years | −76.4% |
| Last 10 years | −76.4% |
Peak‑to‑trough declines from daily prices inside each crisis window. A crash replay does not predict the next crisis; it shows how much room a holding needs. Run the same replay on a whole portfolio with the crash test.
What moves with ZS, and what doesn’t
Correlation runs from −1 (moves opposite) to +1 (moves in lockstep). Over the last 60 months of monthly returns, ZS’s correlation with the S&P 500 was 0.26, with the Nasdaq‑100 0.38, with long Treasuries (TLT) 0.16 and with gold (GLD) −0.14.
Adding a 5% ZS position to an S&P 500 portfolio would have moved its 5‑year volatility from 15.5% to 15.5%.
| Least correlated large caps | Correlation | Most correlated large caps | Correlation |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOM | −0.36 | NET | 0.66 |
| MRK | −0.29 | PLTR | 0.64 |
| PEP | −0.27 | CRWD | 0.60 |
| KO | −0.24 | UBER | 0.59 |
| SO | −0.24 | PANW | 0.53 |
Holdings that are highly correlated behave like one position in a selloff. See how to find hidden overlap.
Latest ZS upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes
| Date | Rating and target | Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 23 | Target raised Buy | Tal Liani |
| Oct 20 | New coverage Hold | Rudy Kessinger |
| Oct 15 | Target raised Buy | Fatima Boolani |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Fatima Boolani |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | John Difucci |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Shaul Eyal |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Mike Cikos |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Joseph Gallo |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Adam Borg |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Saket Kalia |
| Oct 7 | Target raised Buy | Gregg Moskowitz |
| Oct 7 | New coverage Buy | Daniel Ives |
Named analysts’ rating and price‑target changes on ZS in the 5 weeks to Oct 12, 2026, shown 30 days after publication (the free analysts’ calls 3 days after). The top‑ranked analysts’ calls are in Exent Gems. See all of the latest analyst upgrades and downgrades.
Do analysts get ZS right?
Of the 876 analyst price targets on ZS set from 2019 until a year ago, 76.7% were reached within 12 months (data to Oct 20, 2026), 8.1 points above the 68.6% hit rate of the median stock in Exent’s study of 794 stocks. Targets that were reached took a median of 51 days. The median target sat 16.3% above the share price on the day it was set.
Where analysts said ZS would be by now: a year ago, 8 analysts had a price target on ZS, and the median of their latest targets was $342.50. On Oct 20, 2026 ZS closed at $214.51, 37.4% below it.
76.7%of targets reached within 12 monthsMedian stock: 68.6%
51 daysmedian time to reach a target
−37.4%price now vs the median target set a year ago
| After | Calls | Move on the call | 3 months vs S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrades of ZS | 27 | +1.5% | +8.6% |
| Upgrades, all stocks | 11,514 | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| Downgrades of ZS | 15 | −4.6% | +1.4% |
| Downgrades, all stocks | 10,700 | −3.0% | −1.6% |
The move on the call runs from the close before the rating change to the close after it; the last column is the stock’s return minus the S&P 500’s over the next three months. Averages of rating changes on ZS through Sep 15, 2026; analysts are not named here. Do analyst upgrades move stocks?
How ZS moves after earnings
ZS beat the consensus earnings‑per‑share estimate in 12 of its last 12 quarterly reports, through the one on Sep 3, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 11 of 12. From the close before each report to the close after it, the stock moved 8.3% on average, up or down, against 6.8% for the average report across the 1,002 US stocks Exent tracks. It rose after 4 of the 12 reports. In 8 of the 12 beats the stock still fell.
12/12earnings beats
±8.3%average move per report
4/12reports followed by a rise
| Report | EPS vs estimate | Revenue vs estimate | Stock move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 2026 | $1.19 vs $1.09 | +2.4% | −1.7% |
| May 26, 2026 | $1.08 vs $1.01 | +1.8% | −30.7% |
| Feb 26, 2026 | $1.01 vs $0.89 | +2.2% | −5.6% |
| Nov 25, 2025 | $0.96 vs $0.86 | +1.9% | −10.1% |
| Sep 2, 2025 | $0.89 vs $0.80 | +1.7% | −2.3% |
| May 29, 2025 | $0.84 vs $0.75 | +1.7% | +8.7% |
| Mar 5, 2025 | $0.78 vs $0.69 | +2.1% | +4.3% |
| Dec 2, 2024 | $0.77 vs $0.63 | +3.7% | −3.8% |
Reported earnings per share against the consensus estimate, revenue surprise in percent, and the stock’s price change over the two sessions around the report. How stocks move after earnings
Where ZS’s revenue comes from
In fiscal 2019 (the year to Jul 31, 2019), ZS’s largest reported region was the United States, with 49.1% of its $302.8 million revenue. By region: United States 49.1%; Emea 41.1%; Asia Pacific 7.9%; Other 1.9%.
By business, the largest segment was Reportable Segment, with 100.0% of $3.4 billion revenue (+25.4% on the year before).
From ZS’s annual filings; segment growth compares fiscal 2026 with the year before. Regions are as each company reports them, so one company’s “Asia Pacific” is not another’s. China counts the regions a company reports as China, Greater China or Hong Kong; a separately reported Taiwan is not counted. Which S&P 500 companies depend most on China?
Members of Congress who traded ZS
As of Oct 20, 2026, 4 members of Congress had disclosed 11 trades in ZS (5 buys and 6 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate. The latest public trade is dated Jan 13, 2025.
| Trade date | Member | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2025 | Rob Bresnahan | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Sep 17, 2024 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 10, 2023 | Daniel Goldman | Sale | $15,001–$50,000 |
| Dec 6, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Nov 3, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| May 5, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Apr 11, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Feb 17, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Buy | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jan 21, 2022 | Ro Khanna | Sale | $1,001–$15,000 |
| Jan 6, 2021 | Thomas Suozzi | Sale | $15,001–$50,000 |
Amounts are the ranges members report, not exact values. The STOCK Act gives members up to 45 days to disclose a trade, so trades appear weeks after they are made. See every member’s disclosed trades
Are ZS insiders buying or selling?
In the 12 months to Oct 20, 2026, ZS insiders made no open‑market purchases and 56 sales worth $21.5 million, according to SEC Form 4 filings. The last open‑market purchase on record was on Dec 23, 2022.
After the 5 insider purchases of $10,000 or more since 2012, ZS beat the S&P 500 by an average of 109.1 percentage points over the next 12 months; every one was followed by a beat. Across all 17,865 insider purchases in Exent’s study, the average was +17.2% and the median +1.0% against the index.
| Date | Insider | Role | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23, 2022 | Brown Andrew William Fraser | Director | $543,900 |
| Mar 20, 2018 | Darling Scott C | Director | $1.0 million |
| Mar 20, 2018 | Giancarlo Charles H | Director | $2.0 million |
| Mar 20, 2018 | Blasing Karen | Director | $250,000 |
| Mar 20, 2018 | Bess Lane | Director | $1.8 million |
The table lists the latest open‑market purchases on record, leaving out the last 30 days. The chart counts Form 4 purchases and sales by calendar quarter. Purchases are open‑market buys; sales include planned sales under 10b5‑1 trading plans. Do insider buys beat the market?
How much of ZS is sold short?
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 5.46% of ZS’s float was sold short: 5.8 million shares, or 1.8 days of average trading volume to cover. A year earlier (Oct 15, 2025) it was 5.05%. The median across the 997 US stocks Exent tracks was 4.77%, so ZS is more heavily shorted than most.
From FINRA short‑interest reports, filed twice a month; the bars show the short share of the float at each month‑end. Days to cover divides the shares short by the average daily volume. The most shorted stocks
How many institutions own ZS?
At the end of Q2 2026 (Jun 30, 2026), 842 institutions reported holding ZS in 13F filings, up 18 from the quarter before and down from 995 a year earlier. Their reported holdings add up to 51.5% of ZS’s shares. In the quarter 429 institutions added to their positions and 255 cut them.
84213F holders
140new positions
139positions closed
51.5%of shares held by 13F filers
Investment managers with over $100 million in US equities file 13F reports within 45 days of each quarter end, so this is the latest complete quarter. Holdings can add up to more than 100% when shares are lent and counted twice. Which stocks institutions are buying and selling
Is ZS diluting shareholders?
ZS’s diluted share count rose 18.1% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2026 and rose 3.8% in fiscal 2026 alone. Each share now owns a smaller slice of the company. The median change across the 1,005 US stocks Exent tracks was −0.1%.
Stock‑based compensation was $821.9 million in fiscal 2026, 24.5% of revenue. ZS did not buy back shares in fiscal 2026.
+3.8%share count, 1 year
+18.1%share count, 5 years
24.5%stock pay as % of revenue
0.00%buyback yield
Weighted‑average diluted shares from ZS’s annual income statements; stock‑based compensation and buybacks from its cash‑flow statement. Stock dilution and stock‑based compensation, explained
ZS financial health scores
In Exent’s Oct 20, 2026 snapshot, ZS’s Altman Z‑score was 4.46, in the safe zone (where 465 of the 794 non‑financial US stocks Exent tracks sit). Its Piotroski F‑score was 4 out of 9; 88% of scored stocks reach 4 or more.
4.46Altman Z‑score: safe zone
4/9Piotroski F‑score
The Altman Z‑score combines five balance‑sheet and earnings ratios into one bankruptcy‑risk score: below 1.81 is the distress zone, 1.81–2.99 grey, above 2.99 safe. It is not meaningful for banks, insurers and REITs. The Piotroski F‑score counts nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency; 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak. Both come from the latest annual statements. Which stocks have the highest bankruptcy risk?
Which ETFs hold ZS?
As of Oct 20, 2026, 33 of the 304 ETFs Exent tracks held ZS. Its largest weight is in BUG (Global X Cybersecurity ETF), at 5.75% of the fund.
| ETF | Fund | Weight of ZS |
|---|---|---|
| BUG | Global X Cybersecurity ETF | 5.75% |
| IGV | iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF | 0.78% |
| IWP | iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF | 0.66% |
| VOT | Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund | 0.50% |
| VXF | Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.25% |
| JQUA | JPMorgan U.S. Quality Factor ETF | 0.21% |
| VO | Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.21% |
| IWR | iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF | 0.17% |
Owning several of these funds stacks the same position. How much do VOO, QQQ and VTI overlap?
The right benchmark for ZS
Exent matches every holding to the index with the most similar risk. For ZS that is QQQ (the Nasdaq‑100). Comparing a holding with an index that carries very different risk makes good results look bad and risky ones look clever. Read why the S&P 500 is the wrong benchmark for most portfolios.
Other technology stocks
| Ticker | Name | 5‑year return | Volatility (5y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | Apple Inc. | +135.9% | 28.0% |
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corporation | +704.3% | 51.1% |
| MSFT | Microsoft Corporation | +64.0% | 26.5% |
| AVGO | Broadcom Inc. | +570.0% | 44.7% |
| MU | Micron Technology, Inc. | +1,211% | 51.9% |
| AMD | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | +319.9% | 58.3% |
| PLTR | Palantir Technologies Inc. | +611.4% | 64.4% |
| ORCL | Oracle Corporation | +45.7% | 40.4% |
Data and methodology
Returns are total returns from month‑end adjusted closing prices (dividends reinvested) through Oct 30, 2026. Crisis drawdowns and trailing maximum drawdowns use daily prices. Analyst coverage counts ratings published in the last 12 months, shown with a 30‑day delay. Full method: Exent methodology.
Company data as of Oct 20, 2026. The move around an earnings report runs from the close before it to the close after it; a price target counts as hit when the stock closed at or beyond it within 12 months (Exent analyst data). Revenue by region and segment, share counts and executive pay come from company filings; insider trades from SEC Form 4, short interest from FINRA, institutional ownership from 13F filings, Congress trades from STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate, federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Filings from the last 30 days are shown as counts only.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Check ZS with Exent Gems
Wall Street’s average ZS price target is 14.2% above the latest share price. See what the best‑ranked analysts on ZS say now in Exent Gems.
- Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their past price‑target hit rate and returns, and keeps the best‑ranked few.
- Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts covering ZS are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts.
- Gems flags the stocks where several top‑ranked analysts agree: a starting point for your own research, not a promise.
Frequently asked questions
No. ZS returned −25.4% (−5.7% a year) over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, versus +75.9% (+12.0% a year) for the S&P 500, including dividends.
No. As of Oct 20, 2026, ZS (Zscaler, Inc.) is not one of the 503 stocks in the S&P 500.
No. As of Oct 20, 2026, ZS (Zscaler, Inc.) is not one of the 101 stocks in the Nasdaq-100.
ZS fell −39.4% from peak to trough during the covid crash (feb–mar 2020), versus −34.1% for the S&P 500.
ZS fell −57.6% from peak to trough during the 2022 inflation bear market, versus −25.4% for the S&P 500.
Over the 5 years to Oct 30, 2026, ZS’s Sharpe ratio was 0.04 and its Sortino ratio 0.06, versus 0.58 and 0.91 for the S&P 500.
ZS’s 5‑year annualized volatility was 56.7%, higher than the S&P 500’s 17.0%, with a beta of 0.82.
Among large US stocks, the lowest correlations with ZS over the last 60 months were XOM (−0.36), MRK (−0.29), PEP (−0.27). Its correlation with long Treasuries (TLT) was 0.16 and with gold (GLD) −0.14.
ZS beat the consensus earnings-per-share estimate in 12 of its last 12 quarterly reports through Sep 3, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 11 of 12. The stock moved 8.3% on average, up or down, from the close before each report to the close after it.
Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, 4 members of Congress had disclosed 11 trades in ZS (5 buys and 6 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate.
As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 5.46% of ZS’s float was sold short (5.8 million shares, 1.8 days to cover), according to FINRA short-interest reports. A year earlier it was 5.05%.
Yes. ZS’s diluted share count rose 18.1% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2026 and rose 3.8% in the latest year. Stock-based compensation was 24.5% of revenue.
What do the best‑ranked analysts say on ZS now?
Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their track record. Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts on ZS are, their latest calls and the stocks where several of them agree.
See this week’s GemsLimited offer$1.95 for full access· full access
Educational content, not investment advice. Examples are illustrative; past performance does not guarantee future results.