Low-volatility anomaly

In investing and finance, the low-volatility anomaly is the observation that low-volatility securities have higher returns than high-volatility securities in most markets studied. This is an example of a stock market anomaly since it contradicts the central prediction of many financial theories that higher returns can only be achieved by taking more risk.

The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) predicts a positive and linear relation between the systematic risk exposure of a security (its beta) and its expected future return. However, the low-volatility anomaly falsifies this prediction of the CAPM by showing that higher beta stocks have historically underperformed lower beta stocks. Additionally, stocks with higher idiosyncratic risk often yield lower returns compared to those with lower idiosyncratic risk. The anomaly is also document within corporate bond markets.

The low-volatility anomaly has also been referred to as the low-beta, minimum-variance, minimum volatility anomaly.