Virtu Financial or S&P Global: Which Stock Has More Upside?
S&P Global fell -22% during the past month. You may be tempted to buy more or may want to reduce your exposure. But there is an entirely different perspective you might be missing. Is there a better alternative? Turns out, its peer Virtu Financial gives you more. Virtu Financial (VIRT) stock offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs S&P Global (SPGI) stock, suggesting you may be better off investing in VIRT
- VIRT’s quarterly revenue growth was 16.7%, vs. SPGI’s 9.0%.
- In addition, its Last 12 Months revenue growth came in at 35.6%, ahead of SPGI’s 7.9%.
- VIRT leads on profitability over both periods – LTM margin of 48.6% and 3-year average of 43.8%.
These differences become even clearer when you look at the financials side by side. The table highlights how SPGI’s fundamentals stack up against those of VIRT on growth, margins, momentum, and valuation multiples.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| SPGI | VIRT | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 20.4 | 2.0 | VIRT |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 9.0% | 16.7% | VIRT |
| Last 12 Months | 7.9% | 35.6% | VIRT |
| Last 3 Year Average | 11.1% | 12.5% | VIRT |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 40.3% | 48.6% | VIRT |
| Last 3 Year Average | 37.1% | 43.8% | VIRT |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | 24.2% | 139.8% | VIRT |
Note: For “Last 3 Year Return” metric, preferred stock is one with higher returns unless the returns are too high (>300%) which creates risk of sell off.
See more revenue details: SPGI Revenue Comparison | VIRT Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: SPGI Operating Income Comparison | VIRT Operating Income Comparison
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See detailed fundamentals on Buy or Sell VIRT Stock and Buy or Sell SPGI Stock. Below we compare market return and related metrics across years.
Historical Market Performance
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| SPGI Return | 45% | -28% | 33% | 14% | 6% | -23% | 28% | ||
| VIRT Return | 19% | -27% | 5% | 83% | -4% | 20% | 92% | <=== | |
| S&P 500 Return | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | -0% | 82% | ||
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| SPGI Win Rate | 67% | 33% | 58% | 58% | 67% | 50% | 56% | ||
| VIRT Win Rate | 50% | 42% | 50% | 75% | 50% | 50% | 53% | ||
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 67% | 50% | 62% | <=== | |
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| SPGI Max Drawdown | -7% | -39% | -3% | -7% | -12% | -25% | -15% | ||
| VIRT Max Drawdown | -4% | -28% | -18% | -20% | -8% | -2% | -13% | ||
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | -1% | -7% | <=== | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] 2026 data is for the year up to 2/24/2026 (YTD)
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
No matter how good the numbers, stock investment is never a smooth ride. There is a risk you must factor in. Read VIRT Dip Buyer Analyses and SPGI Dip Buyer Analyses to see how these stocks have fallen and recovered in the past.
Still not sure about SPGI or VIRT? Consider a portfolio approach.
Portfolios Beat Stock Picking
Single stocks swing wildly, but staying invested matters. A well-built portfolio helps you stay invested, captures upside, and softens the blows from individual stocks.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? HQ Portfolio has posted more than 105% in cumulative return since inception, with less risk versus the benchmark index, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.