SPGI vs STEP Stock Comparison
Compare SPGI and STEP across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between SPGI and STEP?
STEP leads the current stock comparison as StepStone Group Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
S&P Global Inc. vs StepStone Group Inc.
STEP leads
STEP leads by 17 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, and the lead has widened from 7 points over 30 sessions.
Stable: 4 of 6 evidence groups support STEP, and its lead is widening.
S&P Global Inc.
StepStone Group Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors STEP over SPGI, 60 versus 43 as of Sep 11, 2026. STEP's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality. STEP also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor STEP today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability. STEP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 17 points over 30 sessions.
Compare S&P Global Inc. and StepStone Group Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare SPGI and STEP against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum25 vs 56STEP +31
- Quality68 vs 97STEP +29
- Value26 vs 30STEP +4
- Risk Resilience57 vs 55Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor STEP. STEP’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -10
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
No new signals fired.
STEP's lead widened by 3 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — SPGI and STEP both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
STEP (StepStone Group Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
SPGI (S&P Global Inc.): the counter-case, on fundamentals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
STEPSTEP on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
SPGISPGI on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
STEPSTEP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points.
Momentum
STEPSTEP on the Momentum factor, by 31 points.
Lower downside
SPGISPGI carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
STEPSTEP on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | SPGI | STEP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +24.7% | +27.1% | STEP has more room |
| Target dispersion | +3.1% | +56.3% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 6 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor STEP. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | STEP | 43 vs 60 |
| Fundamentals | SPGIon balance | EPS growth -12.2% vs -13.5%; TTM ROE 15.5% vs 156.7%; gross margin 70.9% vs 60.9%; operating margin 46.3% vs -58.2% — SPGI takes 3 of 4 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | STEP | Value 26 vs 30 |
| Technicals | STEP | Price vs 50-day -4.1% vs 4.9%; vs 200-day -8.3% vs -7.3% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 57 vs 55 |
| Analyst expectations | STEP | Target upside 24.7% vs 27.1% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of SPGI and STEP and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 17 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on STEP.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10STEP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 17 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- STEP +17
- 43 vs 60
- 7 sessions ago
- STEP +6
- 56 vs 62
- 30 sessions ago
- STEP +7
- 54 vs 61
- 90 sessions ago
- SPGI +3
- 56 vs 53
The lead changed hands 12 times in this window, most recently on Jul 17 when STEP moved ahead of SPGI.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
0 bullish / 3 bearish
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (4.53%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
0 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (14.11%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.22%)
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.07%, AIQ -3 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.85%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1SPGI closes the Momentum gap — currently 31 points behind, the largest single contributor to STEP's edge.
- 2SPGI's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3STEP starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
SPGI leads on balance| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -0.6% | -35.6% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -12.2% | -13.5% |
| Gross margin | 70.9% | 60.9% |
| Operating margin | 46.3% | -58.2% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 15.5% | 156.7% |
| Debt to equity | 0.5 | -2.91 |
Performance
STEP leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -4.9% | -2.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.1% | 2.6% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -3.7% | 16.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -4.3% | 8.5% |
| Year to date | -21.5% | -23.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -24.8% | -20.2% |
Technicals
STEP has the stronger structure| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 39 | 52.4 |
| ADX (14) | 18.1 | 24.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | -4.1% | 4.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | -8.3% | -7.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 32.1% | 46.1% |
Risk
Split| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.34 | 1.67 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.92 | -0.27 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.08 | -0.4 |
| Max drawdown | -29.1% | -48.2% |
| Current drawdown | -25.5% | -35.3% |
| Annualized volatility | 30.5% | 48.6% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3% | -4.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, SPGI or STEP?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, STEP is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 60 against SPGI's 43. The edge comes from momentum and quality. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is SPGI or STEP the better buy right now?
STEP carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.
Why does the AIQ Score favor STEP over SPGI?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. STEP leads Momentum by 31 points; STEP leads Quality by 29 points; STEP leads Value by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, SPGI or STEP?
Analyst price targets imply +24.7% upside for SPGI and +27.1% for STEP, so the Street currently favors STEP. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, SPGI or STEP?
STEP is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. STEP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, SPGI or STEP?
SPGI on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, SPGI or STEP?
STEP on the Momentum factor, by 31 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, SPGI or STEP?
SPGI is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. SPGI carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is SPGI more profitable than STEP?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 70.9% vs 60.9%; operating margin 46.3% vs -58.2%; ttm roe 15.5% vs 156.7%. SPGI leads on two measures and STEP on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is STEP's lead over SPGI getting stronger or weaker?
STEP lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 17 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 12 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-17, when STEP moved ahead of SPGI.
What would change the SPGI vs STEP verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: SPGI closes the Momentum gap — currently 31 points behind, the largest single contributor to STEP's edge; SPGI's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; STEP starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about SPGI and STEP?
SPGI: 0 bullish / 3 bearish. STEP: 0 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral. The most decision-relevant rule on SPGI is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On STEP it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare SPGI and STEP with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.