SPGI vs STEP Stock Comparison
SPGI currently leads STEP in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 60 vs 57. The clearest difference is momentum, while STEP has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between SPGI and STEP?
SPGI leads the current stock comparison as S&P Global 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.
SPGI leads
SPGI leads by 3 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, having only recently taken the lead back from STEP. Wall Street currently favors STEP on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support SPGI, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
S&P Global Inc.
StepStone Group Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SPGI over STEP, 60 versus 57 as of Oct 31, 2026. SPGI's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while STEP holds the stronger quality profile. SPGI also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors STEP. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SPGI today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. SPGI lead: Reversed — STEP led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SPGI now leads by 3.
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
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
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.
- Momentum91 vs 39SPGI +52
- Quality68 vs 97STEP +29
- Value26 vs 30STEP +4
- Risk Resilience63 vs 59SPGI +4
3 of 6 evidence groups favor SPGI. SPGI’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; STEP keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-30, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-29.
No factor moved materially.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
No factor moved materially.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
SPGI's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
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
SPGI (S&P Global Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
STEP (StepStone Group Inc.): the counter-case, on quality, value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 34.3% against 21.3%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
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
SPGISPGI 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
SPGISPGI on the Momentum factor, by 52 points.
Lower downside
SPGISPGI on Risk Resilience, by 4 points.
Analyst upside
STEPSTEP on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors SPGI, analyst targets favor STEP. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | SPGI | STEP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +8.6% | +43.5% | STEP has more room |
| Target dispersion | +10.7% | +56.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 7 | 8 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor SPGI. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 60 vs 57 |
| 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 | SPGI | Price vs 50-day 11% vs -6.7%; vs 200-day 4.2% vs -13.6% |
| Risk Resilience | SPGI | Risk Resilience 63 vs 59 |
| Analyst expectations | STEP | Target upside 8.6% vs 43.5% |
✓ 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 is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
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 SPGI.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jul 1 – Oct 30SPGI lead: Reversed — STEP led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SPGI now leads by 3.
- Today
- SPGI +3
- 60 vs 57
- 7 sessions ago
- SPGI +7
- 61 vs 54
- 30 sessions ago
- STEP +4
- 50 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- STEP +2
- 59 vs 61
The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Oct 15 when SPGI moved ahead of STEP.
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.
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only SPGI
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
1 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only STEP
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.58%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: Death Cross Active, MACD Bullish Crossover.
SPGI leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
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 +1.28%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -2.81%, 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.
- 1STEP closes the Momentum gap — currently 52 points behind, the largest single contributor to SPGI's edge.
- 2STEP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3SPGI's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 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
SPGI leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 12.5% | -1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 8.3% | -1.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 3.7% | -15.9% |
| Year to date | -14% | -33% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -8.2% | -32.1% |
Technicals
SPGI has the stronger structure| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 85 | 45.8 |
| ADX (14) | 32.1 | 18.9 |
| Price vs 50-day | 11% | -6.7% |
| Price vs 200-day | 4.2% | -13.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 21.3% | 34.3% |
Risk
SPGI is the more resilient| Metric | SPGI | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.32 | 1.66 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.29 | -0.7 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.35 | -1.03 |
| Max drawdown | -29.3% | -48.2% |
| Current drawdown | -17.8% | -43.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 30.2% | 47.7% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.9% | -4.7% |
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, SPGI is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 60 against STEP's 57. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. STEP is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. 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?
SPGI carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SPGI over STEP?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. SPGI leads Momentum by 52 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 +8.6% upside for SPGI and +43.5% for STEP, so the Street currently favors STEP. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors SPGI. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. 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?
SPGI on the Momentum factor, by 52 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 on Risk Resilience, by 4 points. 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 SPGI's lead over STEP getting stronger or weaker?
SPGI lead: Reversed — STEP led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; SPGI now leads by 3. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-07-01 and 2026-10-30. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-15, when SPGI moved ahead of STEP.
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: STEP closes the Momentum gap — currently 52 points behind, the largest single contributor to SPGI's edge; STEP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; SPGI's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; 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: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. STEP: 1 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. 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.