Overweight Stock

What is an Overweight Stock?

An overweight stock is a stock that financial analysts believe will outperform a benchmark stock, security, or index. The overweight recommendation signals to investors to devote a larger percentage of their portfolio to the stock. Hence the term “overweight”.

Different institutions use different terms for their stock recommendations. “Buy” and “outperform” are other terms that analysts use to signal the same sentiment as “overweight”. It is important to keep in mind that these ratings are subjective. An overweight stock to one analyst could be labeled as an equal weight stock by another analyst.

Alternative Definition

The term “overweight” can also have another definition where a portfolio holds more of a stock relative to its benchmark portfolio or index. For example, if an investor’s portfolio consists of 20% of stock A while the benchmark portfolio only consists of 10% of stock A, the investor’s portfolio is overweight on stock A.

Benchmark Differences

To better understand this terminology, we need to first look at how weighting works with market indices. Market indices such as the Standards & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) assign weights to the stocks they track in order to construct an index that properly reflects the performance of the overall stock market. It is important to note that different indices do not always use the same weighting systems. When an analyst rates a stock as an overweight stock, they are implying that the stock deserves a higher weight in its index.

We can use these two indices as an example. The S&P 500 index tracks 500 stocks and weighs them by market capitalization. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average only tracks 30 stocks which are weighted by stock price. This difference means that an overweight stock can be considered equal weight or underweight if compared to a different benchmark, since one index sets weights based on market capitalization rather than on stock price.

Overweight Stocks and Investing

The issue with these recommendations is that most institutions do not disclose the extent to which a stock is overweight. This can cause problems for investors. For example, if an investor only uses these recommendations to make their decisions, they will have issues deciding how to invest between two overweight stocks.

It is important to remember that these stock ratings are subjective. In general, an overweight stock recommendation is just an analyst’s way of indicating their positive outlook for the stock. An investor should always try to consider more factors than just this rating. Additionally, if an investor is considering investing in a stock based on these recommendations, they should consider the following factors:

1. If the analyst classifying the stock is analyzing based on the same investment horizon
2. Whether the analyst has the same investment goals and ideologies as the investor
3. If the analysis makes sense and how it lines up with the investor’s own analysis and opinion

Stock valuation is as much of an art as it is a science. Different analysts have different methods and assumptions and these can widely affect their recommendations. It is always important to look beyond the classification of overweight stock and conduct more research before making an investment decision.

CFI’s Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® certification program can teach you the skills you need to make proper investment decisions!

Additional Resources

Learn more about how financial analysts rate stocks. Corporate Finance Institute offers a range of courses and resources that can help you expand your knowledge and further your career! Check them out below:

• Business Valuation Modeling
• Building a Financial Model in Excel
• Investing: A Beginner’s Guide
• Stock Investment Strategies
• See all capital markets resources
• See all wealth management resources