Downside

We remain cyclically bullish on equities, but nonetheless like to engage in occasional downside “target practice” to shape our expectations for the next bear market.

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Thanks to reasonable valuations outside the United States, our work finds global equities only moderately above their long-term valuation norms. 

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The S&P 500 gained 1.9% in January. Based on the 1957-to-date valuation metrics presented, the potential downside compared to its historical average remained the same as last month’s reading (-21%).

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When we complain about the stock market’s inflated valuation levels, we’re unintentionally giving short shrift to the 50% of the global-market capitalization that resides outside the U.S. We’d be hard-pressed to describe the valuation of Developed foreign markets as any higher than neutral.

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To revisit the all-time valuation peak of March 2000, the S&P 500 would have to reach 3455 (not a forecast!). A reversion to 1957-to-date median valuations implies an S&P 500 loss of 22%. That’s a serious loss, but hardly on the order of a “busted bubble.”

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Back to the medians (1957 to date): S&P 500 19% downside.

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While the past several months’ reversion in valuation measures has certainly wrung some of the risk out of the market, if the bear market reasserts itself and drives stocks to valuations seen at average cycle lows, downside risks are still substantial.

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The S&P Industrials’ downside to mean valuation (excludes Utilities and Financials) is 24%, about 3% less than last month’s reading.

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The S&P 500 lost 1.8% (price only) in December. Based on the 1957-to-date valuation metrics presented, downside to its historical average decreased by about 2% from last month’s –19% reading.

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Following August’s market break, we produced a set of potential downside targets derived from a mix of technical retracements, “average” bear market declines, and an assumed reversion-to-the-median in S&P 500 valuations. Little has changed here.

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The S&P 500 lost 3.1% (price only) in January. Based on the 1957-to-date valuation metrics presented below, downside to its historical average decreased by about 1% from last month’s reading of –15%.

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The S&P 500 lost 0.4% (price only) in December. Based on the 1957-to-date valuation metrics presented below, downside to its historical average decreased by about 1% from last month’s reading of –16%.

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The median S&P 500 stock is now expensive enough that we’re able to estimate its potential downside to prior bull market highs! Based on an average of four valuation measures, the median stock needs to drop about –11% to match the typical valuations at the eve of a cyclical bear market.

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The S&P 500 gained 3.0% (price only) in September. Based on the valuation metrics presented in the table below, the S&P 500 has 9% downside to reach its historical average. The S&P Industrials (excludes Utilities and Financials) now has 22% downside to reach mean valuation.

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The S&P 500 lost 3.1% (price only) in August. Based on the valuation metrics presented in the table below, the S&P 500 is 8% above its historical average. The S&P Industrials (excludes Utilities and Financials) now has 20% downside to reach mean valuation.

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The S&P 500 gained 4.9% (price only) in July. Based on the valuation metrics presented in the table below, the S&P 500 is 12% above its historical average. S&P Industrials (excludes Utilities and Financials) now have 21% downside to reach mean valuation.

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Profit margins contracting. Assuming margins fall back to median historical levels, this implies a market decline of about 18%.

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