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Performance

Alpha

Return earned in excess of a benchmark, after adjusting for risk.

In depth

Positive alpha means a manager or strategy outperformed expectations given its risk profile. Most active managers fail to deliver positive alpha after fees over long periods, which has driven the rise of low-cost index investing.

Frequently asked about Alpha

What is Alpha?

Return earned in excess of a benchmark, after adjusting for risk. Positive alpha means a manager or strategy outperformed expectations given its risk profile. Most active managers fail to deliver positive alpha after fees over long periods, which has driven the rise of low-cost index investing.

Why does Alpha matter for investors?

In performance, Alpha is one of the building blocks investors use to compare opportunities and assess risk. Understanding it helps you read research notes, earnings reports, and market commentary without getting lost in jargon.

How is Alpha used in practice?

Positive alpha means a manager or strategy outperformed expectations given its risk profile. Most active managers fail to deliver positive alpha after fees over long periods, which has driven the rise of low-cost index investing..

Recent news mentioning Alpha

Alpha Modus & SurgePays Sign 25,000-Activation Pilot for Alpha Cash Network

The Quick Take * Alpha Modus and SurgePays signed a 25,000-activation pilot to deploy Alpha Cash across prepaid wireless and convenience-store networks * No immediate stock price movement data reported; deal announced via press release on May 7, 2026 * No analyst or institutional response cited in available coverage; story covered by a single Tier 2 source * Pilot success could pave way for broader rollout across SurgePays' underserved/unbanked consumer distribution network * Fintech acces

May 11, 2026

Cramer: AI Spending Not a Bubble; Alphabet, Amazon, Apple Surge

The Quick Take * Jim Cramer argues AI capital expenditure is fundamentally justified, pushing back on bubble narratives * Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple shares reportedly surged amid positive AI spending sentiment * Microsoft and Meta face investor pressure despite broader tech rally in AI names * Divergence within Big Tech suggests market is becoming more selective on AI ROI stories * Asia-listed AI supply-chain stocks — semiconductors, servers, cooling — may track US tech divergence Synthe

May 8, 2026

Seeking Alpha rates Merck 'Strong Buy' on Terns deal and Keytruda patent hedge

The Quick Take * Seeking Alpha assigns Merck a 'Strong Buy' rating citing Terns Pharmaceuticals acquisition as a key catalyst * Keytruda patent loss is flagged as a major risk; oncology portfolio expansion seen as the primary counter-strategy * Analyst view: Merck's long-term revenue growth hinges on pipeline diversification beyond Keytruda's ~$25B annual revenue * Next watch: Integration of Terns assets and pipeline readouts will be critical to validating the bull thesis * Asia angle: Key

May 5, 2026

Alphabet & Amazon Beat Cloud Estimates on Surging AI Demand in Q1 2026

The Quick Take * Alphabet Q1 total revenue rose 22% YoY to US$109.9B, beating LSEG estimate of US$107.2B * Amazon AWS revenue surged 28% YoY to US$37.6B in Q1, surpassing consensus cloud growth estimates * Both Alphabet and Amazon stocks rose following the earnings beats, reflecting investor confidence * AI-driven cloud demand is accelerating, suggesting sustained capex and infrastructure investment ahead * Strong US hyperscaler results signal robust global AI adoption, boosting sentiment

May 1, 2026

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