Beta: what it is and how to read it

What it is

How much the stock tends to move compared with the market (S&P 500). Beta 1 = like the market; 1.5 = 50% more; 0.7 = 30% less.

How to read it

Beta measures how much a stock has tended to move relative to the market in the past, not whether the company is good. A high beta means bigger ups and downs than the market's.

Educational information; not a recommendation to buy or sell.