Stout is proud to introduce the first annual publication of the Stout ESOP Index, which offers insight into equity returns from Stout's valuation portfolio of 350+ ESOP companies relative to publicly traded benchmarks.

Leveraging our extensive experience working with ESOPs across a broad range of industries, this report distills some of the most important insights from our data. The Stout ESOP Index tracked the performance of our ESOP-owned clients relative to public benchmarks of S&P 500 and Russell 2000 index average annual returns, which measured 11.9% and 3.1%, respectively, since December 31, 2020. The Stout ESOP Index revealed that this broad group of ESOP companies delivered 17.3% average annual returns over this time frame, outperforming the broader public markets. The full article presents key findings from the data analytics presented in the Stout ESOP Index, along with an in-depth examination of differences in performance by company size, select industries, and ESOP maturity.

“By publishing the Stout ESOP Index, we aim to elevate the conversation on employee ownership,” said Aziz El-Tahch, President of Stout’s ESOP Advisory practice. “The Stout ESOP Index provides a recurring, data-driven view into the performance of ESOP-owned companies over time, with the goal of highlighting the benefits of broad-based employee ownership for business owners, policymakers, and the general public.”

For more information, view the Stout ESOP Index.