MSCI: Flight to Quality - Understanding Factor Investing

The quality factor has demonstrated long-term outperformance against the market, but has not received the same attention as the value, size or momentum factors. This neglect comes despite quality’s pedigree: Benjamin Graham asserted that careful analysis of company fundamentals such as profitability track record, earnings stability and balance sheet strength is important in determining an investment’s “margin of safety” — that is, ensuring that one buys a stock at an adequate discount to its