Quant Growth & Income is a rules-based quant model portfolio from Seeking Alpha, built for investors who want strong total returns alongside dependable dividend income.
The portfolio holds no more than 30 dividend-paying stocks at any time, including U.S. stocks, ADRs, REITs, and small-caps, and aims to outperform the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) in total return while keeping its yield within a close range of VYM.
Seeking Alpha Quant Growth and Income Discount | 10% off
🟢 Claim 10% off the Seeking Alpha Quant Growth and Income
Quant Growth & Income Features
Built for Total Return, Not Just Yield
The strategy is designed to outperform the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) in total return while maintaining a competitive dividend yield.
Dividend Safety and Growth Screening
The portfolio targets reduced exposure to dividend cuts through Seeking Alpha’s Dividend Safety Grades, applying specific dividend safety grades, dividend growth grades, and minimum dividend yield thresholds.
Systematic, Rules-Based Selection
Clear buy and sell alerts, based on Quant Ratings and Dividend Grades, help maintain discipline and consistency.
Diversified 30-Stock Portfolio
Holdings include U.S. companies, ADRs, and REITs, selected from liquid companies with sufficient market capitalization, capped at 30 stocks at any time.
Independent Performance Calculation
Returns are calculated by S&P Global, an independent third party, using time-weighted returns consistent with GIPS.
What You Get With QG&I
Model Portfolio: A diversified list of up to 30 dividend-paying stocks.
Trading Frequency: Trades every two weeks on Wednesdays.
Stock Alerts: Notifications when positions are added to or removed from the model portfolio.
Turnover: Averages two stocks every two weeks.
Data-Driven Strategy: A transparent methodology combining Quant signals with dividend metrics.
Quant Growth & Income Performance
Since inception on June 3, 2026, Quant Growth & Income has returned +11.44%, compared with +1.13% for the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index over the same period.
The strategy was also backtested using the Quant system before launch. Applied from January 2015 to December 2025, a $10,000 investment would have grown to $60,191, against $30,000 for the same amount in Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF. In cumulative terms, that is 502% versus 203%, or roughly 2.47 times the benchmark.
Across shorter horizons, the backtest showed:
- Ten years: 418% versus 189%
- Five years: 107% versus 85%
- Three years: 81% versus 45%
- One year: 24% versus 15%
Returns are calculated by S&P Global, an independent third party.
How Performance Is Calculated
QG&I portfolio performance is calculated from June 3, 2026, based on notionally buying every stock on the pick date at the opening price. Sold picks are shown on the Closed tab and use the closing price on the sell date, and dividends are reinvested.
Performance uses time-weighted returns, consistent with Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), which remove the effects of cash flows and are considered the industry standard.
How the Portfolio Works
QG&I follows a fixed set of buy and sell rules rather than discretionary calls.
A stock is added to the portfolio when it meets all of the following:
- It pays a dividend.
- It holds a Quant rating of Strong Buy or Buy for a set number of consecutive trading days.
- It meets the required grades for Dividend Safety, Dividend Growth, and Dividend Yield.
- It has averaged at least $400 million in market capitalization over the past month.
A stock is removed when any of the following occur:
- Its Quant rating falls to Sell or worse.
- It holds a Hold rating for a prolonged number of days.
- Its Dividend Safety grade drops to D or lower.
- It cuts or suspends its dividend.
- It is involved in M&A activity.
- It has a delayed financial filing.
The Dividend Grades Explained
QG&I relies on Seeking Alpha’s dividend grades, which score each stock against its sector across four measures:
Dividend Safety: The company’s ability to keep paying its current dividend.
Dividend Growth: How attractive the dividend growth rate is compared with peers.
Dividend Yield: How attractive the yield is compared with peers.
Dividend Consistency: The company’s track record of paying consistent dividends.
Dividend Yield
QG&I aims to keep its yield within a close range of VYM, which yields around 2.2%.
In practice, the stocks and REITs it holds typically yield between 1% and 6%. The strategy deliberately avoids chasing the highest yields, which tend to carry the weakest dividend safety.
Portfolio Weighting and Trade Alerts
- Trade alerts are published every second Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. ET, and note any stock added to or removed from the portfolio.
- Each new pick targets a 3.33% weight, with any remaining cash spread across existing holdings. Position weights and confirmed prices are shown the following day.
- Dividends are reinvested into the stock that paid them, or spread evenly across the portfolio if that stock has since been sold.
- Turnover averages around two stocks every two weeks, but this varies. Some periods see no changes at all, while others have seen as many as ten or eleven.
Risk Controls
The portfolio limits how much can sit in a single sector, drawing a line at around 35%. If a sector moves beyond that, exposure is trimmed and reallocated to the next sector.
A sold stock is also subject to a waiting period before it can re-enter the portfolio.
Quant Growth & Income Discount
Seeking Alpha is currently offering $50 off the first year of Quant Growth & Income. New subscribers pay $449 for the first year, rather than the standard $499 annual list price.
How QG&I Fits With Other Quant Strategies
Seeking Alpha offers several quant-driven strategies designed for different investing goals.
Alpha Picks: Targets long-term capital appreciation through an expanding list of ideas, with no dividend requirement.
PRO Quant Portfolio: Targets long-term total return using around 30 equal-weighted stocks rebalanced weekly, with no dividend requirement.
Quant Growth & Income: Targets capital appreciation plus income through up to 30 stocks, with a dividend required for each holding.
QG&I is designed to work alongside these rather than replace them. Pairing an income-focused portfolio with a growth-focused one, an approach Seeking Alpha calls the barbell, can help soften the impact of volatile markets.
Overlap is limited. On average, QG&I shares around 2.6 stocks with Alpha Picks and about 3 with the PRO Quant Portfolio.
The Quant Growth & Income Team
QG&I is run by Seeking Alpha’s quant team.
Steven Cress is Head of Quantitative Strategy, with more than 35 years in finance, including running a quantitative proprietary trading desk at Morgan Stanley. He built the Quant system and the dividend grades behind the portfolio.
Kevin Sanford is a quant strategist focused on macro and income-oriented strategies, providing guidance through volatile and inflationary periods.
Who Is Quant Growth & Income For?
Income-Focused Investors
QG&I suits investors who want reliable dividend income but do not want to sacrifice long-term returns for a higher yield.
Buy-and-Hold Subscribers
It is a fit for those looking for a systematic, data-driven way to build dividend income alongside capital appreciation.
How to Claim the Discount
- Visit the Quant Growth & Income Discount page.
- Choose the annual subscription with the $50 first-year discount applied.
- Create a Seeking Alpha account or sign in to an existing one.
- Complete checkout for $449 for your first year.
- Access the model portfolio, trade alerts, and analysis.
