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Anyone researching Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:GSBC) might want to consider the historical volatility of the share price. Modern finance theory considers volatility to be a measure of risk, and there are two main types of price volatility. The first category is company specific volatility. This can be dealt with by limiting your exposure to any particular stock. The second sort is caused by the natural volatility of markets, overall. For example, certain macroeconomic events will impact (virtually) all stocks on the market.
Some stocks see their prices move in concert with the market. Others tend towards stronger, gentler or unrelated price movements. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk' in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. Any stock with a beta of greater than one is considered more volatile than the market, while those with a beta below one are either less volatile or poorly correlated with the market.
Check out our latest analysis for Great Southern Bancorp
What does GSBC's beta value mean to investors?
Using history as a guide, we might surmise that the share price is likely to be influenced by market volatility going forward but it probably won't be particularly sensitive to it. Beta is worth considering, but it's also important to consider whether Great Southern Bancorp is growing earnings and revenue. You can take a look for yourself, below.
Could GSBC's size cause it to be more volatile?
With a market capitalisation of US$894m, Great Southern Bancorp is a small cap stock. However, it is big enough to catch the attention of professional investors.
What this means for you:
It is probable that there is a link between the share price of Great Southern Bancorp and the broader market, since it has a beta value quite close to one. However, long term investors are generally well served by looking past market volatility and focussing on the underlying development of the business. If that's your game, metrics such as revenue, earnings and cash flow will be more useful. In order to fully understand whether GSBC is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as Great Southern Bancorp’s financial health and performance track record. I highly recommend you dive deeper by considering the following: