Insights

Equity Income

Why Quality Matters

While 'quality' is one of the most widely used terms in equity investing, there is no universally accepted definition, even among index providers. At Guinness Global Investors, we define quality as a company’s ability to allocate capital effectively, which we identify through high return on capital and low leverage. In this insight, we use our PROVEN framework to explain why quality is more than a defensive play, but a durable source of long-term equity outperformance. The full report, including a quality universe breakdown and additional drawdown analysis, is available at the end of this article.

By Joseph Stephens and Laura Neill

15 Oct 2026 | 10 min