2026 Stout ESOP Index Reports 18.1% One Year Return as ESOP Companies Outpace the S&P 500

Stout released its 2026 Stout ESOP Index, its second annual analysis of investment returns among privately held companies with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The Index reported an 18. 1% return in 2025 and an 18. 0% annualized return over the five-year measurement period.