Year-Over-Year Comparison: Spotting Pattern Changes

Year-Over-Year Comparison: Spotting Pattern Changes

Compare how a symbol performed in different years to validate seasonal patterns.

What YoY Comparison Shows

  • Whether a pattern is consistent or driven by outliers
  • How recent years compare to historical averages
  • If the pattern is strengthening or weakening

How to Use on SeasOptima

  1. Go to any symbol page
  2. Scroll to Year-over-Year Comparison
  3. Select years to compare (e.g., last 5 vs last 15)
  4. Look for convergence or divergence

Reading the Chart

Pattern What It Means
Lines cluster together Consistent pattern - reliable
Lines spread apart Inconsistent - use caution
Recent years differ from old Pattern may be changing
All years follow same shape Strong seasonal tendency

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Practical Example

S&P 500 in Q4:

  • Most years show October dip, November rally
  • Years that diverge: 2008, 2018 (bear markets)
  • Observation: Q4 strength has historically required bull market context

Red Flags

  • Only 1-2 years driving the average
  • Recent years consistently different from long-term
  • High standard deviation between years
  • Fundamentals have changed (e.g., company pivot)

Analytical Tip

Combine YoY with Market Regime filter. If 80% of bull market years align but bear market years diverge - the pattern has historically only worked in bull markets.

This is statistical analysis of historical data, not investment advice. Always do your own research.

Compare Years →


Generated with SeasOptima.

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