Analyze the data in question. If a particular asset carries a beta coefficient of 1, it has about the same volatility as the relevant market benchmark, meaning the security shifts less than the overall market index.
Look at beta coefficients above 1. Betas above 1 indicate the asset is more volatile and pose a higher risk. They are shifting more than the market as a whole.
Understand to what the beta coefficient is compared. For all U.S. assets, a specific stock's beta coefficient generally measures its volatility against the S&P 500 index. For example if a stock generally moves five percent for every one percent change in the S&P 500, it has a beta coefficient of 5. This is a higher risk and shifts more than the market as a whole. This particular stock might offer a greater return than those with lower betas, but it poses a much higher risk.