In my opinion I think in a general sense it is better to have negative SV paired with a positive CV. My reasoning goes like this, if you are on a project that is behind schedule with a negative SV but for the work you’ve completed your CV is positive I think you are in a more favorable position. You can work harder to correct your scheduling issues and catch up while possibly holding on to your positive CV. It is much harder to “unspend” money than it is to plan and negotiate a better scheduling situation. In another case you can just spend more money trying to catch up, neutralizing your SV and CV at the same time. I do agree with the above statements about Risk vs. Reward and changing your focus based on your company’s goals.