AGM vs NLY

For growth investors, Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the stronger pick with 5. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 9% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM). Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) offers the better valuation at 7. 7x trailing P/E (7. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) a "Buy" — based on 5 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the cheapest at 7. 7x versus Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation at 10. 8x. On forward P/E, Annaly Capital Management, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) delivered a total return of +81.

7%, compared to +2. 2% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGM returned +409. 4% versus NLY's +36. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 64β versus Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's 0. 76β — meaning AGM is approximately 19% more volatile than NLY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 18% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is pulling ahead at 5. 4% versus -18. 9% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Annaly Capital Management, Inc. grew EPS 80. 2% year-over-year, compared to 1. 1% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the more profitable company, earning 30. 3% net margin versus 15. 7% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation — meaning it keeps 30. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NLY leads at 102. 6% versus 19. 4% for AGM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NLY leads at 99. 9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) trades at 7. 5x forward P/E versus 9. 5x for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation — 2. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGM: 30. 2% to $233. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) offers the highest yield at 13. 0%, versus 4. 5% for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

76), 4. 5% yield, +409. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGM: +409. 4%, NLY: +36. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (AGM (Financial Services) and NLY (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.