HASI vs CSWC

For growth investors, Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) is the stronger pick with 7.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -36. 6% for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (HASI). Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) offers the better valuation at 16. 5x trailing P/E (10. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (HASI) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) is the cheapest at 16.

5x versus HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. at 30. 7x. On forward P/E, Capital Southwest Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) delivered a total return of +52.

1%, compared to +8. 2% for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (HASI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CSWC returned +231. 6% versus HASI's +189. 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), Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

84β versus HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. 's 1. 05β — meaning HASI is approximately 25% more volatile than CSWC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 108% versus 191% for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) is pulling ahead at 7.

7% versus -36. 6% for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (HASI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. grew EPS -13. 0% year-over-year, compared to -28. 3% for Capital Southwest 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.

HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc.

(HASI) is the more profitable company, earning 46. 1% net margin versus 43. 1% for Capital Southwest Corporation — meaning it keeps 46. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HASI leads at 66. 2% versus 48. 5% for CSWC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HASI leads at 99. 6%, 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, Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) trades at 10.

1x forward P/E versus 14. 6x for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. — 4. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HASI: 2. 7% to $44. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Capital Southwest Corporation (CSWC) offers the highest yield at 10. 1%, versus 3. 5% for HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (HASI).

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

84), 10. 1% yield, +231. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CSWC: +231. 6%, HASI: +189. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: HASI is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CSWC is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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.