OPRT vs RM

For growth investors, Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) is the stronger pick with 19.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 7% for Regional Management Corp. (RM). Regional Management Corp. (RM) offers the better valuation at 7. 9x trailing P/E (6. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) a "Hold" — based on 8 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, Regional Management Corp.

(RM) is the cheapest at 7. 9x versus Oportun Financial Corporation at 11. 0x. On forward P/E, Oportun Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 3. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Regional Management Corp.

(RM) delivered a total return of -3. 9%, compared to -70. 6% for Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RM returned +161. 7% versus OPRT's -64. 1%. 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), Regional Management Corp.

(RM) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 40β versus Oportun Financial Corporation's 2. 07β — meaning OPRT is approximately 48% more volatile than RM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Regional Management Corp. (RM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 7% for Oportun Financial Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) is pulling ahead at 19.

5% versus 9. 7% for Regional Management Corp. (RM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Oportun Financial Corporation grew EPS 127. 2% year-over-year, compared to 7. 5% for Regional Management Corp.. 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.

Regional Management Corp.

(RM) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 9% net margin versus 4. 0% for Oportun Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 6. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RM leads at 12. 4% versus 6. 9% for OPRT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OPRT leads at 63. 7%, 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, Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) trades at 3.

8x forward P/E versus 6. 3x for Regional Management Corp. — 2. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

In this comparison, RM (3.

3% yield) pays a dividend. OPRT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Regional Management Corp.

(RM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (3. 3% yield, +161. 7% 10Y return). Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) carries a higher beta of 2. 07 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (RM: +161. 7%, OPRT: -64. 1%), 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: OPRT is a small-cap high-growth stock; RM is a small-cap deep-value stock. RM pays a dividend while OPRT does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.