PIPR vs HLI

For growth investors, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) is the stronger pick with 28.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 24. 8% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI). Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) offers the better valuation at 20. 3x trailing P/E (17. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) a "Buy" — based on 15 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, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) is the cheapest at 20.

3x versus Houlihan Lokey, Inc. at 25. 8x. On forward P/E, Piper Sandler Companies is actually cheaper at 17. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Piper Sandler Companies wins at 0. 40x versus Houlihan Lokey, Inc. 's 1. 24x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) delivered a total return of +195.

7%, compared to +142. 2% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PIPR returned +831. 0% versus HLI's +599. 6%. 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), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Piper Sandler Companies's 1. 47β — meaning PIPR is approximately 56% more volatile than HLI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 20% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) is pulling ahead at 28.

6% versus 24. 8% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Piper Sandler Companies grew EPS 54. 7% year-over-year, compared to 41. 6% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc.. 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.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 7% net margin versus 14. 8% for Piper Sandler Companies — meaning it keeps 16. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLI leads at 21. 0% versus 20. 2% for PIPR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PIPR leads at 93. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 40x versus Houlihan Lokey, Inc. 's 1. 24x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) trades at 17. 0x forward P/E versus 19. 5x for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. — 2. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HLI: 33. 2% to $200. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 6% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94), 1. 6% yield, +599. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HLI: +599. 6%, PIPR: +831. 0%), 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.

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.