PX vs STEP

For growth investors, StepStone Group Inc.

(STEP) is the stronger pick with 65. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 22. 6% for P10, Inc. (PX). P10, Inc. (PX) offers the better valuation at 47. 2x trailing P/E (6. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate P10, Inc. (PX) a "Buy" — 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 forward P/E, P10, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 6. 9x.

Over the past 5 years, StepStone Group Inc.

(STEP) delivered a total return of +76. 7%, compared to -33. 0% for P10, Inc. (PX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STEP returned +134. 3% versus PX's -33. 0%. 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), StepStone Group Inc.

(STEP) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 73β versus P10, Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning PX is approximately 3% more volatile than STEP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, StepStone Group Inc. (STEP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 22% versus 88% for P10, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), StepStone Group Inc.

(STEP) is pulling ahead at 65. 1% versus 22. 6% for P10, Inc. (PX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: P10, Inc. grew EPS 360. 6% year-over-year, compared to -376. 9% for StepStone Group 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.

P10, Inc.

(PX) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 3% net margin versus -15. 3% for StepStone Group Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PX leads at 20. 4% versus -21. 3% for STEP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PX leads at 47. 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, P10, Inc.

(PX) trades at 6. 9x forward P/E versus 25. 6x for StepStone Group Inc. — 18. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PX: 231. 1% to $25. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

StepStone Group Inc. (STEP) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 7% for P10, Inc. (PX).

For long-horizon retirement investors, StepStone Group Inc.

(STEP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2. 0% yield, +134. 3% 10Y return). P10, Inc. (PX) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (STEP: +134. 3%, PX: -33. 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.