AAMI vs AMG vs VRTS vs JPM vs BLK

For growth investors, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) is the stronger pick with 19. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the better valuation at 7. 3x trailing P/E (6. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (AMG) a "Buy" — based on 12 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, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

(VRTS) is the cheapest at 7. 3x versus Acadian Asset Management at 35. 5x. On forward P/E, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. is actually cheaper at 6. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. wins at 0. 26x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 9. 03x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Acadian Asset Management (AAMI) delivered a total return of +253.

9%, compared to -37. 1% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAMI returned +471. 7% versus AMG's +128. 3%. 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), JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Acadian Asset Management's 1. 52β — meaning AAMI is approximately 61% more volatile than JPM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 4% for Acadian Asset Management — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(AMG) is pulling ahead at 19. 8% versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. grew EPS 50. 3% year-over-year, compared to -15. 7% for BlackRock, 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.

Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 3% net margin versus 13. 5% for Acadian Asset Management — meaning it keeps 29. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMG leads at 31. 8% versus 17. 4% for VRTS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAMI leads at 92. 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.

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, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (AMG) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 26x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 9. 03x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) trades at 6. 0x forward P/E versus 19. 4x for BlackRock, Inc. — 13. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BLK: 26. 1% to $1301. 63.

In this comparison, VRTS (6.

4% yield), BLK (2. 0% yield), JPM (1. 9% yield) pay a dividend. AAMI, AMG do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) 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. 9% yield, +465. 8% 10Y return). Acadian Asset Management (AAMI) carries a higher beta of 1. 52 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (JPM: +465. 8%, AAMI: +471. 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: AAMI is a small-cap high-growth stock; AMG is a small-cap high-growth stock; VRTS is a small-cap deep-value stock; JPM is a large-cap deep-value stock; BLK is a mid-cap high-growth stock. VRTS, JPM, BLK pay a dividend while AAMI, AMG do 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.