AAMI vs MS vs GS vs BLK vs BX

For growth investors, Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the stronger pick with 21. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 4% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS). The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) offers the better valuation at 20. 7x trailing P/E (17. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Morgan Stanley (MS) a "Buy" — based on 52 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, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) is the cheapest at 20. 7x versus Acadian Asset Management at 35. 5x. On forward P/E, Acadian Asset Management is actually cheaper at 16. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Blackstone Inc. wins at 1. 00x 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 +29. 2% for BlackRock, Inc. (BLK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MS returned +854. 4% versus BLK's +246. 8%. 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), BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 29β versus The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 's 1. 60β — meaning GS is approximately 24% more volatile than BLK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is pulling ahead at 21. 6% versus -1. 4% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Morgan Stanley grew EPS 28. 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.

BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) is the more profitable company, earning 22. 9% net margin versus 13. 5% for Acadian Asset Management — meaning it keeps 22. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BX leads at 51. 9% versus 17. 5% for GS. 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, Blackstone Inc. (BX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 00x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 9. 03x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Acadian Asset Management (AAMI) trades at 16. 4x forward P/E versus 20. 9x for Blackstone Inc. — 4. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BX: 27. 3% to $156. 29.

In this comparison, BX (6.

3% yield), BLK (2. 0% yield), MS (1. 9% yield), GS (1. 6% yield) pay a dividend. AAMI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Morgan Stanley (MS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.

9% yield, +854. 4% 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 (MS: +854. 4%, 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; MS is a large-cap quality compounder stock; GS is a large-cap quality compounder stock; BLK is a mid-cap high-growth stock; BX is a mid-cap high-growth stock. MS, GS, BLK, BX pay a dividend while AAMI 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.