AFRM vs SEZL vs LPRO vs UPST

For growth investors, Open Lending Corporation (LPRO) is the stronger pick with 288.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 38. 8% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM). Sezzle Inc. (SEZL) offers the better valuation at 26. 8x trailing P/E (21. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) a "Buy" — based on 33 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, Sezzle Inc.

(SEZL) is the cheapest at 26. 8x versus Affirm Holdings, Inc. at 449. 1x. On forward P/E, Upstart Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Sezzle Inc.

(SEZL) delivered a total return of +117. 4%, compared to -95. 8% for Open Lending Corporation (LPRO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SEZL returned +687. 8% versus LPRO's -83. 2%. 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), Open Lending Corporation (LPRO) is the lower-risk stock at 2.

27β versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. 's 2. 96β — meaning UPST is approximately 30% more volatile than LPRO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Sezzle Inc. (SEZL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 83% versus 3% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Open Lending Corporation (LPRO) is pulling ahead at 288.

0% versus 38. 8% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Upstart Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 131. 3% year-over-year, compared to 69. 9% for Sezzle 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.

Sezzle Inc.

(SEZL) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 6% net margin versus -4. 5% for Open Lending Corporation — meaning it keeps 29. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SEZL leads at 39. 3% versus -2. 7% for AFRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UPST leads at 95. 2%, 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, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) trades at 14. 7x forward P/E versus 62. 5x for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — 47. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LPRO: 146. 9% to $4. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sezzle Inc.

(SEZL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+687. 8% 10Y return). Open Lending Corporation (LPRO) carries a higher beta of 2. 27 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SEZL: +687. 8%, LPRO: -83. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (AFRM (Technology) and SEZL (Financial Services) and LPRO (Financial Services) and UPST (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.