Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) vs NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NRDS | 21.7% revenue growth vs AGM's -0.8% |
| Value | NRDS | PEG 0.23 vs 0.56 |
| Quality / Margins | AGM | 11.3% net margin vs NRDS's 5.8% |
| Stability / Safety | AGM | Beta 0.67 vs NRDS's 1.29 |
| Dividends | AGM | 5.1% yield; 14-year raise streak; NRDS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NRDS | +6.4% vs AGM's -21.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NRDS | 10.6% ROA vs AGM's 0.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) is a government-sponsored enterprise that provides a secondary market for agricultural and rural infrastructure loans in the United States. It makes money primarily through guarantee fees on loan-backed securities (about 60% of revenue) and net interest income from its retained loan portfolio (about 40%). Its key advantage is its government-sponsored status, which provides lower funding costs and regulatory advantages in the agricultural lending market.
NerdWallet operates a digital personal finance platform that connects consumers with financial product providers through educational content and product marketplaces. It generates revenue primarily through lead generation fees — earning commissions when users apply for financial products like credit cards, loans, and insurance through its platform. The company's moat lies in its trusted brand reputation and extensive educational content library that attracts a large, engaged audience seeking financial guidance.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AGM leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). NRDS leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AGM is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.6B annually — 1.9x NRDS's $837M. AGM is the more profitable business, keeping 11.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NRDS's 5.8%.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.6B | $837M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $0 | $102M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $182M | $49M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $80M | $122M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +92.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +7.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.3% | +5.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | +15.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -20.1% | -62.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.5x trailing earnings, AGM trades at a 44% valuation discount to NRDS's 17.0x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), NRDS offers better value at 0.33x vs AGM's 0.63x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $344M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $31.4B | $246M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 9.48x | 16.95x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.36x | 11.61x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.63x | 0.33x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 3.77x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.91x | 0.41x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.01x | 2.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.36x | 2.64x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NRDS delivers a 13.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $11 for AGM. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NRDS scores 8/9 vs AGM's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.6% | +13.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.5% | +10.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +13.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +17.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 17.93x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $29.9B | -$98M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $931M | $98M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $30.8B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 122.00x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth $20,353 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,834 for NRDS. Over the past 12 months, NRDS leads with a +6.4% total return vs AGM's -21.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AGM at 7.0% vs NRDS's -19.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -10.6% | -16.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -21.7% | +6.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +22.4% | -47.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +103.5% | -61.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +491.0% | -61.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.0% | -19.3% |
Risk & Volatility
AGM is the less volatile stock with a 0.67 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NRDS's 1.29 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AGM currently trades 74.8% from its 52-week high vs NRDS's 66.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.67x | 1.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $210.78 | $16.24 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $146.69 | $7.55 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.8% | +66.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.9 | 51.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 90K | 695K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AGM as "Buy" and NRDS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.8% upside for AGM (target: $233) vs 47.5% for NRDS (target: $16). AGM is the only dividend payer here at 5.15% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | AGMFederal Agricultu… | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $233.00 | $16.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.1% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 14 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $8.12 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.9% | +0.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Dec 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 100 | 141.81 | +41.8% |
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 62.61 | 43.64 | -30.3% |
Federal Agricultura… (AGM) returned +104% over 5 years vs NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS)'s -62%. A $10,000 investment in AGM 5 years ago would be worth $20,353 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | $332M | $1.6B | +385.1% |
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | $228M | $837M | +266.4% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's revenue grew from $332M (2016) to $1.6B (2025) — a 19.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 23.3% | 11.3% | -51.4% |
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 10.6% | 5.8% | -45.1% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 11.9 | 10.6 | -10.9% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation has traded in a 7x–12x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 5.97 | 16.63 | +178.6% |
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 0.37 | 0.64 | +73.0% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's EPS grew from $5.97 (2016) to $16.63 (2025) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation generated $80M FCF in 2025 (-82% vs 2021). NerdWallet, Inc. generated $130M FCF in 2025 (+925% vs 2021).
AGM vs NRDS: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AGM or NRDS a better buy right now?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) offers the better valuation at 9.5x trailing P/E (8.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) a "Buy" — based on 5 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.
02Which has the better valuation — AGM or NRDS?
On trailing P/E, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the cheapest at 9.5x versus NerdWallet, Inc. at 17.0x. On forward P/E, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation is actually cheaper at 8.4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: NerdWallet, Inc. wins at 0.23x versus Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's 0.56x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AGM or NRDS?
Over the past 5 years, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) delivered a total return of +103.5%, compared to -61.7% for NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS). A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGM returned +491.0% versus NRDS's -61.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AGM or NRDS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.67β versus NerdWallet, Inc.'s 1.29β — meaning NRDS is approximately 93% more volatile than AGM relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — AGM or NRDS?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the more profitable company, earning 11.3% net margin versus 5.8% for NerdWallet, Inc. — meaning it keeps 11.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NRDS leads at 7.8% versus 0.0% for AGM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NRDS leads at 92.4%, 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.
06Is AGM or NRDS more undervalued right now?
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, NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.23x versus Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's 0.56x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) trades at 8.4x forward P/E versus 11.6x for NerdWallet, Inc. — 3.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGM: 47.8% to $233.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — AGM or NRDS?
In this comparison, AGM (5.1% yield) pays a dividend. NRDS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is AGM or NRDS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.67), 5.1% yield, +491.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGM: +491.0%, NRDS: -61.7%), 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.
09What are the main differences between AGM and NRDS?
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. AGM pays a dividend while NRDS 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.