ALTG vs KFRC vs RUSHA vs LAD vs KELYA

For growth investors, Lithia Motors, Inc.

(LAD) is the stronger pick with 4. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 4% for Kforce Inc. (KFRC). Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD) offers the better valuation at 9. 0x trailing P/E (8. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG) 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.

On trailing P/E, Lithia Motors, Inc.

(LAD) is the cheapest at 9. 0x versus Kforce Inc. at 22. 1x. On forward P/E, Lithia Motors, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Lithia Motors, Inc. wins at 0. 80x versus Rush Enterprises, Inc. 's 1. 86x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Rush Enterprises, Inc.

(RUSHA) delivered a total return of +125. 2%, compared to -58. 3% for Kelly Services, Inc. (KELYA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RUSHA returned +812. 3% versus KELYA'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), Kforce Inc.

(KFRC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 53β versus Alta Equipment Group Inc. 's 2. 30β — meaning ALTG is approximately 335% more volatile than KFRC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Kelly Services, Inc. (KELYA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 16% versus 2% for Lithia Motors, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Lithia Motors, Inc.

(LAD) is pulling ahead at 4. 0% versus -5. 4% for Kforce Inc. (KFRC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Lithia Motors, Inc. grew EPS 9. 0% year-over-year, compared to -427. 4% for Kelly Services, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LAD leads at 10. 1% annualised revenue growth. 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.

Rush Enterprises, Inc.

(RUSHA) is the more profitable company, earning 3. 5% net margin versus -6. 0% for Kelly Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 3. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RUSHA leads at 5. 3% versus -1. 6% for KELYA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KFRC leads at 26. 8%, 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, Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 80x versus Rush Enterprises, Inc. 's 1. 86x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD) trades at 8. 5x forward P/E versus 19. 2x for Rush Enterprises, Inc. — 10. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KFRC: 64. 3% to $71. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kforce Inc. (KFRC) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 0. 7% for Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Rush Enterprises, Inc.

(RUSHA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 98), 1. 0% yield, +812. 3% 10Y return). Alta Equipment Group Inc. (ALTG) carries a higher beta of 2. 30 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (RUSHA: +812. 3%, ALTG: -8. 9%), 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 (ALTG (Industrials) and KFRC (Industrials) and RUSHA (Consumer Cyclical) and LAD (Consumer Cyclical) and KELYA (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ALTG is a small-cap quality compounder stock; KFRC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; RUSHA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LAD is a small-cap deep-value stock; KELYA is a small-cap income-oriented stock. 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.