BEN vs DHIL vs IVZ vs VRTS

For growth investors, Invesco Ltd.

(IVZ) is the stronger pick with 5. 1% 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. 1x trailing P/E (5. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) a "Hold" — based on 27 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. 1x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. On forward P/E, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. wins at 0. 38x versus Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. 's 1. 14x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

(DHIL) delivered a total return of +28. 3%, compared to -35. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTS returned +142. 6% versus IVZ's +22. 1%. 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), Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

(DHIL) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 57β versus Invesco Ltd. 's 1. 67β — meaning IVZ is approximately 192% more volatile than DHIL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 78% versus 36% for Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Invesco Ltd.

(IVZ) is pulling ahead at 5. 1% versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. grew EPS 18. 2% year-over-year, compared to -235. 6% for Invesco Ltd.. 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.

Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

(DHIL) is the more profitable company, earning 30. 9% net margin versus -4. 4% for Invesco Ltd. — meaning it keeps 30. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DHIL leads at 38. 4% versus -10. 9% for IVZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DHIL leads at 96. 0%, 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, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 38x versus Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. 's 1. 14x. 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 5. 5x forward P/E versus 11. 2x for Franklin Resources, Inc. — 5. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VRTS: 15. 0% to $163. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 3. 1% for Invesco Ltd. (IVZ).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

(DHIL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 57), 5. 7% yield). Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 67 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DHIL: +55. 4%, IVZ: +22. 1%), 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: BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; DHIL is a small-cap deep-value stock; IVZ is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; VRTS is a small-cap deep-value 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.