Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) vs Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CACC | 13.5% revenue growth vs CPSS's 11.8% |
| Value | CPSS | Lower P/E (3.3x vs 10.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | CACC | 11.6% net margin vs CPSS's 4.9% |
| Stability / Safety | CPSS | Beta 0.46 vs CACC's 1.13 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CACC | -3.9% vs CPSS's -19.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CACC | 5.3% ROA vs CPSS's 0.5%, ROIC 3.3% vs 0.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Credit Acceptance Corporation is a specialty finance company that provides auto loan financing programs to independent and franchised car dealers across the United States. It makes money primarily through interest income from consumer auto loans — which it either purchases from dealers or services for them — and secondarily through reinsurance premiums from vehicle service contracts. The company's key advantage is its proprietary credit scoring technology and extensive dealer network, which allow it to profitably serve subprime borrowers that traditional lenders often avoid.
Consumer Portfolio Services is a specialty finance company that purchases and services subprime auto loans from car dealerships. It generates revenue primarily from interest income on these auto loans — which constitute nearly all of its earnings — supplemented by fees from loan servicing and ancillary products. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized underwriting expertise for non-prime borrowers and established relationships with dealership networks that provide a steady flow of loan originations.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CACC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CPSS leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CACC is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.1B annually — 5.4x CPSS's $394M. CACC is the more profitable business, keeping 11.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CPSS's 4.9%.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.1B | $394M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $598M | $29M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $454M | $19M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.1B | $281M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +62.4% | +52.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | +7.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.6% | +4.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +53.2% | +59.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +48.5% | 0.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 10.3x trailing earnings, CPSS trades at a 57% valuation discount to CACC's 23.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CACC's 30.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CPSS's 113.1x.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.2B | $179M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.7B | $3.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 23.80x | 10.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.24x | 3.31x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.35x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 30.41x | 113.07x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.45x | 0.46x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.37x | 0.67x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.60x | 0.77x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CACC delivers a 28.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $29 in annual profit, vs $6 for CPSS. CACC carries lower financial leverage with a 3.63x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CPSS's 10.78x.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +28.7% | +6.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.3% | +0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.3% | +0.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.6% | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.63x | 10.78x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.5B | $3.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $845M | $137M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6.4B | $3.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 0.12x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CPSS five years ago would be worth $18,881 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,502 for CACC. Over the past 12 months, CACC leads with a -3.9% total return vs CPSS's -19.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CACC at 2.1% vs CPSS's -9.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.2% | -11.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -3.9% | -19.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.5% | -26.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +25.0% | +88.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +140.1% | +84.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.1% | -9.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CPSS is the less volatile stock with a 0.46 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CACC's 1.13 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CACC currently trades 86.1% from its 52-week high vs CPSS's 77.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.13x | 0.46x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $549.75 | $10.51 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $401.90 | $6.67 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.1% | +77.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.7 | 47.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 151K | 14K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CACC as "Hold" and CPSS as "Buy".
| Metric | CACCCredit Acceptance… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $480.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 4 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.0% | +7.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 100 | 128.57 | +28.6% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 100 | 244.57 | +144.6% |
Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) returned +89% over 5 years vs Credit Acceptance C… (CACC)'s +25%. A $10,000 investment in CPSS 5 years ago would be worth $18,881 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | $824M | $2.1B | +159.1% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | $364M | $394M | +8.2% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's revenue grew from $824M (2015) to $2.1B (2024) — a 11.2% CAGR. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s revenue grew from $364M (2015) to $394M (2024) — a 0.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 36.4% | 11.6% | -68.1% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 9.5% | 4.9% | -48.8% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's net margin went from 36% (2015) to 12% (2024). Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2015) to 5% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 13.5 | 23.6 | +74.8% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 29.6 | 13.7 | -53.7% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation has traded in a 12x–24x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. has traded in a 3x–30x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Acceptance C… (CACC) | 14.28 | 19.88 | +39.2% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 1.1 | 0.79 | -28.2% |
Credit Acceptance Corporation's EPS grew from $14.28 (2015) to $19.88 (2024) — a 4% CAGR. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.10 (2015) to $0.79 (2024) — a -4% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Credit Acceptance Corporation generated $1B FCF in 2024 (+7% vs 2021). Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. generated $233M FCF in 2024 (+19% vs 2021).
CACC vs CPSS: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CACC or CPSS a better buy right now?
Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) offers the better valuation at 10.3x trailing P/E (3.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) a "Buy" — based on 4 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 — CACC or CPSS?
On trailing P/E, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) is the cheapest at 10.3x versus Credit Acceptance Corporation at 23.8x. On forward P/E, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 3.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CACC or CPSS?
Over the past 5 years, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) delivered a total return of +88.8%, compared to +25.0% for Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC). A $10,000 investment in CPSS five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CACC returned +140.1% versus CPSS's +84.5%. 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 — CACC or CPSS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.46β versus Credit Acceptance Corporation's 1.13β — meaning CACC is approximately 145% more volatile than CPSS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 11% for Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CACC or CPSS?
Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC) is the more profitable company, earning 11.6% net margin versus 4.9% for Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 11.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CACC leads at 15.2% versus 7.0% for CPSS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CACC leads at 62.4%, 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 CACC or CPSS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) trades at 3.3x forward P/E versus 10.2x for Credit Acceptance Corporation — 6.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — CACC or CPSS?
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.
08Is CACC or CPSS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.46)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CPSS: +84.5%, CACC: +140.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CACC and CPSS?
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: CACC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CPSS 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.
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