CGABL vs MS vs GS vs KKR

For growth investors, The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the stronger pick with 83. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). The Carlyle Group Inc. 4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) offers the better valuation at 6. 1x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Morgan Stanley (MS) a "Buy" — based on 52 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, The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the cheapest at 6. 1x versus KKR & Co. Inc. at 42. 9x. On forward P/E, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 15. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. wins at 1. 12x versus Morgan Stanley's 1. 80x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) delivered a total return of +164. 4%, compared to -9. 1% for The Carlyle Group Inc. 4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MS returned +732. 3% versus CGABL's -9. 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), The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 71β versus KKR & Co. Inc. 's 1. 70β — meaning KKR is approximately 140% more volatile than CGABL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 67% versus 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is pulling ahead at 83. 1% versus -11. 0% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Carlyle Group Inc. 4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 grew EPS 264. 9% year-over-year, compared to -28. 7% for KKR & Co. 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.

The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 8% net margin versus 11. 3% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CGABL leads at 25. 2% versus 2. 4% for KKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MS leads at 55. 6%, 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, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 12x versus Morgan Stanley's 1. 80x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) trades at 15. 6x forward P/E versus 16. 4x for KKR & Co. Inc. — 0. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KKR: 42. 5% to $143. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Carlyle Group Inc. 4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) offers the highest yield at 8. 1%, versus 0. 8% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Carlyle Group Inc.

4. 625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 71), 8. 1% yield). KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR) carries a higher beta of 1. 70 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CGABL: -9. 1%, KKR: +715. 5%), 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: CGABL is a small-cap high-growth stock; MS is a large-cap high-growth stock; GS is a large-cap high-growth stock; KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.