COHN vs IIIV

For growth investors, Cohen & Company Inc.

(COHN) is the stronger pick with 249. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). Cohen & Company Inc. (COHN) offers the better valuation at 3. 3x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Cohen & Company Inc.

(COHN) is the cheapest at 3. 3x versus i3 Verticals, Inc. at 40. 9x.

Over the past 5 years, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) delivered a total return of -27. 6%, compared to -35. 6% for Cohen & Company Inc. (COHN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COHN returned +156. 3% versus IIIV's +24. 9%. 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), Cohen & Company Inc.

(COHN) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 48β versus i3 Verticals, Inc. 's 0. 92β — meaning IIIV is approximately 92% more volatile than COHN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 4% for Cohen & Company Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Cohen & Company Inc.

(COHN) is pulling ahead at 249. 6% versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Cohen & Company Inc. grew EPS 55. 4% year-over-year, compared to -87. 9% for i3 Verticals, 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.

i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 4% net margin versus 5. 2% for Cohen & Company Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COHN leads at 22. 3% versus 1. 9% for IIIV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COHN leads at 93. 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.

In this comparison, COHN (2.

5% yield) pays a dividend. IIIV does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Cohen & Company Inc.

(COHN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 48), 2. 5% yield, +156. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (COHN: +156. 3%, IIIV: +24. 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 (COHN (Financial Services) and IIIV (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: COHN is a small-cap high-growth stock; IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock. COHN pays a dividend while IIIV 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.