CSV vs HI

For growth investors, Hillenbrand, Inc.

(HI) is the stronger pick with -16. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -90. 7% for Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV). Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) offers the better valuation at 14. 6x trailing P/E (13. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) a "Buy" — based on 7 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, Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) is the cheapest at 14. 6x versus Hillenbrand, Inc. at 52. 4x. On forward P/E, Hillenbrand, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) delivered a total return of +29. 0%, compared to -21. 4% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CSV returned +118. 1% versus HI's +35. 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), Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 66β versus Hillenbrand, Inc. 's 1. 92β — meaning HI is approximately 189% more volatile than CSV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 112% versus 165% for Carriage Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hillenbrand, Inc.

(HI) is pulling ahead at -16. 0% versus -90. 7% for Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hillenbrand, Inc. grew EPS 120. 3% year-over-year, compared to 54. 8% for Carriage Services, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HI leads at 4. 9% 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.

Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) is the more profitable company, earning 136. 8% net margin versus 1. 6% for Hillenbrand, Inc. — meaning it keeps 136. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CSV leads at 259. 3% versus 5. 9% for HI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CSV leads at 389. 5%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Hillenbrand, Inc.

(HI) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 13. 8x for Carriage Services, Inc. — 1. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CSV: 5. 3% to $50. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 0. 9% for Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 66), 0. 9% yield, +118. 1% 10Y return). Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) carries a higher beta of 1. 92 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CSV: +118. 1%, HI: +35. 0%), 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 (CSV (Consumer Cyclical) and HI (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CSV is a small-cap deep-value stock; HI is a small-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.