DHIL vs BLK vs STT vs BEN

For growth investors, State Street Corporation (STT) is the stronger pick with 19.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. (DHIL) offers the better valuation at 9. 8x trailing P/E (9. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) a "Buy" — based on 33 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, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc.

(DHIL) is the cheapest at 9. 8x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. On forward P/E, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. wins at 1. 14x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, State Street Corporation (STT) delivered a total return of +86.

2%, compared to +7. 4% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BLK returned +245. 8% versus BEN's +23. 5%. 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 Franklin Resources, Inc. 's 1. 31β — meaning BEN is approximately 129% more volatile than DHIL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 36% for Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), State Street Corporation (STT) is pulling ahead at 19.

6% versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: State Street Corporation grew EPS 47. 1% year-over-year, compared to 7. 1% for Franklin Resources, 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.

BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) is the more profitable company, earning 31. 2% net margin versus 6. 0% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — meaning it keeps 31. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DHIL leads at 38. 4% versus 6. 9% for BEN. 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, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. (DHIL) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 14x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. (DHIL) trades at 9. 5x forward P/E versus 20. 1x for BlackRock, Inc. — 10. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BLK: 22. 8% to $1311. 78.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Diamond Hill Investment Group, Inc. (DHIL) offers the highest yield at 5. 7%, versus 1. 9% for BlackRock, Inc. (BLK).

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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DHIL: +55. 4%, BEN: +23. 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: DHIL is a small-cap deep-value stock; BLK is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; STT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.