EFC vs MFA vs EARN vs MITT vs IVR

For growth investors, MFA Financial, Inc.

(MFA) is the stronger pick with 213. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -24. 6% for Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (IVR). Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (IVR) offers the better valuation at 5. 2x trailing P/E (3. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ellington Financial Inc. (EFC) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.

(IVR) is the cheapest at 5. 2x versus Ellington Credit Company at 20. 3x. On forward P/E, Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. is actually cheaper at 3. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, Ellington Financial Inc.

(EFC) delivered a total return of +21. 5%, compared to -45. 0% for Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (IVR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EFC returned +77. 3% versus IVR's -31. 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), Ellington Financial Inc.

(EFC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 47β versus TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc's 0. 90β — meaning MITT is approximately 92% more volatile than EFC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ellington Credit Company (EARN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 14% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MFA Financial, Inc.

(MFA) is pulling ahead at 213. 0% versus -24. 6% for Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (IVR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. grew EPS 135. 4% year-over-year, compared to -26. 8% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc. Over a 3-year CAGR, EFC leads at 150. 0% 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.

Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.

(IVR) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 8% net margin versus 10. 3% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc — meaning it keeps 29. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MITT leads at 96. 9% versus 14. 0% for EARN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IVR leads at 96. 7%, 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, Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.

(IVR) trades at 3. 7x forward P/E versus 7. 5x for Ellington Financial Inc. — 3. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EARN: 23. 2% to $6. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (IVR) offers the highest yield at 20. 1%, versus 10. 0% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc (MITT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ellington Financial Inc.

(EFC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 47), 13. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EFC: +77. 3%, MITT: -16. 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 (EFC (Real Estate) and MFA (Unknown) and EARN (Financial Services) and MITT (Real Estate) and IVR (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: EFC is a small-cap high-growth stock; MFA is a small-cap high-growth stock; EARN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MITT is a small-cap deep-value stock; IVR 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.