Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Evercore Inc. (EVR) vs Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | EVR | 22.7% revenue growth vs JEF's 2.9% |
| Value | JEF | Lower P/E (10.4x vs 16.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | EVR | 12.6% net margin vs JEF's 6.6% |
| Stability / Safety | EVR | Beta 1.82 vs JEF's 1.85 |
| Dividends | JEF | 3.8% yield, 8-year raise streak, vs EVR's 1.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EVR | +29.4% vs JEF's -30.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EVR | 11.9% ROA vs JEF's 1.1%, ROIC 14.6% vs 2.4% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Evercore is an independent investment banking advisory firm providing strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets transactions. It generates revenue primarily from investment banking advisory fees — roughly 85% of total revenue — with the remainder coming from investment management services for high-net-worth clients and institutions. The firm's key advantage is its reputation as a premium independent advisor, free from conflicts inherent in large universal banks, which attracts top-tier clients seeking unbiased strategic counsel.
Jefferies Financial Group is a global investment bank and financial services firm that provides advisory, capital markets, and asset management services. It generates revenue primarily through investment banking fees — including M&A advisory and underwriting — and trading commissions from its capital markets business, with asset management contributing additional fee-based income. The firm's competitive advantage lies in its focused mid-market expertise and strong client relationships in sectors like energy, healthcare, and technology, which drive repeat advisory mandates.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
EVR leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). JEF leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
JEF is the larger business by revenue, generating $10.8B annually — 3.6x EVR's $3.0B. EVR is the more profitable business, keeping 12.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to JEF's 6.6%.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.0B | $10.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $697M | $24M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $528M | $819M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.1B | $911M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +99.4% | +59.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.8% | +6.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.6% | +6.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.0% | +3.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +83.9% | +34.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 15.7x trailing earnings, JEF trades at a 54% valuation discount to EVR's 34.0x P/E.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $26.9B | $9.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $26.9B | -$3.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 34.01x | 15.69x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.67x | 10.38x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 5.99x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 50.47x | -3.55x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.98x | 0.85x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.62x | 0.93x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 28.09x | 27.50x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EVR delivers a 25.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $25 in annual profit, vs $8 for JEF. JEF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.17x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EVR's 0.48x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EVR scores 7/9 vs JEF's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +25.3% | +7.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.9% | +1.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.6% | +2.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +13.9% | +1.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.48x | 0.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$16M | -$12.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $940M | $14.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $923M | $1.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 35.22x | 0.05x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EVR five years ago would be worth $25,940 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $17,690 for JEF. Over the past 12 months, EVR leads with a +29.4% total return vs JEF's -30.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EVR at 34.4% vs JEF's 8.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -11.8% | -29.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +29.4% | -30.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +142.8% | +28.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +159.4% | +76.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +614.6% | +309.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +34.4% | +8.7% |
Risk & Volatility
EVR is the less volatile stock with a 1.82 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than JEF's 1.85 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EVR currently trades 79.5% from its 52-week high vs JEF's 62.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.82x | 1.85x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $388.71 | $71.04 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $148.63 | $39.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +79.5% | +62.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.3 | 26.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 355K | 1.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EVR as "Buy" and JEF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 71.2% upside for JEF (target: $76) vs 29.1% for EVR (target: $399). For income investors, JEF offers the higher dividend yield at 3.78% vs EVR's 1.06%.
| Metric | EVREvercore Inc. | JEFJefferies Financi… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $398.83 | $76.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 21 | 8 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.1% | +3.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 18 | 8 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.26 | $1.68 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.7% | +0.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 100 | 521.2 | +421.2% |
| Jefferies Financial… (JEF) | 100 | 306.91 | +206.9% |
Evercore Inc. (EVR) returned +159% over 5 years vs Jefferies Financial… (JEF)'s +77%. A $10,000 investment in EVR 5 years ago would be worth $25,940 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | $1.5B | $3.0B | +105.7% |
| Jefferies Financial… (JEF) | $3.8B | $10.8B | +181.3% |
Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.8B (2016) to $10.8B (2025) — a 12.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 7.4% | 12.6% | +71.0% |
| Jefferies Financial… (JEF) | 3.4% | 6.6% | +94.3% |
Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s net margin went from 3% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 32.1 | 30.5 | -5.0% |
| Jefferies Financial… (JEF) | 52.6 | 21.9 | -58.4% |
Evercore Inc. has traded in a 8x–32x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. has traded in a 6x–53x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 2.43 | 9.08 | +273.7% |
| Jefferies Financial… (JEF) | 0.34 | 2.83 | +732.4% |
Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.34 (2016) to $2.83 (2025) — a 27% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Evercore Inc. generated $958M FCF in 2024 (-29% vs 2021). Jefferies Financial Group Inc. generated $333M FCF in 2025 (-76% vs 2021).
EVR vs JEF: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EVR or JEF a better buy right now?
Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) offers the better valuation at 15.7x trailing P/E (10.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Evercore Inc. (EVR) a "Buy" — based on 21 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.
02Which has the better valuation — EVR or JEF?
On trailing P/E, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) is the cheapest at 15.7x versus Evercore Inc. at 34.0x. On forward P/E, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 10.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EVR or JEF?
Over the past 5 years, Evercore Inc. (EVR) delivered a total return of +159.4%, compared to +76.9% for Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF). A $10,000 investment in EVR five years ago would be worth approximately $26K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EVR returned +614.6% versus JEF's +309.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — EVR or JEF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the lower-risk stock at 1.82β versus Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s 1.85β — meaning JEF is approximately 2% more volatile than EVR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 17% versus 48% for Evercore Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EVR or JEF?
Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the more profitable company, earning 12.6% net margin versus 6.6% for Jefferies Financial Group Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EVR leads at 17.8% versus 6.3% for JEF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EVR leads at 99.4%, 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.
06Is EVR or JEF more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) trades at 10.4x forward P/E versus 16.7x for Evercore Inc. — 6.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for JEF: 71.2% to $76.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — EVR or JEF?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) offers the highest yield at 3.8%, versus 1.1% for Evercore Inc. (EVR).
08Is EVR or JEF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.1% yield, +614.6% 10Y return). Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) carries a higher beta of 1.85 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EVR: +614.6%, JEF: +309.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between EVR and JEF?
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: EVR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; JEF 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.
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