EZPW vs RM

For growth investors, EZCORP, Inc.

(EZPW) is the stronger pick with 9. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 7% for Regional Management Corp. (RM). Regional Management Corp. (RM) offers the better valuation at 7. 9x trailing P/E (6. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) a "Buy" — based on 15 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, Regional Management Corp.

(RM) is the cheapest at 7. 9x versus EZCORP, Inc. at 23. 2x. On forward P/E, Regional Management Corp. is actually cheaper at 6. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, EZCORP, Inc.

(EZPW) delivered a total return of +406. 6%, compared to -7. 6% for Regional Management Corp. (RM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EZPW returned +590. 8% versus RM's +159. 2%. 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), EZCORP, Inc.

(EZPW) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 82β versus Regional Management Corp. 's 1. 40β — meaning RM is approximately 71% more volatile than EZPW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 75% versus 5% for Regional Management Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(EZPW) is pulling ahead at 9. 7% versus 9. 7% for Regional Management Corp. (RM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: EZCORP, Inc. grew EPS 29. 1% year-over-year, compared to 7. 5% for Regional Management Corp.. 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.

EZCORP, Inc.

(EZPW) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 6% net margin versus 6. 9% for Regional Management Corp. — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RM leads at 12. 4% versus 11. 7% for EZPW. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EZPW leads at 58. 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, Regional Management Corp.

(RM) trades at 6. 3x forward P/E versus 18. 4x for EZCORP, Inc. — 12. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

In this comparison, RM (3.

3% yield) pays a dividend. EZPW does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, EZCORP, Inc.

(EZPW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 82), +590. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EZPW: +590. 8%, RM: +159. 2%), 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: EZPW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; RM is a small-cap deep-value stock. RM pays a dividend while EZPW 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.