Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Finance Of America Companies Inc. (FOA) vs Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) 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 | FOA | 24.2% revenue growth vs AGM's -0.8% |
| Value | FOA | Lower P/E (4.5x vs 8.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | AGM | 11.3% net margin vs FOA's 0.8% |
| Stability / Safety | AGM | Beta 0.67 vs FOA's 0.98, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AGM | 5.1% yield; 14-year raise streak; FOA pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | FOA | -14.5% vs AGM's -21.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AGM | 0.5% ROA vs FOA's 0.0% |
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
Finance of America Companies operates a diversified consumer lending platform focused on mortgage and specialty loan origination. It generates revenue primarily through loan origination fees and servicing income across its mortgage, reverse mortgage, and commercial lending segments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its integrated platform that combines multiple lending verticals with supporting services like title insurance and loan securitization.
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) is a government-sponsored enterprise that provides a secondary market for agricultural and rural infrastructure loans in the United States. It makes money primarily through guarantee fees on loan-backed securities (about 60% of revenue) and net interest income from its retained loan portfolio (about 40%). Its key advantage is its government-sponsored status, which provides lower funding costs and regulatory advantages in the agricultural lending market.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AGM leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
FOA and AGM operate at a comparable scale, with $1.9B and $1.6B in trailing revenue. AGM is the more profitable business, keeping 11.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FOA's 0.8%.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.9B | $1.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $47M | $0 |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6M | $182M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$445M | $80M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +13.9% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.2% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +0.8% | +11.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -21.7% | +5.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -114.0% | -20.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.5x trailing earnings, AGM trades at a 42% valuation discount to FOA's 16.4x P/E.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $232 | $1.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $28.7B | $31.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.40x | 9.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.50x | 8.36x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.63x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 350.68x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.00x | 0.91x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.43x | 1.01x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 18.36x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AGM delivers a 10.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $2 for FOA. AGM carries lower financial leverage with a 17.93x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to FOA's 90.98x.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +1.7% | +10.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.0% | +0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.1% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.2% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 90.98x | 17.93x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $28.7B | $29.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $47M | $931M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $28.7B | $30.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.01x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth $20,353 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,903 for FOA. Over the past 12 months, FOA leads with a -14.5% total return vs AGM's -21.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors FOA at 9.8% vs AGM's 7.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -13.8% | -10.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -14.5% | -21.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +32.5% | +22.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -81.0% | +103.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -80.0% | +491.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +9.8% | +7.0% |
Risk & Volatility
AGM is the less volatile stock with a 0.67 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than FOA's 0.98 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AGM currently trades 74.8% from its 52-week high vs FOA's 65.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.98x | 0.67x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $29.58 | $210.78 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.58 | $146.69 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.4% | +74.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 34.0 | 42.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 83K | 90K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates FOA as "Hold" and AGM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 52.5% upside for FOA (target: $30) vs 47.8% for AGM (target: $233). AGM is the only dividend payer here at 5.15% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | FOAFinance Of Americ… | AGMFederal Agricultu… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $29.50 | $233.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 5 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +5.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $8.12 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.9% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Of America … (FOA) | 100 | 23.12 | -76.9% |
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 100 | 226.5 | +126.5% |
Federal Agricultura… (AGM) returned +104% over 5 years vs Finance Of America … (FOA)'s -81%. A $10,000 investment in AGM 5 years ago would be worth $20,353 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Of America … (FOA) | $789M | $1.9B | +147.0% |
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | $332M | $1.6B | +385.1% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's revenue grew from $332M (2016) to $1.6B (2025) — a 19.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Of America … (FOA) | 4.1% | 0.8% | -80.4% |
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 23.3% | 11.3% | -51.4% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Of America … (FOA) | 4.2 | 23.8 | +466.7% |
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 11.9 | 10.6 | -10.9% |
Finance Of America Companies Inc. has traded in a 1x–24x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation has traded in a 7x–12x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Of America … (FOA) | 8.92 | 1.18 | -86.8% |
| Federal Agricultura… (AGM) | 5.97 | 16.63 | +178.6% |
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's EPS grew from $5.97 (2016) to $16.63 (2025) — a 12% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Finance Of America Companies Inc. generated $-424M FCF in 2024 (-269% vs 2021). Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation generated $80M FCF in 2025 (-82% vs 2021).
FOA vs AGM: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FOA or AGM a better buy right now?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) offers the better valuation at 9.5x trailing P/E (8.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — FOA or AGM?
On trailing P/E, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the cheapest at 9.5x versus Finance Of America Companies Inc. at 16.4x. On forward P/E, Finance Of America Companies Inc. is actually cheaper at 4.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — FOA or AGM?
Over the past 5 years, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) delivered a total return of +103.5%, compared to -81.0% for Finance Of America Companies Inc. (FOA). A $10,000 investment in AGM five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGM returned +491.0% versus FOA's -80.0%. 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 — FOA or AGM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.67β versus Finance Of America Companies Inc.'s 0.98β — meaning FOA is approximately 46% more volatile than AGM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 91% for Finance Of America Companies Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — FOA or AGM?
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the more profitable company, earning 11.3% net margin versus 0.8% for Finance Of America Companies Inc. — meaning it keeps 11.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FOA leads at 2.2% versus 0.0% for AGM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FOA leads at 13.9%, 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 FOA or AGM more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Finance Of America Companies Inc. (FOA) trades at 4.5x forward P/E versus 8.4x for Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation — 3.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FOA: 52.5% to $29.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — FOA or AGM?
In this comparison, AGM (5.1% yield) pays a dividend. FOA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is FOA or AGM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.67), 5.1% yield, +491.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGM: +491.0%, FOA: -80.0%), 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.
09What are the main differences between FOA and AGM?
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. AGM pays a dividend while FOA 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.
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