GDOT vs SOFI vs LC vs UPST

For growth investors, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is the stronger pick with 58. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 15. 0% for LendingClub Corporation (LC). LendingClub Corporation (LC) offers the better valuation at 14. 5x trailing P/E (9. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate LendingClub Corporation (LC) a "Buy" — based on 29 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, LendingClub Corporation (LC) is the cheapest at 14.

5x versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. at 64. 4x. On forward P/E, Green Dot Corporation is actually cheaper at 8. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, LendingClub Corporation (LC) delivered a total return of +15.

1%, compared to -71. 8% for Green Dot Corporation (GDOT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SOFI returned +52. 7% versus GDOT's -45. 7%. 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), Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

13β versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. 's 2. 96β — meaning UPST is approximately 161% more volatile than GDOT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, LendingClub Corporation (LC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 2% for Upstart Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is pulling ahead at 58. 9% versus 15. 0% for LendingClub Corporation (LC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: LendingClub Corporation grew EPS 155. 6% year-over-year, compared to -258. 0% for Green Dot Corporation. 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.

LendingClub Corporation (LC) is the more profitable company, earning 10.

2% net margin versus -4. 8% for Green Dot Corporation — meaning it keeps 10. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LC leads at 25. 0% versus 2. 7% for GDOT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UPST leads at 95. 2%, 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, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) trades at 8.

5x forward P/E versus 26. 5x for SoFi Technologies, Inc. — 18. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UPST: 55. 8% to $45. 17.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.

13)). LendingClub Corporation (LC) carries a higher beta of 2. 36 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GDOT: -45. 7%, LC: -27. 7%), 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: GDOT is a small-cap high-growth stock; SOFI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; LC is a small-cap deep-value stock; UPST is a small-cap high-growth 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.