GDOT vs SOFI vs LC vs UPST vs AFRM

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 Affirm Holdings, Inc. at 449. 1x. 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, Affirm Holdings, Inc.

(AFRM) delivered a total return of +24. 7%, 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 3% for Affirm 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 AFRM. 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 62. 5x for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — 54. 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)). Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) carries a higher beta of 2. 72 — 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%, AFRM: -30. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (GDOT (Financial Services) and SOFI (Financial Services) and LC (Financial Services) and UPST (Financial Services) and AFRM (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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; AFRM is a mid-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.