JPM vs GS

For growth investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the stronger pick with 3. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 4% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS). JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) offers the better valuation at 16. 6x trailing P/E (15. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) a "Buy" — based on 61 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, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the cheapest at 16. 6x versus The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. at 21. 0x. On forward P/E, JPMorgan Chase & Co. is actually cheaper at 15. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: JPMorgan Chase & Co. wins at 0. 85x versus The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 's 1. 15x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) delivered a total return of +207. 8%, compared to +133. 8% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GS returned +713. 4% versus JPM's +522. 1%. 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), JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 87β versus The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 's 1. 55β — meaning GS is approximately 78% more volatile than JPM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is pulling ahead at 3. 3% versus -1. 4% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. grew EPS 26. 6% year-over-year, compared to 1. 5% for JPMorgan Chase & Co.. 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.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 4% net margin versus 13. 7% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: JPM leads at 26. 0% versus 17. 5% for GS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — JPM leads at 59. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 85x versus The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 's 1. 15x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) trades at 15. 0x forward P/E versus 18. 1x for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — 3. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for JPM: 1. 9% to $339. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) offers the highest yield at 1. 8%, versus 1. 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 87), 1. 8% yield, +522. 1% 10Y return). The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) carries a higher beta of 1. 55 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (JPM: +522. 1%, GS: +713. 4%), 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: JPM is a large-cap deep-value stock; GS is a large-cap quality compounder 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.