HLI vs PWP

For growth investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger pick with 24. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 5% for Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP). Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) offers the better valuation at 25. 3x trailing P/E (19. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) 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, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the cheapest at 25. 3x versus Perella Weinberg Partners at 35. 2x. On forward P/E, Perella Weinberg Partners is actually cheaper at 17. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) delivered a total return of +135. 9%, compared to +77. 7% for Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HLI returned +580. 9% versus PWP's +108. 8%. 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), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Perella Weinberg Partners's 1. 85β — meaning PWP is approximately 97% more volatile than HLI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 20% versus 136% for Perella Weinberg Partners — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is pulling ahead at 24. 8% versus -14. 5% for Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Perella Weinberg Partners grew EPS 145. 1% year-over-year, compared to 41. 6% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc.. 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.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 7% net margin versus 4. 7% for Perella Weinberg Partners — meaning it keeps 16. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLI leads at 21. 0% versus 6. 4% for PWP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PWP leads at 97. 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, Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP) trades at 17.

5x forward P/E versus 19. 1x for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. — 1. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HLI: 35. 8% to $200. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP) offers the highest yield at 1. 8%, versus 1. 6% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94), 1. 6% yield, +580. 9% 10Y return). Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP) carries a higher beta of 1. 85 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HLI: +580. 9%, PWP: +108. 8%), 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: HLI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; PWP is a small-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.