IEP vs MS vs GS vs BX

For growth investors, Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the stronger pick with 21. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 5% for Icahn Enterprises L. P. (IEP). The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) offers the better valuation at 22. 8x trailing P/E (15. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Icahn Enterprises L. P. (IEP) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) is the cheapest at 22. 8x versus Blackstone Inc. at 31. 5x. On forward P/E, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 15. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Blackstone Inc. wins at 0. 98x versus Morgan Stanley's 1. 80x — 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 +164. 4%, compared to -42. 9% for Icahn Enterprises L. P. (IEP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MS returned +732. 3% versus IEP's +21. 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), Icahn Enterprises L.

P. (IEP) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 60β versus Blackstone Inc. 's 1. 53β — meaning BX is approximately 155% more volatile than IEP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is pulling ahead at 21. 6% versus -7. 5% for Icahn Enterprises L. P. (IEP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. grew EPS 77. 3% year-over-year, compared to 7. 2% for Blackstone 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.

Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the more profitable company, earning 21. 8% net margin versus -3. 1% for Icahn Enterprises L. P. — meaning it keeps 21. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BX leads at 51. 9% versus -0. 0% for IEP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BX leads at 86. 0%, 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, Blackstone Inc. (BX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 98x versus Morgan Stanley's 1. 80x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) trades at 15. 6x forward P/E versus 20. 5x for Blackstone Inc. — 4. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BX: 27. 8% to $156. 29.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Blackstone Inc. (BX) offers the highest yield at 6. 3%, versus 1. 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Icahn Enterprises L.

P. (IEP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 60), 6. 3% yield). Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a higher beta of 1. 53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IEP: +21. 8%, BX: +476. 1%), 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 (IEP (Industrials) and MS (Financial Services) and GS (Financial Services) and BX (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: IEP is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MS is a large-cap high-growth stock; GS is a large-cap high-growth stock; BX 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.