KRNY vs WAFD

For growth investors, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the stronger pick with 5. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 6% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD). WaFd, Inc. (WAFD) offers the better valuation at 13. 6x trailing P/E (10. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) a "Hold" — based on 5 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, WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) is the cheapest at 13. 6x versus Kearny Financial Corp. at 19. 3x. On forward P/E, WaFd, Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 9x.

Over the past 5 years, WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) delivered a total return of +22. 3%, compared to -20. 3% for Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WAFD returned +84. 0% versus KRNY's -7. 0%. 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), WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 81β versus Kearny Financial Corp. 's 0. 83β — meaning KRNY is approximately 2% more volatile than WAFD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, WaFd, Inc. (WAFD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 60% versus 168% for Kearny Financial Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is pulling ahead at 5. 1% versus -1. 6% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kearny Financial Corp. grew EPS 130. 2% year-over-year, compared to 5. 2% for WaFd, 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.

WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 0% net margin versus 7. 6% for Kearny Financial Corp. — meaning it keeps 16. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WAFD leads at 20. 5% versus 9. 0% for KRNY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WAFD leads at 50. 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.

On forward earnings alone, WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) trades at 10. 9x forward P/E versus 13. 0x for Kearny Financial Corp. — 2. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KRNY: 17. 1% to $9. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the highest yield at 5. 4%, versus 3. 0% for WaFd, Inc. (WAFD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, WaFd, Inc.

(WAFD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 81), 3. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WAFD: +84. 0%, KRNY: -7. 0%), 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: KRNY is a small-cap income-oriented stock; WAFD is a small-cap deep-value 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.