LDI vs GHLD

For growth investors, Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) is the stronger pick with 60.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 37. 6% for loanDepot, Inc. (LDI). Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) offers the better valuation at 12. 8x trailing P/E (10. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate loanDepot, Inc. (LDI) a "Hold" — based on 12 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 forward P/E, Guild Holdings Company is actually cheaper at 10.

2x.

Over the past 5 years, Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) delivered a total return of +58.

4%, compared to -89. 9% for loanDepot, Inc. (LDI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GHLD returned +58. 4% versus LDI's -89. 4%. 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), Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

04β versus loanDepot, Inc. 's 2. 11β — meaning LDI is approximately 4935% more volatile than GHLD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 13% for loanDepot, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) is pulling ahead at 60.

9% versus 37. 6% for loanDepot, Inc. (LDI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Guild Holdings Company grew EPS 343. 8% year-over-year, compared to 43. 4% for loanDepot, 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.

Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

3% net margin versus -4. 1% for loanDepot, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LDI leads at 13. 2% versus 10. 1% for GHLD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GHLD leads at 90. 6%, 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, Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) trades at 10.

2x forward P/E versus 13. 0x for loanDepot, Inc. — 2. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LDI: 48. 6% to $2. 08.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) offers the highest yield at 2. 5%, versus 0. 8% for loanDepot, Inc. (LDI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Guild Holdings Company (GHLD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

04), 2. 5% yield). loanDepot, Inc. (LDI) carries a higher beta of 2. 11 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GHLD: +58. 4%, LDI: -89. 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.

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.