LEVI vs GES vs PVH vs HBI

For growth investors, Guess', Inc.

(GES) is the stronger pick with 7. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 1% for PVH Corp. (PVH). PVH Corp. (PVH) offers the better valuation at 8. 4x trailing P/E (8. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, PVH Corp.

(PVH) is the cheapest at 8. 4x versus Guess', Inc. at 21. 8x. On forward P/E, PVH Corp. is actually cheaper at 8. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Levi Strauss & Co.

(LEVI) delivered a total return of -16. 5%, compared to -66. 4% for Hanesbrands Inc. (HBI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GES returned +56. 6% versus HBI's -62. 6%. 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), Guess', Inc.

(GES) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 82β versus Hanesbrands Inc. 's 1. 72β — meaning HBI is approximately 108% more volatile than GES relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, PVH Corp. (PVH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 66% versus 75% for Hanesbrands Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Guess', Inc.

(GES) is pulling ahead at 7. 9% versus -6. 1% for PVH Corp. (PVH). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Levi Strauss & Co. grew EPS 178. 8% year-over-year, compared to -1698. 4% for Hanesbrands Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GES leads at 4. 9% annualised revenue growth. 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.

Levi Strauss & Co.

(LEVI) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 2% net margin versus -9. 1% for Hanesbrands Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LEVI leads at 10. 8% versus 5. 3% for HBI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LEVI leads at 61. 7%, 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, PVH Corp.

(PVH) trades at 8. 1x forward P/E versus 15. 2x for Levi Strauss & Co. — 7. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GES: 55. 8% to $26. 19.

In this comparison, GES (5.

6% yield), LEVI (2. 3% yield), PVH (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. HBI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Guess', Inc.

(GES) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 82), 5. 6% yield). Hanesbrands Inc. (HBI) carries a higher beta of 1. 72 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GES: +56. 6%, HBI: -62. 6%), 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 Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: LEVI is a small-cap deep-value stock; GES is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PVH is a small-cap deep-value stock; HBI is a small-cap quality compounder stock. LEVI, GES pay a dividend while PVH, HBI do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.