LIVE vs CODI vs HCI vs FND vs TILE

For growth investors, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the stronger pick with 20. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 9% for Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE). Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) offers the better valuation at 2. 7x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) is the cheapest at 2.

7x versus Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. at 26. 8x. On forward P/E, HCI Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: HCI Group, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. 's 30. 50x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) delivered a total return of +105. 3%, compared to -64. 9% for Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCI returned +436. 8% versus LIVE's +33. 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), HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. 's 1. 80β — meaning FND is approximately 360% more volatile than HCI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 3% for Compass Diversified — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is pulling ahead at 20. 2% versus -5. 9% for Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HCI Group, Inc. grew EPS 179. 8% year-over-year, compared to -1426. 1% for Compass Diversified. Over a 3-year CAGR, HCI leads at 22. 3% 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.

HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the more profitable company, earning 33. 2% net margin versus -12. 2% for Compass Diversified — meaning it keeps 33. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HCI leads at 47. 7% versus 2. 3% for CODI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HCI leads at 73. 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.

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, HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. 's 30. 50x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) trades at 9. 2x forward P/E versus 150. 4x for Compass Diversified — 141. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TILE: 30. 7% to $36. 00.

In this comparison, CODI (4.

2% yield), HCI (1. 0% yield), TILE (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. LIVE, FND do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 1. 0% yield, +436. 8% 10Y return). Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (FND) carries a higher beta of 1. 80 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCI: +436. 8%, FND: +60. 7%), 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 (LIVE (Consumer Cyclical) and CODI (Industrials) and HCI (Financial Services) and FND (Consumer Cyclical) and TILE (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: LIVE is a small-cap deep-value stock; CODI is a small-cap income-oriented stock; HCI is a small-cap high-growth stock; FND is a small-cap quality compounder stock; TILE is a small-cap deep-value stock. CODI, HCI pay a dividend while LIVE, FND, TILE 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.