MAGN vs ESNT vs MTG vs AVNT

For growth investors, Magnera Corp.

(MAGN) is the stronger pick with 46. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 5% for MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG). MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) offers the better valuation at 8. 5x trailing P/E (8. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT) a "Buy" — based on 19 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, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) is the cheapest at 8.

5x versus Avient Corporation at 41. 0x. On forward P/E, MGIC Investment Corporation is actually cheaper at 8. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: MGIC Investment Corporation wins at 0. 44x versus Essent Group Ltd. 's 2. 23x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) delivered a total return of +101.

0%, compared to -89. 5% for Magnera Corp. (MAGN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MTG returned +333. 0% versus MAGN's -82. 3%. 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), Essent Group Ltd.

(ESNT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 38β versus Magnera Corp. 's 1. 55β — meaning MAGN is approximately 309% more volatile than ESNT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 9% versus 189% for Magnera Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Magnera Corp.

(MAGN) is pulling ahead at 46. 5% versus 0. 5% for MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: MGIC Investment Corporation grew EPS 8. 7% year-over-year, compared to -51. 6% for Avient Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, MAGN leads at 29. 0% 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.

MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) is the more profitable company, earning 60.

8% net margin versus -5. 0% for Magnera Corp. — meaning it keeps 60. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MTG leads at 76. 5% versus 2. 9% for MAGN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MTG leads at 94. 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.

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, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 44x versus Essent Group Ltd. 's 2. 23x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) trades at 8. 6x forward P/E versus 14. 9x for Magnera Corp. — 6. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MAGN: 48. 6% to $17. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Magnera Corp. (MAGN) offers the highest yield at 100. 0%, versus 1. 8% for Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

43), 2. 2% yield, +333. 0% 10Y return). Magnera Corp. (MAGN) carries a higher beta of 1. 55 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MTG: +333. 0%, MAGN: -82. 3%), 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 (MAGN (Industrials) and ESNT (Financial Services) and MTG (Financial Services) and AVNT (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: MAGN is a small-cap high-growth stock; ESNT is a small-cap deep-value stock; MTG is a small-cap deep-value stock; AVNT is a small-cap quality compounder 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.