MCY vs HCI

For growth investors, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the stronger pick with 20. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 4% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). HCI Group, Inc. (HCI) offers the better valuation at 6. 2x trailing P/E (9. 3x forward), 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, HCI Group, Inc.

(HCI) is the cheapest at 6. 2x versus Mercury General Corporation at 9. 8x. On forward P/E, HCI Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 3x. 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 Mercury General Corporation's 1. 40x — 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 +110. 5%, compared to +53. 2% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HCI returned +451. 6% versus MCY's +124. 1%. 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 Mercury General Corporation's 0. 54β — meaning MCY is approximately 39% 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 25% for Mercury General Corporation — 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 9. 4% for Mercury General Corporation (MCY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HCI Group, Inc. grew EPS 179. 8% year-over-year, compared to 15. 6% for Mercury General Corporation. 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 9. 0% for Mercury General Corporation — 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 11. 1% for MCY. 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 Mercury General Corporation's 1. 40x. 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. 3x forward P/E versus 10. 7x for Mercury General Corporation — 1. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MCY: -6. 3% to $90. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Mercury General Corporation (MCY) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 1. 0% for HCI Group, Inc. (HCI).

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, +451. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HCI: +451. 6%, MCY: +124. 1%), 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: MCY is a small-cap deep-value stock; HCI is a small-cap high-growth 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.