MFA vs AGNC vs NLY vs TWO vs EARN

For growth investors, AGNC Investment Corp.

(AGNC) is the stronger pick with 384. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -28. 4% for Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO). MFA Financial, Inc. (MFA) offers the better valuation at 5. 8x trailing P/E (7. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) a "Buy" — based on 28 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, MFA Financial, Inc.

(MFA) is the cheapest at 5. 8x versus Ellington Credit Company at 20. 2x. On forward P/E, Ellington Credit Company is actually cheaper at 4. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) delivered a total return of +2. 2%, compared to -17. 9% for Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGNC returned +47. 8% versus TWO's -5. 8%. 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), Two Harbors Investment Corp.

(TWO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 49β versus MFA Financial, Inc. 's 0. 77β — meaning MFA is approximately 57% more volatile than TWO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 7% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), AGNC Investment Corp.

(AGNC) is pulling ahead at 384. 7% versus -28. 4% for Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AGNC Investment Corp. grew EPS 1760% year-over-year, compared to -284. 0% for Two Harbors Investment Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TWO leads at 263. 5% 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.

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the more profitable company, earning 30. 3% net margin versus -75. 0% for Two Harbors Investment Corp. — meaning it keeps 30. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NLY leads at 102. 6% versus 14. 0% for EARN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGNC leads at 100. 0%, 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, Ellington Credit Company (EARN) trades at 4.

6x forward P/E versus 11. 9x for Two Harbors Investment Corp. — 7. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EARN: 23. 7% to $6. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

MFA Financial, Inc. (MFA) offers the highest yield at 18. 3%, versus 13. 0% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Two Harbors Investment Corp.

(TWO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 49), 13. 4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TWO: -5. 8%, MFA: +9. 0%), 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 (MFA (Real Estate) and AGNC (Real Estate) and NLY (Real Estate) and TWO (Real Estate) and EARN (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: MFA is a small-cap high-growth stock; AGNC is a small-cap high-growth stock; NLY is a mid-cap deep-value stock; TWO is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EARN is a small-cap income-oriented 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.