MFA vs EARN vs MITT vs GPMT vs AGNC

For growth investors, AGNC Investment Corp.

(AGNC) is the stronger pick with 384. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 4% for Ellington Credit Company (EARN). 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 TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc (MITT) a "Buy" — based on 18 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. 3x. 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, MFA Financial, Inc.

(MFA) delivered a total return of -0. 6%, compared to -65. 3% for Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (GPMT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGNC returned +46. 9% versus GPMT's -50. 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), Ellington Credit Company (EARN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

63β versus Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. 's 1. 44β — meaning GPMT is approximately 127% more volatile than EARN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 14% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust 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 -8. 4% for Ellington Credit Company (EARN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AGNC Investment Corp. grew EPS 1760% year-over-year, compared to -26. 8% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc. Over a 3-year CAGR, AGNC leads at 26. 4% 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.

MFA Financial, Inc.

(MFA) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 2% net margin versus -28. 3% for Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MITT leads at 96. 9% 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 7. 2x for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc — 2. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GPMT: 61. 3% to $2. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

MFA Financial, Inc. (MFA) offers the highest yield at 18. 4%, versus 10. 0% for TPG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc (MITT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ellington Credit Company (EARN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

63), 16. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EARN: +31. 3%, GPMT: -50. 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 (Unknown) and EARN (Financial Services) and MITT (Real Estate) and GPMT (Real Estate) and AGNC (Real Estate)), 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; EARN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MITT is a small-cap deep-value stock; GPMT is a small-cap high-growth stock; AGNC 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.