Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) vs Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | MFIN | 14.6% revenue growth vs CPSS's 11.8% |
| Value | CPSS | Lower P/E (3.3x vs 7.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | MFIN | 12.3% net margin vs CPSS's 4.9% |
| Stability / Safety | CPSS | Beta 0.46 vs MFIN's 0.57 |
| Dividends | MFIN | 3.9% yield; 3-year raise streak; CPSS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MFIN | +25.3% vs CPSS's -19.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MFIN | 1.5% ROA vs CPSS's 0.5%, ROIC 6.8% vs 0.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Medallion Financial is a specialty finance company that provides loans for recreational vehicles, home improvements, commercial businesses, and taxi medallions. It generates revenue primarily through interest income from its lending segments — recreation lending, home improvement lending, commercial lending, and medallion lending — with the recreation segment being its largest. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized expertise in niche lending markets where traditional banks are less active, particularly in taxi medallion financing where it has deep industry knowledge.
Consumer Portfolio Services is a specialty finance company that purchases and services subprime auto loans from car dealerships. It generates revenue primarily from interest income on these auto loans — which constitute nearly all of its earnings — supplemented by fees from loan servicing and ancillary products. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized underwriting expertise for non-prime borrowers and established relationships with dealership networks that provide a steady flow of loan originations.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
MFIN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CPSS leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CPSS and MFIN operate at a comparable scale, with $394M and $292M in trailing revenue. MFIN is the more profitable business, keeping 12.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CPSS's 4.9%.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $292M | $394M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $86M | $29M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $45M | $19M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $121M | $281M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +43.6% | +52.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.6% | +7.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.3% | +4.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +39.6% | +59.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.5% | 0.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.6x trailing earnings, MFIN trades at a 35% valuation discount to CPSS's 10.3x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), MFIN offers better value at 0.07x vs CPSS's 0.35x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $298M | $179M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $489M | $3.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.64x | 10.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 7.08x | 3.31x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.07x | 0.35x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.07x | 113.07x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.02x | 0.46x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.54x | 0.67x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 2.58x | 0.77x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MFIN delivers a 9.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $9 in annual profit, vs $6 for CPSS. MFIN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.66x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CPSS's 10.78x.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +9.0% | +6.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.5% | +0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.8% | +0.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.2% | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.66x | 10.78x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $190M | $3.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $98M | $137M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $289M | $3.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.80x | 0.12x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CPSS five years ago would be worth $18,881 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,112 for MFIN. Over the past 12 months, MFIN leads with a +25.3% total return vs CPSS's -19.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MFIN at 9.8% vs CPSS's -9.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.9% | -11.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +25.3% | -19.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +32.5% | -26.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +61.1% | +88.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +50.0% | +84.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +9.8% | -9.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CPSS is the less volatile stock with a 0.46 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MFIN's 0.57 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MFIN currently trades 91.7% from its 52-week high vs CPSS's 77.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.57x | 0.46x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.00 | $10.51 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.78 | $6.67 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +91.7% | +77.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 47.8 | 47.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 35K | 14K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MFIN as "Hold" and CPSS as "Buy". MFIN is the only dividend payer here at 3.94% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MFINMedallion Financi… | CPSSConsumer Portfoli… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 4 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.9% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.40 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.5% | +7.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medallion Financial… (MFIN) | 100 | 186.33 | +86.3% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 100 | 244.57 | +144.6% |
Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) returned +89% over 5 years vs Medallion Financial… (MFIN)'s +61%. A $10,000 investment in CPSS 5 years ago would be worth $18,881 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medallion Financial… (MFIN) | $56M | $292M | +425.5% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | $364M | $394M | +8.2% |
Medallion Financial Corp.'s revenue grew from $56M (2015) to $292M (2024) — a 20.2% CAGR. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s revenue grew from $364M (2015) to $394M (2024) — a 0.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medallion Financial… (MFIN) | 52.9% | 12.3% | -76.8% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 9.5% | 4.9% | -48.8% |
Medallion Financial Corp.'s net margin went from 53% (2015) to 12% (2024). Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2015) to 5% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medallion Financial… (MFIN) | 353 | 6.2 | -98.2% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 29.6 | 13.7 | -53.7% |
Medallion Financial Corp. has traded in a 3x–353x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~7x. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. has traded in a 3x–30x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medallion Financial… (MFIN) | 1.2 | 1.52 | +26.7% |
| Consumer Portfolio … (CPSS) | 1.1 | 0.79 | -28.2% |
Medallion Financial Corp.'s EPS grew from $1.20 (2015) to $1.52 (2024) — a 3% CAGR. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.10 (2015) to $0.79 (2024) — a -4% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Medallion Financial Corp. generated $116M FCF in 2024 (+47% vs 2021). Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. generated $233M FCF in 2024 (+19% vs 2021).
MFIN vs CPSS: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MFIN or CPSS a better buy right now?
Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) offers the better valuation at 6.6x trailing P/E (7.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) a "Buy" — based on 4 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.
02Which has the better valuation — MFIN or CPSS?
On trailing P/E, Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) is the cheapest at 6.6x versus Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. at 10.3x. On forward P/E, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 3.3x — 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: Medallion Financial Corp. wins at 0.08x versus Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s 0.11x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MFIN or CPSS?
Over the past 5 years, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) delivered a total return of +88.8%, compared to +61.1% for Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN). A $10,000 investment in CPSS five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CPSS returned +84.5% versus MFIN'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.
04Which is safer — MFIN or CPSS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.46β versus Medallion Financial Corp.'s 0.57β — meaning MFIN is approximately 24% more volatile than CPSS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 66% versus 11% for Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MFIN or CPSS?
Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) is the more profitable company, earning 12.3% net margin versus 4.9% for Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MFIN leads at 21.6% versus 7.0% for CPSS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CPSS leads at 52.7%, 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.
06Is MFIN or CPSS more undervalued right now?
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, Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.08x versus Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.'s 0.11x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (CPSS) trades at 3.3x forward P/E versus 7.1x for Medallion Financial Corp. — 3.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — MFIN or CPSS?
In this comparison, MFIN (3.9% yield) pays a dividend. CPSS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is MFIN or CPSS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.57), 3.9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MFIN: +50.0%, CPSS: +84.5%), 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.
09What are the main differences between MFIN and CPSS?
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. MFIN pays a dividend while CPSS does 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.
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