NEWT vs HONE vs BYFC vs CARV vs MFIN

For growth investors, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is the stronger pick with 21. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 3% for Carver Bancorp, Inc. (CARV). Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) offers the better valuation at 5. 4x trailing P/E (8. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) a "Hold" — based on 9 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, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is the cheapest at 5. 4x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, NewtekOne, Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 9x — 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: NewtekOne, Inc. wins at 0. 72x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. 's 0. 89x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) delivered a total return of +23. 2%, compared to -79. 3% for Carver Bancorp, Inc. (CARV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NEWT returned +142. 9% versus CARV's -53. 6%. 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), Broadway Financial Corporation (BYFC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

02β versus NewtekOne, Inc. 's 1. 69β — meaning NEWT is approximately 6704% more volatile than BYFC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Broadway Financial Corporation (BYFC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 58% versus 2% for NewtekOne, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is pulling ahead at 21. 1% versus -8. 3% for Carver Bancorp, Inc. (CARV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. grew EPS 78. 4% year-over-year, compared to -81. 8% for Broadway Financial Corporation. 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.

NewtekOne, Inc.

(NEWT) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 8% net margin versus -39. 3% for Broadway Financial Corporation — meaning it keeps 18. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MFIN leads at 50. 5% versus -38. 8% for BYFC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MFIN leads at 96. 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.

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, NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 72x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. 's 0. 89x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) trades at 5. 9x forward P/E versus 13. 3x for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — 7. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HONE: 15. 7% to $14. 00.

In this comparison, NEWT (8.

0% yield), MFIN (4. 7% yield), BYFC (3. 5% yield), HONE (2. 6% yield) pay a dividend. CARV does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

02), 3. 5% yield). NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) carries a higher beta of 1. 69 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BYFC: -37. 6%, NEWT: +142. 9%), 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: NEWT is a small-cap deep-value stock; HONE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BYFC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CARV is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MFIN is a small-cap high-growth stock. NEWT, HONE, BYFC, MFIN pay a dividend while CARV 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.