NEWTI vs NEWT vs HONE vs HTGC vs ARCC

For growth investors, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is the stronger pick with 32.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 0% for NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT). NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) offers the better valuation at 5. 8x trailing P/E (5. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC) a "Buy" — based on 31 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, NewtekOne, Inc.

(NEWT) is the cheapest at 5. 8x versus HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, NewtekOne, Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 9x. 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 NewtekOne, Inc. 8. 00% Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2028's 1. 33x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) delivered a total return of +47.

0%, compared to -23. 2% for NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HTGC returned +171. 6% versus NEWTI's +23. 7%. 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), NewtekOne, Inc.

8. 00% Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2028 (NEWTI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 53β versus NewtekOne, Inc. 's 1. 69β — meaning NEWT is approximately 218% more volatile than NEWTI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. (HONE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 90% versus 6% for NewtekOne, Inc. 8. 00% Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2028 — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is pulling ahead at 32.

9% versus 1. 0% for NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. grew EPS 78. 4% year-over-year, compared to -23. 8% for Ares Capital 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.

Hercules Capital, Inc.

(HTGC) is the more profitable company, earning 62. 1% net margin versus 8. 7% for HarborOne Bancorp, Inc. — meaning it keeps 62. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ARCC leads at 69. 7% versus 10. 9% for HONE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HTGC leads at 87. 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, NewtekOne, Inc. (NEWT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 72x versus NewtekOne, Inc. 8. 00% Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2028's 1. 33x. 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC) offers the highest yield at 8. 6%, versus 2. 0% for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC).

For long-horizon retirement investors, NewtekOne, Inc.

8. 00% Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2028 (NEWTI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 53), 4. 3% 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 (NEWTI: +23. 7%, 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: NEWTI is a small-cap deep-value stock; NEWT is a small-cap deep-value stock; HONE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HTGC is a small-cap high-growth stock; ARCC is a mid-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.