Compare Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) vs Evercore Inc. (EVR) Stock

Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) offers the better valuation at 12.7x trailing P/E (11.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Evercore Inc. (EVR) a "Buy" — based on 21 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, Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) is the cheapest at 12.7x versus Evercore Inc. at 34.0x. On forward P/E, Nomura Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Nomura Holdings, Inc. wins at 1.04x versus Evercore Inc.'s 2.94x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Evercore Inc. (EVR) delivered a total return of +159.4%, compared to +69.6% for Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR). A $10,000 investment in EVR five years ago would be worth approximately $26K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EVR returned +614.6% versus NMR's +160.8%. 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), Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) is the lower-risk stock at 1.19β versus Evercore Inc.'s 1.82β — meaning EVR is approximately 52% more volatile than NMR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Evercore Inc. (EVR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 9% for Nomura Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the more profitable company, earning 12.6% net margin versus 7.6% for Nomura Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EVR leads at 17.8% versus 10.5% for NMR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EVR leads at 99.4%, 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, Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1.04x versus Evercore Inc.'s 2.94x. A PEG below 1.5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) trades at 11.3x forward P/E versus 16.7x for Evercore Inc. — 5.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EVR: 29.1% to $398.83.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) offers the highest yield at 2.6%, versus 1.1% for Evercore Inc. (EVR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NMR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.19), 2.6% yield, +160.8% 10Y return). Evercore Inc. (EVR) carries a higher beta of 1.82 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NMR: +160.8%, EVR: +614.6%), 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: NMR is a mid-cap deep-value stock; EVR is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.