NOAH vs BEN vs IVZ vs AMG

For growth investors, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) is the stronger pick with 19. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -21. 1% for Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH). Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) offers the better valuation at 2. 2x trailing P/E (1. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) is the cheapest at 2.

2x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. On forward P/E, Noah Holdings Limited is actually cheaper at 1. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) delivered a total return of +71. 7%, compared to -67. 2% for Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMG returned +86. 2% versus NOAH's -41. 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), Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

98β versus Invesco Ltd. 's 1. 67β — meaning IVZ is approximately 71% more volatile than NOAH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 94% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) is pulling ahead at 19. 8% versus -21. 1% for Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. grew EPS 50. 3% year-over-year, compared to -235. 6% for Invesco Ltd.. 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.

Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.

(AMG) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 3% net margin versus -4. 4% for Invesco Ltd. — meaning it keeps 29. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMG leads at 31. 8% versus -10. 9% for IVZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMG leads at 86. 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, Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) trades at 1.

1x forward P/E versus 11. 2x for Franklin Resources, Inc. — 10. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMG: 11. 3% to $331. 50.

In this comparison, NOAH (97.

4% yield), BEN (4. 3% yield), IVZ (3. 1% yield) pay a dividend. AMG does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Noah Holdings Limited (NOAH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

98), 97. 4% yield). Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 67 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NOAH: -41. 8%, IVZ: +22. 1%), 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: NOAH is a small-cap deep-value stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; IVZ is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; AMG is a small-cap high-growth stock. NOAH, BEN, IVZ pay a dividend while AMG 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.