NOAH vs BEN vs IVZ vs AMG vs APAM

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. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. wins at 0. 23x versus Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. 's 2. 76x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

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: APAM returned +126. 0% 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: APAM leads at 33. 4% 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.

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, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (AMG) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 23x versus Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. 's 2. 76x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. 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), APAM (10. 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; APAM is a small-cap deep-value stock. NOAH, BEN, IVZ, APAM 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.