Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) vs The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CGABL | 83.1% revenue growth vs NRDS's 21.7% |
| Value | CGABL | Lower P/E (6.4x vs 11.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | CGABL | 18.8% net margin vs NRDS's 5.8% |
| Stability / Safety | CGABL | Beta 0.20 vs NRDS's 1.29 |
| Dividends | CGABL | 7.8% yield; NRDS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NRDS | +6.4% vs CGABL's +4.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NRDS | 10.6% ROA vs CGABL's 2.9%, ROIC 13.1% vs 15.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
NerdWallet operates a digital personal finance platform that connects consumers with financial product providers through educational content and product marketplaces. It generates revenue primarily through lead generation fees — earning commissions when users apply for financial products like credit cards, loans, and insurance through its platform. The company's moat lies in its trusted brand reputation and extensive educational content library that attracts a large, engaged audience seeking financial guidance.
The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 is a financing subsidiary that issues long-term debt securities to raise capital for The Carlyle Group's investment activities. It generates revenue through interest payments on these notes — which are subordinated to other debt — providing investors with fixed income while funding Carlyle's private equity, real estate, and credit investments. Its key advantage lies in being backed by The Carlyle Group's established global investment platform and creditworthiness, though the notes themselves represent a specific debt obligation rather than equity in the parent company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CGABL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). NRDS leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CGABL is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.4B annually — 6.5x NRDS's $837M. CGABL is the more profitable business, keeping 18.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NRDS's 5.8%.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $837M | $5.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $102M | $249M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $49M | $773M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $122M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +92.4% | +50.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +7.8% | +25.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +5.8% | +18.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.6% | +18.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -62.7% | -81.6% |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.4x trailing earnings, CGABL trades at a 63% valuation discount to NRDS's 17.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CGABL's 3.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than NRDS's 3.8x.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $344M | $6.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $246M | $5.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.95x | 6.35x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.61x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.33x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.77x | 3.26x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.41x | 1.17x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.20x | 0.91x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 2.64x | 6.26x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NRDS delivers a 13.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $10 for CGABL. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NRDS scores 8/9 vs CGABL's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.0% | +9.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.6% | +2.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.1% | +15.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +17.0% | +6.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$98M | -$1.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $98M | $1.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 122.00x | 2.60x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CGABL five years ago would be worth $9,271 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,834 for NRDS. Over the past 12 months, NRDS leads with a +6.4% total return vs CGABL's +4.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CGABL at 4.6% vs NRDS's -19.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -16.1% | +2.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +6.4% | +4.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -47.4% | +14.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.7% | -7.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.7% | -7.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -19.3% | +4.6% |
Risk & Volatility
CGABL is the less volatile stock with a 0.20 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NRDS's 1.29 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CGABL currently trades 93.6% from its 52-week high vs NRDS's 66.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.29x | 0.20x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.24 | $18.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.55 | $16.43 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +66.8% | +93.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.5 | 49.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 695K | 34K |
Analyst Outlook
CGABL is the only dividend payer here at 7.77% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NRDSNerdWallet, Inc. | CGABLThe Carlyle Group… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $16.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 6 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +7.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.37 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.6% | +8.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Nov 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 100 | 43.64 | -56.4% |
| The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) | 100 | 69.57 | -30.4% |
The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) returned -7% over 5 years vs NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS)'s -62%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | $228M | $837M | +266.4% |
| The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) | $2.3B | $5.4B | +138.6% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 10.6% | 5.8% | -45.1% |
| The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) | 0.7% | 18.8% | +2695.7% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) | 3 | 6.4 | +113.3% |
The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 has traded in a 3x–6x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~6x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) | 0.37 | 0.64 | +73.0% |
| The Carlyle Group I… (CGABL) | 0.05 | 2.77 | +5484.7% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
NerdWallet, Inc. generated $130M FCF in 2025 (+925% vs 2021). The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 generated $1B FCF in 2024 (-42% vs 2021).
NRDS vs CGABL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NRDS or CGABL a better buy right now?
The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) offers the better valuation at 6.4x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS) a "Buy" — based on 6 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.
02Which has the better valuation — NRDS or CGABL?
On trailing P/E, The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the cheapest at 6.4x versus NerdWallet, Inc. at 17.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NRDS or CGABL?
Over the past 5 years, The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) delivered a total return of -7.3%, compared to -61.7% for NerdWallet, Inc. (NRDS). A $10,000 investment in CGABL five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CGABL returned -7.3% versus NRDS's -61.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — NRDS or CGABL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.20β versus NerdWallet, Inc.'s 1.29β — meaning NRDS is approximately 534% more volatile than CGABL relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — NRDS or CGABL?
The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the more profitable company, earning 18.8% net margin versus 5.8% for NerdWallet, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CGABL leads at 25.2% versus 7.8% for NRDS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NRDS leads at 92.4%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — NRDS or CGABL?
In this comparison, CGABL (7.8% yield) pays a dividend. NRDS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is NRDS or CGABL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Carlyle Group Inc. 4.625% Subordinated Notes due 2061 (CGABL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.20), 7.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CGABL: -7.3%, NRDS: -61.7%), 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.
08What are the main differences between NRDS and CGABL?
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. CGABL pays a dividend while NRDS 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.
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