NU vs DAVE vs SOFI vs AFRM vs UPST

For growth investors, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is the stronger pick with 58. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 28. 8% for SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI). Dave Inc. (DAVE) offers the better valuation at 18. 4x trailing P/E (19. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU) a "Buy" — based on 22 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, Dave Inc.

(DAVE) is the cheapest at 18. 4x versus Affirm Holdings, Inc. at 449. 1x. On forward P/E, Upstart Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) delivered a total return of +38. 0%, compared to -69. 8% for Upstart Holdings, Inc. (UPST). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SOFI returned +52. 7% versus AFRM's -30. 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), Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 37β versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. 's 2. 96β — meaning UPST is approximately 116% more volatile than NU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 3% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is pulling ahead at 58. 9% versus 28. 8% for SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Dave Inc. grew EPS 222. 9% year-over-year, compared to 0. 0% for SoFi Technologies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, DAVE leads at 35. 7% annualised revenue growth. 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.

Dave Inc.

(DAVE) is the more profitable company, earning 38. 3% net margin versus 1. 6% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 38. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NU leads at 25. 2% versus -2. 7% for AFRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UPST leads at 95. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) trades at 14. 7x forward P/E versus 62. 5x for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — 47. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UPST: 55. 8% to $45. 17.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Nu Holdings Ltd.

(NU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Affirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) carries a higher beta of 2. 72 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NU: +38. 0%, AFRM: -30. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (NU (Financial Services) and DAVE (Technology) and SOFI (Financial Services) and AFRM (Technology) and UPST (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.