OCFT vs FICO vs OPEN vs UPST vs AI

For growth investors, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is the stronger pick with 58. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -38. 7% for OneConnect Financial Technology Co. , Ltd. (OCFT). Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) offers the better valuation at 42. 6x trailing P/E (26. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) a "Buy" — based on 18 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, Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) is the cheapest at 42.

6x versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. at 64. 4x. On forward P/E, OneConnect Financial Technology Co. , Ltd. is actually cheaper at 4. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Upstart Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 94x versus Fair Isaac Corporation's 0. 95x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) delivered a total return of +127.

7%, compared to -94. 4% for OneConnect Financial Technology Co. , Ltd. (OCFT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FICO returned +945. 7% versus OCFT's -92. 1%. 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), OneConnect Financial Technology Co.

, Ltd. (OCFT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 30β versus Opendoor Technologies Inc. 's 3. 05β — meaning OPEN is approximately 919% more volatile than OCFT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, C3. ai, Inc. (AI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 2% for Upstart 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 -38. 7% for OneConnect Financial Technology Co. , Ltd. (OCFT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Upstart Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 131. 3% year-over-year, compared to -203. 6% for Opendoor Technologies Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AI leads at 15. 5% 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.

Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) is the more profitable company, earning 32.

7% net margin versus -74. 2% for C3. ai, Inc. — meaning it keeps 32. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FICO leads at 46. 5% versus -83. 4% for AI. 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.

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, Upstart Holdings, Inc. (UPST) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 94x versus Fair Isaac Corporation's 0. 95x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, OneConnect Financial Technology Co. , Ltd. (OCFT) trades at 4. 7x forward P/E versus 26. 2x for Fair Isaac Corporation — 21. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FICO: 41. 1% to $1593. 56.

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, Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

82), +945. 7% 10Y return). C3. ai, Inc. (AI) carries a higher beta of 2. 52 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (FICO: +945. 7%, AI: -81. 9%), 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 (OCFT (Technology) and FICO (Technology) and OPEN (Real Estate) and UPST (Financial Services) and AI (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: OCFT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; FICO is a mid-cap high-growth stock; OPEN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; UPST is a small-cap high-growth stock; AI is a small-cap high-growth 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.