OMCC vs GAIN vs HTGC vs CSWC vs ARCC

For growth investors, Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC) is the stronger pick with 73.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -12. 9% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC) offers the better valuation at 8. 7x trailing P/E (8. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC) a "Buy" — based on 31 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, Hercules Capital, Inc.

(HTGC) is the cheapest at 8. 7x versus Capital Southwest Corporation at 16. 2x. On forward P/E, Hercules Capital, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) delivered a total return of +74.

7%, compared to -31. 4% for Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GAIN returned +321. 5% versus OMCC's -31. 4%. 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), Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

10β versus Capital Southwest Corporation's 0. 81β — meaning CSWC is approximately -888% more volatile than OMCC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 112% for Ares Capital Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC) is pulling ahead at 73.

1% versus -12. 9% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Old Market Capital Corporation grew EPS 73. 1% year-over-year, compared to -28. 3% for Capital Southwest Corporation. 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.

Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the more profitable company, earning 72.

7% net margin versus -47. 9% for Old Market Capital Corporation — meaning it keeps 72. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GAIN leads at 72. 7% versus -77. 2% for OMCC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OMCC leads at 100. 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, Hercules Capital, Inc.

(HTGC) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 41. 0x for Gladstone Investment Corporation — 32. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HTGC: 15. 4% to $18. 63.

In this comparison, CSWC (10.

2% yield), GAIN (10. 0% yield), HTGC (8. 8% yield), ARCC (2. 0% yield) pay a dividend. OMCC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

51), 10. 0% yield, +321. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GAIN: +321. 5%, ARCC: +139. 6%), 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: OMCC is a small-cap high-growth stock; GAIN is a small-cap deep-value stock; HTGC is a small-cap high-growth stock; CSWC is a small-cap deep-value stock; ARCC is a mid-cap high-growth stock. GAIN, HTGC, CSWC, ARCC pay a dividend while OMCC 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.