OPY vs MS vs GS vs SF vs LAZ

For growth investors, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) is the stronger pick with 17. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (OPY) offers the better valuation at 7. 3x trailing P/E (114. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (OPY) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

(OPY) is the cheapest at 7. 3x versus Morgan Stanley at 23. 9x. On forward P/E, Stifel Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 12. 1x — 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: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. wins at 1. 12x versus Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. 's 16. 34x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) delivered a total return of +164. 4%, compared to +20. 6% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MS returned +732. 3% versus LAZ's +100. 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), Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

(OPY) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 01β versus Lazard Ltd's 1. 79β — meaning LAZ is approximately 77% more volatile than OPY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 36% versus 5% for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

(GS) is pulling ahead at 17. 0% versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. grew EPS 104. 7% year-over-year, compared to -19. 0% for Lazard 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.

Morgan Stanley (MS) is the more profitable company, earning 13.

0% net margin versus 7. 4% for Lazard Ltd — meaning it keeps 13. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OPY leads at 22. 4% versus 13. 0% for LAZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SF leads at 86. 6%, 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, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 12x versus Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. 's 16. 34x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) trades at 12. 1x forward P/E versus 114. 3x for Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. — 102. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OPY: 110. 9% to $200. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 0. 7% for Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (OPY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

(OPY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 01), 0. 7% yield, +647. 3% 10Y return). Lazard Ltd (LAZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (OPY: +647. 3%, LAZ: +100. 4%), 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: OPY is a small-cap deep-value stock; MS is a large-cap high-growth stock; GS is a large-cap high-growth stock; SF is a mid-cap deep-value stock; LAZ is a small-cap income-oriented 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.