PROV vs ICE vs KO vs PEP vs CME

For growth investors, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) is the stronger pick with 7. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. (PROV) offers the better valuation at 18. 4x trailing P/E (15. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE) a "Buy" — based on 36 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, Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

(PROV) is the cheapest at 18. 4x versus The Coca-Cola Company at 27. 2x. On forward P/E, Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 15. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: CME Group Inc. wins at 1. 60x versus PepsiCo, Inc. 's 5. 11x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) delivered a total return of +65.

6%, compared to +14. 3% for PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CME returned +262. 4% versus PROV's +25. 8%. 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), CME Group Inc.

(CME) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 28β versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. 's 0. 35β — meaning ICE is approximately -225% more volatile than CME relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CME Group Inc. (CME) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 2% for PepsiCo, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) is pulling ahead at 7. 5% versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Coca-Cola Company grew EPS 23. 6% year-over-year, compared to -13. 7% for PepsiCo, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, KO leads at 3. 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.

CME Group Inc.

(CME) is the more profitable company, earning 62. 0% net margin versus 8. 8% for PepsiCo, Inc. — meaning it keeps 62. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CME leads at 64. 9% versus 12. 2% for PEP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CME leads at 86. 1%, 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, CME Group Inc. (CME) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 60x versus PepsiCo, Inc. 's 5. 11x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. (PROV) trades at 15. 4x forward P/E versus 25. 3x for The Coca-Cola Company — 9. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ICE: 38. 0% to $194. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CME Group Inc. (CME) offers the highest yield at 4. 1%, versus 1. 4% for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, CME Group Inc.

(CME) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 28), 4. 1% yield, +262. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CME: +262. 4%, ICE: +195. 3%), 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 (PROV (Financial Services) and ICE (Financial Services) and KO (Consumer Defensive) and PEP (Consumer Defensive) and CME (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: PROV is a small-cap income-oriented stock; ICE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; KO is a large-cap quality compounder stock; PEP is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CME is a mid-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.