RITM vs ICE vs CME vs AGNC vs NLY

For growth investors, AGNC Investment Corp.

(AGNC) is the stronger pick with 384. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 4% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY). Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) offers the better valuation at 7. 7x trailing P/E (7. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Rithm Capital Corp. (RITM) 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, Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

(NLY) is the cheapest at 7. 7x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. at 27. 1x. On forward P/E, Rithm Capital Corp. is actually cheaper at 4. 3x — 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: CME Group Inc. wins at 1. 71x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. 's 2. 19x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, CME Group Inc.

(CME) delivered a total return of +64. 5%, compared to -2. 2% for AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CME returned +284. 9% versus NLY's +35. 5%. 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. 30β versus Rithm Capital Corp. 's 0. 86β — meaning RITM is approximately -382% more volatile than CME relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 7% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), AGNC Investment Corp.

(AGNC) is pulling ahead at 384. 7% versus 5. 4% for Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AGNC Investment Corp. grew EPS 1760% year-over-year, compared to -37. 7% for Rithm Capital Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RITM leads at 50. 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.

CME Group Inc.

(CME) is the more profitable company, earning 62. 0% net margin versus 12. 0% for Rithm Capital Corp. — meaning it keeps 62. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NLY leads at 102. 6% versus 38. 7% for ICE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGNC 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.

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. 71x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. 's 2. 19x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Rithm Capital Corp. (RITM) trades at 4. 3x forward P/E versus 23. 5x for CME Group Inc. — 19. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RITM: 39. 2% to $13. 63.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) offers the highest yield at 14. 7%, versus 1. 2% 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. 30), 3. 8% yield, +284. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CME: +284. 9%, RITM: +72. 5%), 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 (RITM (Real Estate) and ICE (Financial Services) and CME (Financial Services) and AGNC (Real Estate) and NLY (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: RITM is a small-cap high-growth stock; ICE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CME is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; AGNC is a small-cap high-growth stock; NLY is a mid-cap deep-value 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.