SCI vs SPGI vs MCO vs CSV vs ICE

For growth investors, Moody's Corporation (MCO) is the stronger pick with 8.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 9% for Service Corporation International (SCI). Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) offers the better valuation at 14. 3x trailing P/E (13. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Service Corporation International (SCI) a "Buy" — based on 9 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, Carriage Services, Inc.

(CSV) is the cheapest at 14. 3x versus Moody's Corporation at 32. 8x. On forward P/E, Carriage Services, Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Carriage Services, Inc. wins at 0. 46x versus Moody's Corporation's 3. 44x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Service Corporation International (SCI) delivered a total return of +51.

3%, compared to +13. 3% for S&P Global Inc. (SPGI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MCO returned +401. 6% versus CSV's +112. 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), Service Corporation International (SCI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

11β versus Moody's Corporation's 0. 86β — meaning MCO is approximately 659% more volatile than SCI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, S&P Global Inc. (SPGI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 39% versus 3% for Service Corporation International — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Moody's Corporation (MCO) is pulling ahead at 8.

9% versus 2. 9% for Service Corporation International (SCI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Carriage Services, Inc. grew EPS 54. 8% year-over-year, compared to 7. 6% for Service Corporation International. Over a 3-year CAGR, CSV leads at 4. 1% 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.

Moody's Corporation (MCO) is the more profitable company, earning 31.

9% net margin versus 12. 3% for Carriage Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 31. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MCO leads at 44. 8% versus 22. 6% for SCI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SPGI leads at 70. 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, Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 46x versus Moody's Corporation's 3. 44x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Carriage Services, Inc. (CSV) trades at 13. 6x forward P/E versus 26. 9x for Moody's Corporation — 13. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SPGI: 29. 4% to $548. 11.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Service Corporation International (SCI) offers the highest yield at 1. 6%, versus 0. 9% for Moody's Corporation (MCO).

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

11), 1. 6% yield, +226. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SCI: +226. 8%, CSV: +112. 1%), 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 (SCI (Consumer Cyclical) and SPGI (Financial Services) and MCO (Financial Services) and CSV (Consumer Cyclical) and ICE (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SCI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SPGI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; MCO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CSV is a small-cap deep-value stock; ICE is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.