SCVL vs BURL

For growth investors, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is the stronger pick with 8. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 3% for Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL). Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) offers the better valuation at 6. 6x trailing P/E (9. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) a "Buy" — based on 35 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, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the cheapest at 6. 6x versus Burlington Stores, Inc. at 32. 2x. On forward P/E, Shoe Carnival, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) delivered a total return of -7. 4%, compared to -38. 5% for Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BURL returned +440. 2% versus SCVL's +62. 2%. 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), Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 30β versus Shoe Carnival, Inc. 's 1. 45β — meaning SCVL is approximately 11% more volatile than BURL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 57% versus 103% for Burlington Stores, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is pulling ahead at 8. 9% versus 2. 3% for Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Burlington Stores, Inc. grew EPS 21. 9% year-over-year, compared to 0. 0% for Shoe Carnival, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BURL leads at 10. 0% 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.

Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 1% net margin versus 5. 3% for Burlington Stores, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SCVL leads at 7. 6% versus 7. 3% for BURL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BURL leads at 40. 3%, 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, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) trades at 9. 4x forward P/E versus 31. 3x for Burlington Stores, Inc. — 22. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SCVL: 23. 6% to $22. 00.

In this comparison, SCVL (3.

0% yield) pays a dividend. BURL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (3. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SCVL: +62. 2%, BURL: +440. 2%), 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 Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: SCVL is a small-cap deep-value stock; BURL is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. SCVL pays a dividend while BURL 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.