SEIC vs NTRS

For growth investors, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the stronger pick with 8.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). SEI Investments Company (SEIC) offers the better valuation at 16. 2x trailing P/E (15. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SEI Investments Company (SEIC) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the cheapest at 16.

2x versus Northern Trust Corporation at 18. 7x. On forward P/E, Northern Trust Corporation is actually cheaper at 15. 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: SEI Investments Company wins at 1. 15x versus Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 53x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) delivered a total return of +51.

0%, compared to +50. 0% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NTRS returned +173. 7% versus SEIC's +106. 6%. 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), SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

85β versus Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 14β — meaning NTRS is approximately 35% more volatile than SEIC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 127% for Northern Trust Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is pulling ahead at 8.

1% versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SEI Investments Company grew EPS 27. 7% year-over-year, compared to -10. 5% for Northern Trust Corporation. 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.

SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the more profitable company, earning 31.

1% net margin versus 12. 1% for Northern Trust Corporation — meaning it keeps 31. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SEIC leads at 27. 3% versus 16. 3% for NTRS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SEIC leads at 59. 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, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 15x versus Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 53x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) trades at 15. 1x forward P/E versus 15. 4x for SEI Investments Company — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SEIC: 10. 4% to $100. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) offers the highest yield at 1. 9%, versus 1. 1% for SEI Investments Company (SEIC).

For long-horizon retirement investors, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

85), 1. 1% yield, +106. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SEIC: +106. 6%, NTRS: +173. 7%), 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: SEIC is a mid-cap deep-value stock; NTRS 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.