SEIC vs VRTS

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

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the better valuation at 7. 1x trailing P/E (5. 5x 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, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

(VRTS) is the cheapest at 7. 1x versus SEI Investments Company at 16. 0x. On forward P/E, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. wins at 0. 38x versus SEI Investments Company's 1. 13x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, SEI Investments Company (SEIC) delivered a total return of +49.

1%, compared to -35. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTS returned +142. 6% versus SEIC's +101. 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 Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. 's 1. 14β — meaning VRTS is approximately 34% 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 3% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. — 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 -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SEI Investments Company grew EPS 27. 7% year-over-year, compared to 18. 2% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.. 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 16. 7% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. — 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 17. 4% for VRTS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VRTS leads at 74. 9%, 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, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 38x versus SEI Investments Company's 1. 13x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) trades at 5. 5x forward P/E versus 15. 2x for SEI Investments Company — 9. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VRTS: 15. 0% to $163. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, 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, +101. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SEIC: +101. 6%, VRTS: +142. 6%), 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.

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.