SEIC vs VRTS vs NTRS vs BEN vs STT

For growth investors, State Street Corporation (STT) is the stronger pick with 19.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). 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 Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. 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 Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 50x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, State Street Corporation (STT) delivered a total return of +86.

2%, compared to -35. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STT returned +186. 8% versus BEN's +23. 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), SEI Investments Company (SEIC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

85β versus Franklin Resources, Inc. 's 1. 31β — meaning BEN is approximately 55% 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), State Street Corporation (STT) is pulling ahead at 19.

6% versus -9. 9% for Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: State Street Corporation grew EPS 47. 1% 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 6. 0% for Franklin Resources, 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 6. 9% for BEN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BEN leads at 80. 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.

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 Northern Trust Corporation's 1. 50x. 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%, BEN: +23. 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.

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; VRTS is a small-cap deep-value stock; NTRS is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; STT is a mid-cap high-growth 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.