SF vs PJT

For growth investors, PJT Partners Inc.

(PJT) is the stronger pick with 14. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 9% for Stifel Financial Corp. (SF). Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) offers the better valuation at 13. 2x trailing P/E (12. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) a "Buy" — based on 22 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, Stifel Financial Corp.

(SF) is the cheapest at 13. 2x versus PJT Partners Inc. at 22. 7x. On forward P/E, Stifel Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 12. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Stifel Financial Corp. wins at 1. 73x versus PJT Partners Inc. 's 2. 34x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, PJT Partners Inc.

(PJT) delivered a total return of +122. 3%, compared to +77. 2% for Stifel Financial Corp. (SF). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PJT returned +632. 1% versus SF's +516. 7%. 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), PJT Partners Inc.

(PJT) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 10β versus Stifel Financial Corp. 's 1. 23β — meaning SF is approximately 12% more volatile than PJT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 36% versus 41% for PJT Partners Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), PJT Partners Inc.

(PJT) is pulling ahead at 14. 8% versus 6. 9% for Stifel Financial Corp. (SF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: PJT Partners Inc. grew EPS 35. 8% year-over-year, compared to -5. 9% for Stifel Financial Corp.. 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.

Stifel Financial Corp.

(SF) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 9% net margin versus 10. 5% for PJT Partners Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PJT leads at 21. 2% versus 13. 8% for SF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SF leads at 86. 6%, 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, Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 73x versus PJT Partners Inc. 's 2. 34x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 20. 4x for PJT Partners Inc. — 8. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SF: 20. 2% to $93. 44.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) offers the highest yield at 2. 4%, versus 0. 6% for PJT Partners Inc. (PJT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, PJT Partners Inc.

(PJT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 10), 0. 6% yield, +632. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PJT: +632. 1%, SF: +516. 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: SF is a mid-cap deep-value stock; PJT is a small-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.