SF vs RJF vs PJT vs LAZ vs HLI

For growth investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger pick with 24. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). 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 Houlihan Lokey, Inc. at 25. 8x. 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: Raymond James Financial, Inc. wins at 0. 62x versus PJT Partners Inc. 's 2. 34x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) delivered a total return of +142. 2%, compared to +19. 4% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PJT returned +632. 1% versus LAZ's +94. 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), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Lazard Ltd's 1. 79β — meaning LAZ is approximately 91% more volatile than HLI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 20% versus 3% for Lazard Ltd — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is pulling ahead at 24. 8% versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Houlihan Lokey, Inc. grew EPS 41. 6% year-over-year, compared to -19. 0% for Lazard Ltd. 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.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 7% net margin versus 7. 4% for Lazard Ltd — meaning it keeps 16. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RJF leads at 28. 7% versus 13. 0% for LAZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RJF leads at 88. 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, Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x versus PJT Partners Inc. 's 2. 34x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. 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 HLI: 33. 2% to $200. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the highest yield at 3. 9%, versus 0. 6% for PJT Partners Inc. (PJT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94), 1. 6% yield, +599. 6% 10Y return). Lazard Ltd (LAZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HLI: +599. 6%, LAZ: +94. 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: SF is a mid-cap deep-value stock; RJF is a mid-cap deep-value stock; PJT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LAZ is a small-cap income-oriented stock; HLI 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.