SSB vs ICE

For growth investors, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the stronger pick with 57.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 5% for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE). SouthState Corporation (SSB) offers the better valuation at 12. 6x trailing P/E (10. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SouthState Corporation (SSB) a "Buy" — based on 20 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, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the cheapest at 12.

6x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. at 26. 6x. On forward P/E, SouthState Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: SouthState Corporation wins at 0. 36x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. 's 2. 15x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) delivered a total return of +42. 4%, compared to +22. 8% for SouthState Corporation (SSB). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ICE returned +222. 9% versus SSB's +69. 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), Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 33β versus SouthState Corporation's 1. 02β — meaning SSB is approximately 213% more volatile than ICE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SouthState Corporation (SSB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 70% for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SouthState Corporation (SSB) is pulling ahead at 57.

0% versus 7. 5% for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. grew EPS 20. 7% year-over-year, compared to 12. 8% for SouthState 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.

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) is the more profitable company, earning 26. 1% net margin versus 21. 3% for SouthState Corporation — meaning it keeps 26. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ICE leads at 38. 7% versus 27. 9% for SSB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SSB leads at 68. 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, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 36x versus Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. 's 2. 15x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, SouthState Corporation (SSB) trades at 10. 4x forward P/E versus 19. 1x for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. — 8. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ICE: 27. 6% to $195. 71.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

SouthState Corporation (SSB) offers the highest yield at 2. 3%, versus 1. 3% for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

(ICE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 33), 1. 3% yield, +222. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ICE: +222. 9%, SSB: +69. 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: SSB is a small-cap high-growth stock; ICE 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.