TCPC vs BLK vs APO vs KKR vs CG

For growth investors, The Carlyle Group Inc.

(CG) is the stronger pick with 19. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -467. 7% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (14. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) a "Buy" — based on 33 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, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the cheapest at 17. 6x versus KKR & Co. Inc. at 42. 9x. On forward P/E, BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. is actually cheaper at 5. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Apollo Global Management, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) delivered a total return of +135. 1%, compared to -24. 2% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APO returned +759. 2% versus TCPC's +21. 9%. 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), BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.

(TCPC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 77β versus The Carlyle Group Inc. 's 1. 88β — meaning CG is approximately 143% more volatile than TCPC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 197% for The Carlyle Group Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Carlyle Group Inc.

(CG) is pulling ahead at 19. 8% versus -467. 7% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: BlackRock, Inc. grew EPS 15. 1% year-over-year, compared to -32. 9% for BlackRock TCP Capital 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.

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.

(TCPC) is the more profitable company, earning 116. 5% net margin versus 12. 3% for KKR & Co. Inc. — meaning it keeps 116. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BLK leads at 37. 1% versus 2. 4% for KKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TCPC leads at 122. 1%, 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, Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) trades at 5. 6x forward P/E versus 20. 1x for BlackRock, Inc. — 14. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TCPC: 83. 5% to $8. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) offers the highest yield at 25. 7%, versus 0. 8% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.

(TCPC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 77), 25. 7% yield). The Carlyle Group Inc. (CG) carries a higher beta of 1. 88 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TCPC: +21. 9%, CG: +281. 0%), 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: TCPC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BLK is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; APO is a mid-cap high-growth stock; KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CG 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.