TROW vs BEN

For growth investors, Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) is the stronger pick with 3. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 1% for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW). T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) offers the better valuation at 11. 5x trailing P/E (11. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) a "Hold" — based on 38 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, T.

Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) is the cheapest at 11. 5x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 34. 2x. On forward P/E, Franklin Resources, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) delivered a total return of +9. 7%, compared to -29. 2% for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TROW returned +96. 8% versus BEN's +24. 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), T.

Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 18β versus Franklin Resources, Inc. 's 1. 31β — meaning BEN is approximately 11% more volatile than TROW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 94% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) is pulling ahead at 3. 5% versus 3. 1% for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Franklin Resources, Inc. grew EPS 7. 1% year-over-year, compared to 1. 1% for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.. 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.

T.

Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) is the more profitable company, earning 28. 5% net margin versus 6. 0% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — meaning it keeps 28. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TROW leads at 29. 9% 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.

On forward earnings alone, Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) trades at 11. 4x forward P/E versus 11. 5x for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. — 0. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TROW: -4. 6% to $101. 20.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) offers the highest yield at 4. 8%, versus 4. 3% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN).

For long-horizon retirement investors, T.

Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 18), 4. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TROW: +96. 8%, BEN: +24. 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: TROW is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.