TY vs BEN

For growth investors, Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is the stronger pick with 26.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) offers the better valuation at 5. 5x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) a "Hold" — based on 27 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, Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is the cheapest at 5.

5x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) delivered a total return of +37.

5%, compared to +7. 4% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TY returned +173. 4% versus BEN's +23. 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), Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

70β versus Franklin Resources, Inc. 's 1. 31β — meaning BEN is approximately 87% more volatile than TY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 94% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is pulling ahead at 26.

7% versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Tri-Continental Corporation grew EPS 29. 9% year-over-year, compared to 7. 1% for Franklin Resources, 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.

Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is the more profitable company, earning 99.

7% net margin versus 6. 0% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — meaning it keeps 99. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TY leads at 99. 7% versus 6. 9% for BEN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TY leads at 100. 0%, 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.

In this comparison, BEN (4.

3% yield) pays a dividend. TY does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

70), +173. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TY: +173. 4%, BEN: +23. 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: TY is a small-cap high-growth stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. BEN pays a dividend while TY does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.