UPST vs LC vs SOFI vs AFRM vs OPRT

For growth investors, Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is the stronger pick with 58. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 15. 0% for LendingClub Corporation (LC). Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) offers the better valuation at 10. 8x trailing P/E (3. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Upstart Holdings, Inc. (UPST) 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, Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) is the cheapest at 10.

8x versus Affirm Holdings, Inc. at 449. 1x. On forward P/E, Oportun Financial Corporation is actually cheaper at 3. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, Affirm Holdings, Inc.

(AFRM) delivered a total return of +24. 7%, compared to -73. 6% for Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SOFI returned +52. 7% versus OPRT's -64. 4%. 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), Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) is the lower-risk stock at 2.

07β versus Upstart Holdings, Inc. 's 2. 96β — meaning UPST is approximately 43% more volatile than OPRT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, LendingClub Corporation (LC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 7% for Oportun Financial Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Upstart Holdings, Inc.

(UPST) is pulling ahead at 58. 9% versus 15. 0% for LendingClub Corporation (LC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: LendingClub Corporation grew EPS 155. 6% year-over-year, compared to 0. 0% for SoFi Technologies, 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.

LendingClub Corporation (LC) is the more profitable company, earning 10.

2% net margin versus 1. 6% for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LC leads at 25. 0% versus -2. 7% for AFRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UPST leads at 95. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) trades at 3.

7x forward P/E versus 62. 5x for Affirm Holdings, Inc. — 58. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OPRT: 89. 2% to $10. 88.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, SoFi Technologies, Inc.

(SOFI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Oportun Financial Corporation (OPRT) carries a higher beta of 2. 07 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SOFI: +52. 7%, OPRT: -64. 4%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (UPST (Financial Services) and LC (Financial Services) and SOFI (Financial Services) and AFRM (Technology) and OPRT (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: UPST is a small-cap high-growth stock; LC is a small-cap deep-value stock; SOFI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; AFRM is a mid-cap high-growth stock; OPRT is a small-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.