VCTR vs BLK vs STT vs BEN vs IVZ

For growth investors, Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.

(VCTR) is the stronger pick with 46. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). State Street Corporation (STT) offers the better valuation at 18. 1x trailing P/E (12. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCTR) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, State Street Corporation (STT) is the cheapest at 18.

1x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. On forward P/E, Invesco Ltd. is actually cheaper at 10. 4x — 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: State Street Corporation wins at 1. 36x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.

(VCTR) delivered a total return of +203. 8%, compared to +7. 4% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VCTR returned +682. 9% versus IVZ's +22. 1%. 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), State Street Corporation (STT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

19β versus Invesco Ltd. 's 1. 67β — meaning IVZ is approximately 41% more volatile than STT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 145% for State Street Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(VCTR) is pulling ahead at 46. 2% versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: State Street Corporation grew EPS 47. 1% year-over-year, compared to -235. 6% for Invesco Ltd.. 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, Inc.

(BLK) is the more profitable company, earning 31. 2% net margin versus -4. 4% for Invesco Ltd. — meaning it keeps 31. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VCTR leads at 42. 5% versus -10. 9% for IVZ. 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.

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, State Street Corporation (STT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 36x versus BlackRock, Inc. 's 2. 47x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) trades at 10. 4x forward P/E versus 20. 1x for BlackRock, Inc. — 9. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BLK: 22. 8% to $1311. 78.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) offers the highest yield at 4. 3%, versus 1. 9% for BlackRock, Inc. (BLK).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.

(VCTR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2. 3% yield, +682. 9% 10Y return). Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 67 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (VCTR: +682. 9%, IVZ: +22. 1%), 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: VCTR is a small-cap high-growth stock; BLK is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; STT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; IVZ 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.