VRTS vs HNNA

For growth investors, Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is the stronger pick with 19. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the better valuation at 7. 1x trailing P/E (5. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) a "Hold" — based on 11 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, Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

(VRTS) is the cheapest at 7. 1x versus Hennessy Advisors, Inc. at 8. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) delivered a total return of +37. 6%, compared to -35. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTS returned +142. 6% versus HNNA's -35. 0%. 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), Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 30β versus Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. 's 1. 14β — meaning VRTS is approximately 275% more volatile than HNNA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Hennessy Advisors, Inc. (HNNA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 41% versus 3% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is pulling ahead at 19. 9% versus -8. 0% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hennessy Advisors, Inc. grew EPS 38. 0% year-over-year, compared to 18. 2% for Virtus Investment Partners, 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.

Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is the more profitable company, earning 28. 0% net margin versus 16. 7% for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. — meaning it keeps 28. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HNNA leads at 37. 0% versus 17. 4% for VRTS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VRTS leads at 74. 9%, 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 5. 3% for Hennessy Advisors, Inc. (HNNA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 30), 5. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HNNA: -35. 0%, VRTS: +142. 6%), 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: VRTS is a small-cap deep-value stock; HNNA 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.