WHG vs BLK vs BEN vs IVZ

For growth investors, BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) is the stronger pick with 14. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 2% for Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (WHG). Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (WHG) offers the better valuation at 20. 7x trailing P/E (2. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) a "Buy" — based on 33 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, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc.

(WHG) is the cheapest at 20. 7x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 33. 5x. On forward P/E, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 2. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) delivered a total return of +33. 5%, compared to +7. 4% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BLK returned +245. 8% versus WHG's -43. 9%. 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), Westwood Holdings Group, Inc.

(WHG) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 60β versus Invesco Ltd. 's 1. 67β — meaning IVZ is approximately 181% more volatile than WHG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (WHG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 94% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), BlackRock, Inc.

(BLK) is pulling ahead at 14. 3% versus 3. 2% for Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. (WHG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. grew EPS 203. 8% 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: BLK leads at 37. 1% versus -10. 9% for IVZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WHG leads at 86. 5%, 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, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc.

(WHG) trades at 2. 0x forward P/E versus 20. 1x for BlackRock, Inc. — 18. 1x 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, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc.

(WHG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 60), 3. 7% yield). 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 (WHG: -43. 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: WHG is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BLK is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.