WHG vs HNNA vs VRTS vs GROW

For growth investors, Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) is the stronger pick with 19. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -23. 1% for U. S. Global Investors, Inc. (GROW). Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the better valuation at 7. 2x trailing P/E (5. 8x 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. 2x versus Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. at 20. 8x. On forward P/E, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 2. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Hennessy Advisors, Inc.

(HNNA) delivered a total return of +39. 6%, compared to -55. 1% for U. S. Global Investors, Inc. (GROW). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTS returned +145. 1% versus WHG's -43. 8%. 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. 27β versus Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. 's 1. 12β — meaning VRTS is approximately 316% more volatile than HNNA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, U. S. Global Investors, Inc. (GROW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% 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 -23. 1% for U. S. Global Investors, Inc. (GROW). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. grew EPS 203. 8% year-over-year, compared to -126. 6% for U. S. Global Investors, 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 -4. 0% for U. S. Global Investors, 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 -35. 3% for GROW. 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 5. 8x for Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. — 3. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (VRTS) offers the highest yield at 6. 5%, versus 3. 5% for U. S. Global Investors, Inc. (GROW).

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. 27), 5. 2% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HNNA: -34. 7%, VRTS: +145. 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; HNNA is a small-cap high-growth stock; VRTS is a small-cap deep-value stock; GROW is a small-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.