WINA vs FCFS

For growth investors, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the stronger pick with 8.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 9% for Winmark Corporation (WINA). FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) offers the better valuation at 30. 5x trailing P/E (21. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) a "Hold" — based on 19 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, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the cheapest at 30.

5x versus Winmark Corporation at 32. 9x. On forward P/E, FirstCash Holdings, Inc is actually cheaper at 21. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: FirstCash Holdings, Inc wins at 0. 89x versus Winmark Corporation's 3. 95x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) delivered a total return of +215.

6%, compared to +115. 9% for Winmark Corporation (WINA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FCFS returned +401. 1% versus WINA's +358. 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), FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

31β versus Winmark Corporation's 0. 79β — meaning WINA is approximately 155% more volatile than FCFS relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is pulling ahead at 8.

0% versus 5. 9% for Winmark Corporation (WINA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: FirstCash Holdings, Inc grew EPS 29. 5% year-over-year, compared to 3. 8% for Winmark Corporation. 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.

Winmark Corporation (WINA) is the more profitable company, earning 48.

4% net margin versus 9. 0% for FirstCash Holdings, Inc — meaning it keeps 48. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WINA leads at 63. 4% versus 15. 4% for FCFS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WINA leads at 96. 4%, 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, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 89x versus Winmark Corporation's 3. 95x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) trades at 21. 0x forward P/E versus 31. 3x for Winmark Corporation — 10. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WINA: 19. 8% to $445. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Winmark Corporation (WINA) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 0. 7% for FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

31), 0. 7% yield, +401. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FCFS: +401. 1%, WINA: +358. 0%), 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 (WINA (Consumer Cyclical) and FCFS (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: WINA is a small-cap income-oriented stock; FCFS is a small-cap quality compounder 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.