ZWS vs MFIN

For growth investors, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is the stronger pick with 21. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 3% for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS). Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) offers the better valuation at 5. 4x trailing P/E (8. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) a "Hold" — based on 8 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, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is the cheapest at 5. 4x versus Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation at 45. 6x. On forward P/E, Medallion Financial Corp. is actually cheaper at 8. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) delivered a total return of +108.

0%, compared to +23. 2% for Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ZWS returned +435. 0% versus MFIN's +60. 3%. 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), Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

11β versus Medallion Financial Corp. 's 1. 15β — meaning MFIN is approximately 4% more volatile than ZWS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 36% versus 62% for Medallion Financial Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is pulling ahead at 21. 1% versus 8. 3% for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation grew EPS 21. 7% year-over-year, compared to 17. 1% for Medallion Financial Corp.. 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.

Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) is the more profitable company, earning 12. 2% net margin versus 11. 7% for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation — meaning it keeps 12. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MFIN leads at 50. 5% versus 17. 0% for ZWS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MFIN leads at 96. 7%, 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, Medallion Financial Corp.

(MFIN) trades at 8. 0x forward P/E versus 29. 0x for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation — 21. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Medallion Financial Corp. (MFIN) offers the highest yield at 4. 7%, versus 0. 7% for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.

11), 0. 7% yield, +435. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ZWS: +435. 0%, MFIN: +60. 3%), 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 (ZWS (Industrials) and MFIN (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ZWS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MFIN 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.