Encore Capital Group Inc (ECPG)vsSynchrony Financial (SYF)
ECPG
Encore Capital Group Inc
$98.56
+0.63%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $2.06B
SYF
Synchrony Financial
$75.88
-0.15%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $25.58B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Synchrony Financial generates 421% more annual revenue ($9.91B vs $1.90B). SYF leads profitability with a 35.5% profit margin vs 15.9%. ECPG appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.17. ECPG earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 83/100 (A-).
ECPG
Exceptional Buy83
out of 100
Grade: A-
SYF
Strong Buy75
out of 100
Grade: B
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Growing faster than its price suggests
Attractively priced relative to earnings
Strong operational efficiency at 38.0%
Every $100 of equity generates 29 in profit
Reasonable price relative to book value
Attractively priced relative to earnings
Keeps 36 of every $100 in revenue as profit
Strong operational efficiency at 50.2%
Every $100 of equity generates 21 in profit
Growing faster than its price suggests
Reasonable price relative to book value
Areas to Watch
Negative free cash flow — burning cash
Distress zone — elevated risk
Elevated debt levels
0.6% revenue growth
3.6% earnings growth
Distress zone — elevated risk
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : ECPG
The strongest argument for ECPG centers on PEG Ratio, P/E Ratio, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 15.9% and operating margin at 38.0%. Revenue growth of 11.3% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bull Case : SYF
The strongest argument for SYF centers on P/E Ratio, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 35.5% and operating margin at 50.2%. PEG of 0.99 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.
Bear Case : ECPG
The primary concerns for ECPG are Free Cash Flow, Altman Z-Score, Debt/Equity. Debt-to-equity of 4.52 is elevated, increasing financial risk.
Bear Case : SYF
The primary concerns for SYF are Revenue Growth, EPS Growth, Altman Z-Score.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
ECPG profiles as a mature stock while SYF is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.
SYF carries more volatility with a beta of 1.31 — expect wider price swings.
ECPG is growing revenue faster at 11.3% — sustainability is the question.
SYF generates stronger free cash flow (2.4B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
ECPG scores higher overall (83/100 vs 75/100), backed by strong 15.9% margins and 11.3% revenue growth. Both earn "Exceptional Buy" and "Strong Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Encore Capital Group Inc
FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA
Encore Capital Group, Inc., a specialty finance company, offers debt recovery solutions and other related services to consumers in a variety of financial assets worldwide. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Synchrony Financial
FINANCIAL SERVICES · CREDIT SERVICES · USA
Synchrony Financial is a consumer financial services company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. The company offers consumer financing products, including credit, promotional financing and loyalty programs, installment lending to industries, and FDIC-insured consumer savings products through Synchrony Bank, its wholly owned online bank subsidiary.
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