COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
ECPG vs WU
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ECPG scored 86.0, WU scored 76.0 — ECPG leads.
Compare another set
ECPG
Encore Capital Group, Inc.
67.6Fin
$101.21 · $2.1B
fundamentals as of
Strength gap
3.3
ECPG leads
WU
The Western Union Company
64.3Fin
$7.30 · $2.3B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestWU5.9x
- Fastest growthECPG+34.4%
- Strongest balance sheetWU2.95
- Largest discount to fair valueWU-88%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ECPG
WU
$125mC
FCF
$565mC+
+34.4%A
Rev
-1.4%D+
3.88C
D/E
2.95C
7.5xA
P/E
5.9xA
0.17A
PEG
13.16D
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
ECPG
WU
10% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
88% below
~12%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
decline
-15%
1-yr DCF upside
+568%
+12%
5-yr DCF upside
+706%
+64%
10-yr DCF upside
+971%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
The companies
ECPGEncore Capital Group, Inc.
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $2.1b. 4% off the 52-week high of $104.98. Revenue growing +34% — in hypergrowth territory. PEG 0.17 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 3 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $115.67 (implying +14% upside).
Moat
Net margin 16% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 31% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
D/E 3.88 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Credit-cycle exposure — provisions tend to lag actual loan deterioration by 2-3 quarters; a sharp uptick in net charge-offs is a leading indicator the market often misses until it's already priced.
WUThe Western Union Company
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $2.3b. Down 29% from 52-week high of $10.35 — deep drawdown territory. 14 sell-side analysts rate this an Underperform with a mean 1-yr target of $7.09 (implying -3% upside).
Moat
ROE 43% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 143% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
D/E 2.95 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Dividend payout 76% of earnings on a 13.1% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut. Balance-sheet financial — book value, net interest margin, and credit loss provisions are the lever points; a rates regime change or a deterioration in the loan book moves the stock more than EPS does.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
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