Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. EFC scored 65.0, STWD scored 60.0 — EFC leads.
Compare another set
EFC
Ellington Financial Inc.
REIT - Mortgage · Financial strength
75.7Fin
$11.69 · $1.5B
fundamentals as of
Strength gap
10.8
EFC leads
STWD
Starwood Property Trust, Inc.
REIT - Mortgage · Financial strength
64.9Fin
$12.48 · $4.7B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
Fastest growthEFC+8.6%
Strongest balance sheetSTWD3.31
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Fundamentals, head-to-head
EFC
STWD
13.4%C+
Yield
15.1%C+
+8.6%B
Rev
-13.8%D
9.29D
D/E
3.31C
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.
The companies
EFCEllington Financial Inc.
REIT - Mortgage · $11.69 · beta 0.97
Why now
REIT - Mortgage · market cap $1.5b. 17% off the 52-week high of $14.12. 7 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $14.64 (implying +25% upside).
Moat
Net margin 52% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 12% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere.
Risk
D/E 9.29 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Dividend payout 97% of earnings on a 13.4% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut.
STWDStarwood Property Trust, Inc.
REIT - Mortgage · $12.48 · beta 1.05
Why now
REIT - Mortgage · market cap $4.7b. Down 35% from 52-week high of $19.06 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue -14% — in contraction; any catalyst that reverses this triggers re-rating. 8 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $19.56 (implying +57% upside).
Moat
Net margin 38% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma.
Risk
D/E 3.31 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Revenue contracting -14% — the operational turn is not yet visible in the top line. Down 35% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Common questions
Is EFC or STWD the better stock?
EFC scores higher: EFC 65.0, STWD 60.0 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth score, which blends business quality, growth and valuation into one number. A higher score means a stronger business at a more reasonable price — it is not a price target or a recommendation.
How are EFC and STWD scored?
Each carries the same 0–100 quality-growth score used everywhere on the site, built from three pillars — quality (profitability and returns on capital), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (what you pay for them) — combined as a geometric mean, so a weak pillar cannot be papered over by a strong one.
How current is this comparison?
The whole universe is re-scored every trading day after the US market close, so the scores and fundamentals here reflect the latest published edition.