COMPARE · Data as of August 28, 2026
ECPG vs SLM
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ECPG scored 86.0, SLM scored 66.0 — ECPG leads.
Compare another set
ECPG
Encore Capital Group, Inc.
66.8Fin
$102.36 · $2.2B
fundamentals as of
Strength gap
4.6
SLM leads
SLM
SLM Corporation
71.4Fin
$26.47 · $5.0B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthECPG+34.4%
- Strongest balance sheetSLM2.36
- Largest discount to fair valueECPG-9%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ECPG
SLM
$125mC
FCF
-$325mF
+34.4%A
Rev
+7.3%B
3.88C
D/E
2.36C
7.8xA
P/E
—
0.17A
PEG
0.51A-
—
P/S
3.0xB+
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
SLM
9% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
—
~12%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
—
-16%
1-yr DCF upside
—
+10%
5-yr DCF upside
—
+62%
10-yr DCF upside
—
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 $2.2b. Trading near 52-week high of $104.98 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. 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 +13% 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. Trading within 2% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction. 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.
SLMSLM Corporation
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $5.0b. 17% off the 52-week high of $32.07. PEG 0.51 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 11 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $28.55 (implying +8% upside).
Moat
Net margin 44% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 30% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
D/E 2.36 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$325m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. 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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