COMPARE · Data as of August 28, 2026
ECPG vs SYF
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ECPG scored 86.0, SYF scored 85.0 — ECPG leads.
Compare another set
ECPG
Encore Capital Group, Inc.
66.8Fin
$102.36 · $2.2B
fundamentals as of
Strength gap
4.6
SYF leads
SYF
Synchrony Financial
71.4Fin
$78.05 · $25.4B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestECPG7.8x
- Fastest growthECPG+34.4%
- Largest discount to fair valueSYF-82%
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
SYF
$125mC
FCF
$9.7bB+
+34.4%A
Rev
-0.5%D+
3.88C
D/E
—
7.8xA
P/E
8.2xA-
0.17A
PEG
1.14B+
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
SYF
9% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
82% below
~12%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
decline
-16%
1-yr DCF upside
+392%
+10%
5-yr DCF upside
+452%
+62%
10-yr DCF upside
+547%
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.
SYFSynchrony Financial
Why now
Credit Services · market cap $25.4b. 12% off the 52-week high of $88.77. 23 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $89.30 (implying +14% upside).
Moat
Net margin 36% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 21% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income — non-cash charges (depreciation, intangible amortization) are holding down GAAP earnings while cash generation stays strong.
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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