HLI
Houlihan Lokey, Inc.
HLI offers stronger valuation, but that advantage does not outweigh its weaker overall profile.
JPM
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPM has the edge over HLI overall, supported by stronger fundamentals and stronger modeled upside.
HLI Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Stable | |
| Healthy | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
HLI's profitability is currently healthy, and its revenue is stable. Free cash flow and net leverage aren't meaningful measures for financial services companies like HLI.
JPM Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Healthy | |
| Strong | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
JPM's revenue and profitability are currently healthy. Free cash flow and net leverage aren't meaningful measures for financial services companies like JPM.
HLI PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap | 17x | $101 | -29% |
| Forward | 18x | $143 | — |
| Fair | 22x | $134 | -6.7% |
| Current | 24x | $143 | — |
| Expensive | 32x | $193 | +34% |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
HLI's PE is in its fair range at 24x. If earnings grow as analysts expect, today's price would be 18x next year's earnings, in its cheap range.
JPM PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap | 9.7x | $231 | -33% |
| Fair | 12x | $287 | -16% |
| Current | 14x | $343 | — |
| Forward | 14x | $343 | — |
| Expensive | 15x | $361 | +5.2% |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
JPM has the edge over HLI in the historical PE scenario, which offers more potential upside but is not a forecast.
HLI Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Strongly improving | |
| Growth | |
| Growth | |
| Improving | |
| Limited | |
| Moderate |
HLI has the edge over JPM on the outlook, with more favorable valuation expectations.
JPM Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Stable | |
| Growth | |
| Growth | |
| Improving | |
| Limited | |
| Moderate |
Analysts expect earnings and revenue growth for JPM, with profitability improving.
HLI Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $8.11 | +36% |
| Q3 2026 | $5.96 | -3.9% |
| Q2 2026 | $5.95 | +0.2% |
| Q1 2026 | $6.22 | +6.9% |
| Q4 2025 | $6.51 | +24% |
| Q3 2025 | $6.20 | +27% |
| Q2 2025 | $5.94 | +32% |
| Q1 2025 | $5.82 | +42% |
| Q4 2024 | $5.24 | +35% |
HLI earned $5.96 per share over the past year, down 3.9% from the year before.
JPM Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $24.99 | +4.8% |
| Q3 2026 | $23.85 | +18% |
| Q2 2026 | $23.35 | +20% |
| Q1 2026 | $20.89 | +2.5% |
| Q4 2025 | $20.02 | +1.4% |
| Q3 2025 | $20.20 | +12% |
| Q2 2025 | $19.50 | +8.7% |
| Q1 2025 | $20.38 | +23% |
| Q4 2024 | $19.75 | +22% |
JPM's earnings per share have climbed steadily: $23.85 over the past year, up 18% from the year before, and higher year over year for 15 quarters in a row.
HLI Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $692M | +4.9% |
| Q2 2026 | $511M | -16% |
| Q1 2026 | $635.6M | -4.6% |
| Q4 2025 | $717.1M | +13% |
| Q3 2025 | $659.5M | +15% |
| Q2 2025 | $605.3M | +18% |
| Q1 2025 | $666.4M | +28% |
| Q4 2024 | $634.4M | +24% |
HLI's revenue fell from its 2021 peak and has held roughly level since: $692M last quarter, up 4.9% from the same quarter a year ago.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 22% | -0.7 points |
| Q2 2026 | 15% | +0.4 points |
| Q1 2026 | 20% | -1.2 points |
| Q4 2025 | 22% | +1 points |
| Q3 2025 | 23% | +0.2 points |
| Q2 2025 | 15% | -3.8 points |
| Q1 2025 | 21% | +1.2 points |
| Q4 2024 | 21% | +2.6 points |
HLI's operating margin was 22% last quarter, down 0.7 points from the same quarter a year ago.
JPM Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $50.2B | +8.1% |
| Q2 2026 | $57.3B | +28% |
| Q1 2026 | $49.8B | +10% |
| Q4 2025 | $45.8B | +7.1% |
| Q3 2025 | $46.4B | +8.8% |
| Q2 2025 | $44.9B | -11% |
| Q1 2025 | $45.3B | +8.1% |
| Q4 2024 | $42.8B | +11% |
JPM's revenue has grown year over year for five quarters in a row: $50.2B last quarter, up 8.1% from the same quarter a year ago.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 40% | -0.2 points |
| Q2 2026 | 48% | +7.3 points |
| Q1 2026 | 41% | +0.5 points |
| Q4 2025 | 37% | -3.2 points |
| Q3 2025 | 40% | +0.6 points |
| Q2 2025 | 41% | -6 points |
| Q1 2025 | 41% | -0.6 points |
| Q4 2024 | 41% | +11 points |
JPM has the edge over HLI on profitability, with a higher operating margin.
HLI Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $240M | -26% |
| Q2 2026 | -$342M | -$197.2M |
| Q1 2026 | $286.8M | -17% |
| Q4 2025 | $217M | -17% |
| Q3 2025 | $322.8M | +16% |
| Q2 2025 | -$144.8M | -$69.4M |
| Q1 2025 | $343.9M | +61% |
| Q3 2024 | $278.7M | +148% |
HLI has the edge over JPM on cash generation, producing positive trailing cash flow while its opponent burns cash.
JPM Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $33.2B | +$78.4B |
| Q2 2026 | -$25.3B | -186% |
| Q1 2026 | -$211.8B | +$40.1B |
| Q4 2025 | $119.7B | -19% |
| Q3 2025 | -$45.2B | +$28.9B |
| Q2 2025 | $29.5B | -23% |
| Q1 2025 | -$251.8B | -$97.7B |
| Q4 2024 | $147.8B | +145% |
JPM's free cash flow was −$84.2B over the past year, against −$120B the year before. Free cash flow isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like JPM.
HLI Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | -0.9% | -600K shares |
| 1 year | -2.3% | -1.6M shares |
| 3 years | -1.3% | -867K shares |
| 5 years | -2.3% | -1.6M shares |
| Available history | +2.1% | +1.4M shares |
HLI has 67M diluted shares, down 2.3% from a year ago, with $238M in buybacks over the past year.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $50M |
| Q2 2026 | $50M |
| Q1 2026 | $50M |
| Q4 2025 | $87.9M |
| Q3 2025 | $29.7M |
| Q2 2025 | $7.8M |
| Q1 2025 | $52.2M |
| Q4 2024 | $86,000 |
HLI spent $238M buying back its own shares over the past year, up 165% from the year before.
JPM Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | -0.4% | -11.2M shares |
| 1 year | -3.1% | -84.6M shares |
| 3 years | -8.5% | -249M shares |
| 5 years | -11% | -322M shares |
| Available history | -17% | -547M shares |
JPM has the edge over HLI on shareholder dilution, with a more favorable share count trend.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $1.1B |
| Q2 2026 | $6.8B |
| Q1 2026 | $8.3B |
| Q4 2025 | $8.3B |
| Q3 2025 | $8.3B |
| Q2 2025 | $7.5B |
| Q1 2025 | $7.5B |
| Q4 2024 | $4.3B |
JPM spent $24.5B buying back its own shares over the past year, down 11% from the year before.
HLI Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -1.5x | Net Cash |
| Q2 2026 | -1.4x | Net Cash |
| Q1 2026 | -2.1x | Net Cash |
| Q4 2025 | -1.8x | Net Cash |
| Q3 2025 | -1.6x | Net Cash |
| Q2 2025 | -1.5x | Net Cash |
| Q1 2025 | -1.8x | Net Cash |
| Q4 2024 | -1.6x | Net Cash |
HLI has the edge over JPM on leverage, with a lower net debt burden relative to earnings.
JPM Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 0.5x | Very low |
| Q2 2026 | 0.5x | Very low |
| Q1 2026 | 0.6x | Very low |
| Q4 2025 | 0.5x | Very low |
| Q3 2025 | 0.6x | Very low |
| Q2 2025 | 0.5x | Very low |
| Q1 2025 | 0.5x | Very low |
| Q4 2024 | 0.4x | Very low |
JPM's net debt is less than a year of its operating earnings (EBITDA). Net leverage isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like JPM.
HLI Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 54.3 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 68.0 | Neutral |
HLI's weekly RSI is 54 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 68 (neutral).
JPM Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 54.8 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 31.5 | Neutral |
JPM's weekly RSI is 55 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 31 (neutral).
HLI PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | HLI | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 24x | 13x | 85% above |
| PE % | 57 | 63 | 6 pts below |
HLI is trading at 24x earnings, a 85% premium to the Financial Services sector's median of 13x.
JPM PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | JPM | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 14x | 13x | 10% above |
| PE % | 76 | 63 | 13 pts above |
JPM has the edge over HLI on valuation relative to its sector.
HLI Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $134.2 | 6.9% above |
| 20 week MA | $134.0 | 7.1% above |
| 50 week MA | $149.1 | 3.8% below |
| 100 week MA | $164.4 | 13% below |
| 200 week MA | $143.2 | 0.2% above |
HLI's trend is mixed: it's above three of its five weekly moving averages, and 0.2% above its 200-week average.
JPM Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $336.8 | 1.8% above |
| 20 week MA | $345.3 | 0.7% below |
| 50 week MA | $323.2 | 6.1% above |
| 100 week MA | $298.9 | 15% above |
| 200 week MA | $236.6 | 45% above |
JPM has the edge over HLI on trend strength, trading above more of its moving averages.
HLI Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $48.9 | $67.2 | +37% |
| 2021 | $67.2 | $103.6 | +54% |
| 2022 | $103.6 | $89.2 | -14% |
| 2023 | $89.2 | $119.9 | +35% |
| 2024 | $119.9 | $174.3 | +45% |
| 2025 | $174.3 | $178.5 | +2.4% |
| 2026 YTD | $178.5 | $143.4 | -20% |
HLI has finished higher in five of the last six years. It's down 20% so far in 2026.
JPM Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $139.1 | $124.5 | -11% |
| 2021 | $124.5 | $157.3 | +26% |
| 2022 | $157.3 | $131.3 | -17% |
| 2023 | $131.3 | $170.1 | +30% |
| 2024 | $170.1 | $241.2 | +42% |
| 2025 | $241.2 | $327.9 | +36% |
| 2026 YTD | $327.9 | $342.8 | +4.5% |
JPM has the edge over HLI on returns for 2026, with the stronger performance.