Goldman Sachs vs. Interactive Brokers: Which Financial Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The Motley Fool··Read original
2▲0 ▼0Impact / 5
Summary · why it matters

Goldman Sachs and Interactive Brokers present contrasting investment cases for 2026, with Goldman offering stability and a lower valuation while Interactive Brokers delivers faster growth and higher returns. Goldman Sachs reported fiscal 2025 revenue of approximately $58.3 billion, a 9% increase, and net income of roughly $17.2 billion, but carries a debt-to-equity ratio of about 4.9x and negative free cash flow of $47.2 billion. Interactive Brokers achieved nearly $6 billion in revenue, up 20%, with net income of roughly $984 million and a 70% net margin, while maintaining no significant debt and generating about $15.7 billion in free cash flow. Goldman trades at a forward P/E of 17.1x, close to the sector benchmark of 17.3x, whereas Interactive Brokers commands a premium at 36.1x. Since 2021, Goldman has returned about 200% versus Interactive Brokers' nearly 450%, though over the past year the gap narrowed to 46% and 57% respectively. The choice hinges on investor preference for capital preservation and stability with Goldman or technology-driven growth with Interactive Brokers.

Impact on assets 2

Financials▲ · 1 stocks
Goldman Sachs Group Inc
GS
± MixedCapitalrelevance

Article compares Goldman Sachs' lower valuation and stability vs. Interactive Brokers' growth, but does not give a clear positive or negative for Goldman.

Digital Finance & Tokenization▲ · 1 stocks
Interactive Brokers Group Inc
IBKR
± MixedCapitalrelevance

Article compares Interactive Brokers' higher growth and margins vs. Goldman's stability, but does not give a clear positive or negative for Interactive Brokers.

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