HLNE vs STEP Stock Comparison
STEP currently leads HLNE in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 57 vs 55. The clearest difference is quality, while HLNE has the stronger risk resilience profile.
What is the main difference between HLNE and STEP?
STEP leads the current stock comparison as StepStone Group Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Hamilton Lane Incorporated vs StepStone Group Inc.
STEP leads
STEP leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Momentum. Wall Street currently favors HLNE on target upside.
Fragile: 1 of 6 evidence groups support STEP.
Hamilton Lane Incorporated
StepStone Group Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors STEP over HLNE, 57 versus 55 as of Oct 21, 2026. STEP's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and momentum, while HLNE holds the stronger risk resilience profile. STEP also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors HLNE. 1 of 6 covered evidence groups favor STEP today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. STEP lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Hamilton Lane Incorporated and StepStone Group Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare HLNE and STEP against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality85 vs 97STEP +12
- Risk Resilience67 vs 58HLNE +9
- Momentum34 vs 40STEP +6
- Value35 vs 30HLNE +5
1 of 6 evidence groups favor STEP. STEP’s edge is concentrated in quality and momentum; HLNE keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1
New signals
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
STEP's lead was unchanged in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — HLNE and STEP both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
STEP (StepStone Group Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and momentum.
HLNE (Hamilton Lane Incorporated): the counter-case, on risk resilience, value, fundamentals.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
STEPSTEP on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
HLNEHLNE on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
HLNEHLNE on the peer-relative Value factor, by 5 points.
Momentum
STEPSTEP on the Momentum factor, by 6 points.
Lower downside
HLNEHLNE on Risk Resilience, by 9 points.
Analyst upside
HLNEHLNE on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors STEP, analyst targets favor HLNE. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | HLNE | STEP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +55.6% | +46.2% | HLNE has more room |
| Target dispersion | +68.6% | +56.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 6 | 8 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
1 of 6 covered evidence groups favor STEP. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 55 vs 57 |
| Fundamentals | HLNEon balance | revenue growth 42.2% vs -35.6%; EPS growth 22.8% vs -13.5%; TTM ROE 31% vs 156.7%; gross margin 69.9% vs 60.9%; operating margin 43.6% vs -58.2% — HLNE takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | HLNE | Value 35 vs 30 |
| Technicals | STEP | Price vs 50-day -12.5% vs -10%; vs 200-day -16.4% vs -15.1% |
| Risk Resilience | HLNE | Risk Resilience 67 vs 58 |
| Analyst expectations | HLNE | Target upside 55.6% vs 46.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of HLNE and STEP and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 1 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on STEP.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20STEP lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- STEP +2
- 55 vs 57
- 7 sessions ago
- STEP +1
- 55 vs 56
- 30 sessions ago
- STEP +1
- 51 vs 52
- 90 sessions ago
- HLNE +3
- 63 vs 60
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Oct 14 when STEP moved ahead of HLNE.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only HLNE
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
0 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral
Only STEP
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 4 more signals that do not separate them: Bollinger Band Squeeze, Death Cross Active, ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode, Downtrend Structure Active.
HLNE is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -1.48%, AIQ +1 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -1.26%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1HLNE closes the Quality gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to STEP's edge.
- 2HLNE's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3STEP starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
HLNE leads on balance| Metric | HLNE | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 42.2% | -35.6% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 22.8% | -13.5% |
| Gross margin | 69.9% | 60.9% |
| Operating margin | 43.6% | -58.2% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 31% | 156.7% |
| Debt to equity | 0.39 | -2.91 |
Performance
Split across windows| Metric | HLNE | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -4.5% | -7.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 3.2% | 4.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -21.1% | -22.4% |
| Year to date | -37.7% | -33.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -28.8% | -30.5% |
Technicals
STEP has the stronger structure| Metric | HLNE | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 40.9 | 48.1 |
| ADX (14) | 30.3 | 16.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | -12.5% | -10% |
| Price vs 200-day | -16.4% | -15.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 27% | 35.4% |
Risk
HLNE is the more resilient| Metric | HLNE | STEP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.18 | 1.67 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.72 | -0.6 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.07 | -0.89 |
| Max drawdown | -52% | -48.2% |
| Current drawdown | -45.6% | -43.7% |
| Annualized volatility | 41.4% | 47.7% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -4.4% | -4.7% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, HLNE or STEP?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, STEP is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 57 against HLNE's 55. The edge comes from quality and momentum. HLNE is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is HLNE or STEP the better buy right now?
STEP carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 1 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor STEP over HLNE?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. STEP leads Quality by 12 points; HLNE leads Risk Resilience by 9 points; STEP leads Momentum by 6 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, HLNE or STEP?
Analyst price targets imply +55.6% upside for HLNE and +46.2% for STEP, so the Street currently favors HLNE. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors STEP. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, HLNE or STEP?
HLNE is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. HLNE on the peer-relative Value factor, by 5 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, HLNE or STEP?
HLNE on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, HLNE or STEP?
STEP on the Momentum factor, by 6 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, HLNE or STEP?
HLNE is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. HLNE on Risk Resilience, by 9 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is HLNE more profitable than STEP?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 69.9% vs 60.9%; operating margin 43.6% vs -58.2%; ttm roe 31% vs 156.7%. HLNE leads on two measures and STEP on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is STEP's lead over HLNE getting stronger or weaker?
STEP lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-14, when STEP moved ahead of HLNE.
What would change the HLNE vs STEP verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: HLNE closes the Quality gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to STEP's edge; HLNE's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; STEP starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about HLNE and STEP?
HLNE: 1 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. STEP: 0 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on HLNE is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On STEP it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare HLNE and STEP with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.