Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) vs Lincoln Educational Services (LINC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Lincoln Educational Services (LINC) has outperformed Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) over the past year, gaining 4.8% versus a loss of 7.2%. Over five years, LINC leads with a +236.9% price change compared with +31.9% for DFIN. Donnelley Financial Solutions is the larger company by market cap ($1.25 billion vs $736.6 million), about 1.7 times the size.
On valuation, Donnelley Financial Solutions trades at a lower forward P/E (9.3x vs 22.2x for Lincoln Educational Services).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DFIN | LINC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $50.72 | $23.22 |
| Market cap | $1.25B | $736.57M |
| 1-day change | +1.85% | +2.11% |
| YTD return | +6.66% | -5.84% |
| 1-year return | -7.21% | +4.84% |
| 5-year return | +31.89% | +236.89% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 34.74 | 31.81 |
| Forward P/E | 9.29 | 22.20 |
| EPS (TTM) | $1.46 | $0.73 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $56.26 | $56.34 |
| 52-week low | $36.11 | $17.29 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -9.85% | -58.79% |
| Analyst consensus | none | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +26.18% | +107.58% |
| Average volume | 236.73K | 874.39K |
| Shares outstanding | 24.59M | 31.72M |
| Employees | 1,750 | 2,190 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Real Estate |
| Industry | Other Consumer Services | Other Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- LINC has outperformed DFIN by 12.1 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Donnelley Financial Solutions in Consumer Discretionary and Lincoln Educational Services in Real Estate.
About Donnelley Financial Solutions
DFIN stock →Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc. provides compliance and regulatory software and services in the United States, Asia, Europe, Canada, and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Other Consumer Services · 1,750 employees
About Lincoln Educational Services
LINC stock →Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides various career-oriented postsecondary education services to high school graduates and working adults in the United States. It operates in two segments, Campus Operations and Transitional.
Real Estate · Other Consumer Services · 2,190 employees
DFIN vs LINC FAQ
Which is bigger, Donnelley Financial Solutions or Lincoln Educational Services?
Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.25B compared with $736.57M for Lincoln Educational Services (LINC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DFIN or LINC?
LINC returned +4.84% over the past 12 months, compared with -7.21% for DFIN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, DFIN or LINC?
LINC has the lower trailing P/E at 31.8, versus 34.7 for DFIN. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Donnelley Financial Solutions and Lincoln Educational Services in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Consumer Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.