CRTO vs IAS

For growth investors, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) is the stronger pick with 11. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 6% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). Criteo S. A. (CRTO) offers the better valuation at 6. 2x trailing P/E (3. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Criteo S. A. (CRTO) a "Buy" — based on 33 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the cheapest at 6. 2x versus Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. at 45. 0x. On forward P/E, Criteo S. A. is actually cheaper at 3. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) delivered a total return of -49. 8%, compared to -58. 2% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IAS returned -49. 8% versus CRTO's -60. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 76β versus Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. 's 0. 83β — meaning IAS is approximately 9% more volatile than CRTO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (IAS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 13% for Criteo S. A. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) is pulling ahead at 11. 7% versus 0. 6% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. grew EPS 413. 4% year-over-year, compared to 39. 5% for Criteo S. A.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IAS leads at 17. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 4% net margin versus 7. 1% for Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. — meaning it keeps 7. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IAS leads at 11. 4% versus 10. 4% for CRTO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IAS leads at 78. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) trades at 3. 8x forward P/E versus 27. 5x for Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. — 23. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRTO: 90. 0% to $31. 25.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 76)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRTO: -60. 7%, IAS: -49. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: CRTO is a small-cap deep-value stock; IAS is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.