Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Zhihu Inc. (ZH) vs Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | META | 22.2% revenue growth vs ZH's -13.1% |
| Quality / Margins | META | 30.1% net margin vs ZH's 3.5% |
| Stability / Safety | ZH | Beta 0.84 vs META's 1.42, lower leverage |
| Dividends | META | 0.3% yield; 2-year raise streak; ZH pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | META | -2.7% vs ZH's -35.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | META | 16.5% ROA vs ZH's 1.9%, ROIC 27.6% vs -25.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Zhihu operates China's leading question-and-answer platform where users share knowledge and expertise across diverse topics. It generates revenue primarily through online advertising (~60% of sales) and paid membership services, supplemented by content-commerce solutions and vocational training. Its competitive moat stems from its massive, high-quality user-generated content library and strong network effects that reinforce its position as China's go-to knowledge-sharing community.
Meta Platforms operates a family of social media and messaging apps — Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger — that connect billions of users globally. It generates nearly all its revenue from digital advertising across these platforms, with its Reality Labs segment — which includes VR hardware and software — currently operating at a loss. The company's massive network effects and user data advantage create a powerful moat, making it difficult for competitors to challenge its dominant position in social media.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
META leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). ZH leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
META is the larger business by revenue, generating $201.0B annually — 67.7x ZH's $3.0B. META is the more profitable business, keeping 30.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ZH's 3.5%. On growth, META holds the edge at +23.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.0B | $201.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$148M | $101.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $103M | $60.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $46.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +62.2% | +82.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -7.8% | +41.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.5% | +30.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -7.8% | +22.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -20.3% | +23.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.2% | +10.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $51M | $222.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$529M | $270.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -12.05x | 27.59x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 21.80x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.50x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 2.65x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.10x | 1.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.50x | 7.68x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 4.82x |
Profitability & Efficiency
META delivers a 27.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $28 in annual profit, vs $2 for ZH. ZH carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to META's 0.39x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ZH scores 6/9 vs META's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +2.5% | +27.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.9% | +16.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -25.6% | +27.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -10.8% | +29.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.39x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$4.0B | $48.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $4.0B | $35.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $19M | $83.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 61.69x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in META five years ago would be worth $24,623 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $651 for ZH. Over the past 12 months, META leads with a -2.7% total return vs ZH's -35.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors META at 55.1% vs ZH's -27.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.3% | -0.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -35.0% | -2.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -61.3% | +272.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.5% | +146.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.5% | +510.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -27.1% | +55.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ZH is the less volatile stock with a 0.84 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than META's 1.42 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. META currently trades 81.4% from its 52-week high vs ZH's 56.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.84x | 1.42x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.87 | $796.25 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.23 | $479.80 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +56.6% | +81.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.6 | 50.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 307K | 13.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ZH as "Buy" and META as "Buy". META is the only dividend payer here at 0.32% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ZHZhihu Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $853.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 60 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.07 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +100.0% | +11.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhihu Inc. (ZH) | 100 | 6.98 | -93.0% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 100 | 236.53 | +136.5% |
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) returned +146% over 5 years vs Zhihu Inc. (ZH)'s -93%. A $10,000 investment in META 5 years ago would be worth $24,623 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhihu Inc. (ZH) | $669M | $3.6B | +445.8% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | $27.6B | $201.0B | +627.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s revenue grew from $27.6B (2016) to $201.0B (2025) — a 24.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhihu Inc. (ZH) | -149.8% | -4.8% | +96.8% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 36.9% | 30.1% | -18.4% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s net margin went from 37% (2016) to 30% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 32.7 | 28.1 | -14.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc. has traded in a 14x–33x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~28x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhihu Inc. (ZH) | -10.12 | -1.89 | +81.3% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 3.49 | 23.49 | +573.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.49 (2016) to $23.49 (2025) — a 24% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Zhihu Inc. generated $-283M FCF in 2024 (+37% vs 2021). Meta Platforms, Inc. generated $46B FCF in 2025 (+18% vs 2021).
ZH vs META: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ZH or META a better buy right now?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) offers the better valuation at 27.6x trailing P/E (21.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Zhihu Inc. (ZH) a "Buy" — based on 8 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — ZH or META?
Over the past 5 years, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) delivered a total return of +146.2%, compared to -93.5% for Zhihu Inc. (ZH). A $10,000 investment in META five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: META returned +510.1% versus ZH's -93.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — ZH or META?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Zhihu Inc. (ZH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.84β versus Meta Platforms, Inc.'s 1.42β — meaning META is approximately 69% more volatile than ZH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Zhihu Inc. (ZH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 39% for Meta Platforms, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ZH or META?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is the more profitable company, earning 30.1% net margin versus -4.8% for Zhihu Inc. — meaning it keeps 30.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: META leads at 41.4% versus -13.4% for ZH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — META leads at 82.0%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — ZH or META?
In this comparison, META (0.3% yield) pays a dividend. ZH does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is ZH or META better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Zhihu Inc. (ZH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.84)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ZH: -93.5%, META: +510.1%), 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.
07What are the main differences between ZH and META?
These companies operate in different sectors (ZH (Communication Services) and META (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. 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.
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