Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | AAPL | 6.4% revenue growth vs AEHR's -20.2% |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs AEHR's -22.7% |
| Stability / Safety | AAPL | Beta 1.28 vs AEHR's 2.63 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; AEHR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AEHR | +288.3% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs AEHR's -7.5%, ROIC 64.5% vs -3.0% |
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
Aehr Test Systems designs and manufactures specialized test and burn-in equipment for semiconductor manufacturers. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its FOX and ABTS test systems — including wafer-level testers, singulated die testers, and packaged part testers — along with recurring sales of consumable contactors and carriers. The company's key advantage is its proprietary full-wafer contact technology that enables burn-in and testing of entire wafers, a capability particularly valuable for high-reliability applications like automotive and aerospace semiconductors.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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
AAPL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AEHR leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 8884.5x AEHR's $49M. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AEHR's -22.7%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $49M | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$10M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$11M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$14M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +30.2% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -27.8% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -22.7% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -28.1% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -26.5% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.2% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.1B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.1B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -287.92x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 19.44x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.01x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-8 for AEHR. AEHR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.09x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs AEHR's 1/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -8.5% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -7.5% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -3.0% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.2% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.09x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$14M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $25M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $11M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AEHR five years ago would be worth $121,133 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, AEHR leads with a +288.3% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs AEHR's 3.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +68.9% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +288.3% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.2% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1111.3% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +3045.4% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.9% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
AAPL is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AEHR's 2.63 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AAPL currently trades 91.5% from its 52-week high vs AEHR's 86.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.63x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $43.13 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.27 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.8% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 67.7 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.0M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AEHR as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 14.7% upside for AAPL (target: $303) vs -33.2% for AEHR (target: $25). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | AEHRAehr Test Systems | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $25.00 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) | 100 | 1,235.07 | +1135.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 373.3 | +273.3% |
Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) returned +1.1K% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. A $10,000 investment in AEHR 5 years ago would be worth $121,133 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) | $15M | $59M | +306.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Aehr Test Systems's revenue grew from $15M (2016) to $59M (2025) — a 16.9% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) | -46.8% | -6.6% | +85.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Aehr Test Systems's net margin went from -47% (2016) to -7% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) | 70.5 | 14.8 | -79.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Aehr Test Systems has traded in a 15x–71x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-288x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) | -0.52 | -0.13 | +75.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Aehr Test Systems's EPS grew from $-0.52 (2016) to $-0.13 (2025). Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Aehr Test Systems generated $-12M FCF in 2025 (-323% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
AEHR vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AEHR or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — AEHR or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) delivered a total return of +1111%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in AEHR five years ago would be worth approximately $121K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AEHR returned +30.5% versus AAPL's +1027%. 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 — AEHR or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.28β versus Aehr Test Systems's 2.63β — meaning AEHR is approximately 106% more volatile than AAPL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 9% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AEHR or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -6.6% for Aehr Test Systems — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus -7.3% for AEHR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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.
05Is AEHR or AAPL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 14.7% to $303.11.
06Which pays a better dividend — AEHR or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. AEHR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is AEHR or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 10Y return). Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) carries a higher beta of 2.63 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, AEHR: +30.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between AEHR and AAPL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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