Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) vs Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) 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 | AMBA | 25.8% revenue growth vs AMBQ's 16.1% |
| Quality / Margins | AMBA | -21.3% net margin vs AMBQ's -52.1% |
| Stability / Safety | AMBA | Beta 2.14 vs AMBQ's 2.81, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMBA | -1.8% vs AMBQ's -20.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AMBA | -10.6% ROA vs AMBQ's -44.9%, ROIC -22.5% vs -104.0% |
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
Ambarella designs specialized computer vision system-on-chips (SoCs) that process high-definition video and run AI algorithms for cameras in automotive, security, and robotics applications. It generates revenue primarily from semiconductor sales—with automotive (around 60%) and security/industrial (around 40%) as its main segments—through direct sales and distribution channels. The company's moat lies in its proprietary AI processor architecture and deep expertise in video compression and computer vision algorithms, which are difficult to replicate.
Ambiq Micro designs ultra-low-power semiconductor chips for battery-powered IoT and wearable devices. It generates revenue primarily from selling its Apollo system-on-chip and Atomiq AI accelerator products — with technical support services as a secondary stream — through a global sales representative network. The company's key advantage is its proprietary subthreshold power-optimized technology that enables significantly longer battery life than conventional chips, creating a strong moat in power-sensitive edge AI applications.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AMBA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AMBQ leads in 1 (Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AMBA is the larger business by revenue, generating $374M annually — 4.9x AMBQ's $76M. AMBA is the more profitable business, keeping -21.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMBQ's -52.1%.
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $374M | $76M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$72M | — |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$80M | — |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $76M | — |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +59.8% | +31.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -23.6% | -53.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -21.3% | -52.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +20.3% | -33.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +31.2% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +39.7% | — |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.6B | $560M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.5B | $500M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -21.25x | -9.81x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 98.34x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 9.12x | 7.36x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.44x | 4.87x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 110.74x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
AMBA delivers a -13.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-13 in annual profit, vs $-55 for AMBQ. AMBA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AMBQ's 0.01x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AMBA scores 6/9 vs AMBQ's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -13.5% | -54.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -10.6% | -44.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -22.5% | -104.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -22.2% | -53.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$139M | -$60M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $145M | $61M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5M | $966,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMBQ five years ago would be worth $7,968 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,079 for AMBA. Over the past 12 months, AMBA leads with a -1.8% total return vs AMBQ's -20.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMBQ at -7.3% vs AMBA's -13.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -19.7% | +1.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -1.8% | -20.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -36.0% | -20.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -49.2% | -20.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +30.0% | -20.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -13.8% | -7.3% |
Risk & Volatility
AMBA is the less volatile stock with a 2.14 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMBQ's 2.81 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMBA currently trades 62.4% from its 52-week high vs AMBQ's 59.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.14x | 2.81x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $96.69 | $51.76 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $38.86 | $22.12 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +62.4% | +59.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.6 | 59.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 726K | 237K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMBA as "Buy" and AMBQ as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 61.6% upside for AMBA (target: $98) vs 4.2% for AMBQ (target: $32).
| Metric | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. | AMBQAmbiq Micro, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $97.50 | $32.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 36 | 1 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | $316M | $285M | -10.0% |
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | $51M | $76M | +49.2% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s revenue grew from $316M (2016) to $285M (2025) — a -1.2% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 24.2% | -41.1% | -270.0% |
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | -49.5% | -52.1% | -5.4% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s net margin went from 24% (2016) to -41% (2025).
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 2.27 | -2.84 | -225.1% |
| Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) | -1.85 | -3.13 | -69.2% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.27 (2016) to $-2.84 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ambarella, Inc. generated $23M FCF in 2025 (-9% vs 2021). Ambiq Micro, Inc. generated $-25M FCF in 2024 (+56% vs 2021).
AMBA vs AMBQ: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMBA or AMBQ a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) a "Buy" — based on 36 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 — AMBA or AMBQ?
Over the past 5 years, Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) delivered a total return of -20.3%, compared to -49.2% for Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA). A $10,000 investment in AMBQ five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMBA returned +30.0% versus AMBQ's -20.3%. 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 — AMBA or AMBQ?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) is the lower-risk stock at 2.14β versus Ambiq Micro, Inc.'s 2.81β — meaning AMBQ is approximately 32% more volatile than AMBA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 1% for Ambiq Micro, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AMBA or AMBQ?
Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) is the more profitable company, earning -41.1% net margin versus -52.1% for Ambiq Micro, Inc. — meaning it keeps -41.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMBA leads at -44.4% versus -53.4% for AMBQ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMBA leads at 60.5%, 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.
05Is AMBA or AMBQ more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMBA: 61.6% to $97.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — AMBA or AMBQ?
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.
07Is AMBA or AMBQ better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Ambiq Micro, Inc. (AMBQ) carries a higher beta of 2.81 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMBA: +30.0%, AMBQ: -20.3%), 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 AMBA and AMBQ?
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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