Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Appian Corporation (APPN) vs UiPath Inc. (PATH) 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 | APPN | 17.8% revenue growth vs PATH's 9.3% |
| Value | PATH | Lower P/E (16.0x vs 30.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | PATH | 14.8% net margin vs APPN's -1.1% |
| Stability / Safety | APPN | Beta 1.03 vs PATH's 1.34 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PATH | -12.8% vs APPN's -17.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PATH | 7.9% ROA vs APPN's -1.2%, ROIC -11.8% vs 0.3% |
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
Appian is a low-code automation platform that enables businesses to build enterprise applications without extensive manual coding. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its cloud platform — which accounts for the majority of its income — supplemented by professional services for implementation and support. The company's competitive advantage lies in its unified platform that combines process automation, case management, and data integration into a single low-code environment, creating switching costs for enterprise customers.
UiPath is a leading provider of robotic process automation (RPA) software that helps businesses automate repetitive digital tasks. The company generates revenue primarily through software licenses and cloud subscriptions — with its platform segment contributing roughly 80% of revenue — along with maintenance and support services. Its key competitive advantage lies in its comprehensive, AI-powered automation platform that combines process discovery, low-code development, and enterprise-grade management tools, creating significant switching costs for large enterprise customers.
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
PATH leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). APPN leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PATH is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.6B annually — 2.2x APPN's $691M. PATH is the more profitable business, keeping 14.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to APPN's -1.1%. On growth, APPN holds the edge at +21.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $691M | $1.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $16M | $13M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$7M | $230M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $73M | $312M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +76.3% | +83.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | +0.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.1% | +14.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | +20.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.4% | +15.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.4% | +19.5% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.0B | $797M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | -$5M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 1333.50x | -82.54x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 30.06x | 15.98x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3494.04x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.71x | 0.56x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 3.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 33.14x | 2.61x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), APPN scores 6/9 vs PATH's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +11.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.2% | +7.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.3% | -11.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.2% | -7.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $154M | -$801M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $136M | $880M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $290M | $78M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.85x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PATH five years ago would be worth $1,555 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,426 for APPN. Over the past 12 months, PATH leads with a -12.8% total return vs APPN's -17.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PATH at -10.2% vs APPN's -13.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -21.7% | -32.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -17.9% | -12.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -35.7% | -27.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -85.7% | -84.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +77.7% | -84.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -13.7% | -10.2% |
Risk & Volatility
APPN is the less volatile stock with a 1.03 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PATH's 1.34 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. APPN currently trades 57.9% from its 52-week high vs PATH's 54.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.03x | 1.34x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $46.06 | $19.84 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $21.77 | $9.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +57.9% | +54.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 52.7 | 36.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 915K | 24.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates APPN as "Hold" and PATH as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 51.9% upside for PATH (target: $16) vs 13.4% for APPN (target: $30).
| Metric | APPNAppian Corporation | PATHUiPath Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $30.25 | $16.30 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 19 | 24 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | +49.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | May 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | 100 | 23.22 | -76.8% |
| UiPath Inc. (PATH) | 102.8 | 18.17 | -82.3% |
UiPath Inc. (PATH) returned -84% over 5 years vs Appian Corporation (APPN)'s -86%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | $133M | $727M | +446.9% |
| UiPath Inc. (PATH) | $336M | $1.4B | +325.3% |
Appian Corporation's revenue grew from $133M (2016) to $727M (2025) — a 20.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | -9.4% | 0.2% | +101.8% |
| UiPath Inc. (PATH) | -154.7% | -5.2% | +96.7% |
Appian Corporation's net margin went from -9% (2016) to 0% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | -0.23 | 0.02 | +108.7% |
| UiPath Inc. (PATH) | -1 | -0.13 | +87.0% |
Appian Corporation's EPS grew from $-0.23 (2016) to $0.02 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Appian Corporation generated $60M FCF in 2025 (+199% vs 2021). UiPath Inc. generated $306M FCF in 2025 (+1076% vs 2021).
APPN vs PATH: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is APPN or PATH a better buy right now?
Appian Corporation (APPN) offers the better valuation at 1333.5x trailing P/E (30.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Appian Corporation (APPN) a "Hold" — based on 19 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 has the better valuation — APPN or PATH?
On forward P/E, UiPath Inc. is actually cheaper at 16.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — APPN or PATH?
Over the past 5 years, UiPath Inc. (PATH) delivered a total return of -84.4%, compared to -85.7% for Appian Corporation (APPN). A $10,000 investment in PATH five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APPN returned +77.7% versus PATH's -84.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — APPN or PATH?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Appian Corporation (APPN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.03β versus UiPath Inc.'s 1.34β — meaning PATH is approximately 31% more volatile than APPN relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — APPN or PATH?
Appian Corporation (APPN) is the more profitable company, earning 0.2% net margin versus -5.2% for UiPath Inc. — meaning it keeps 0.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: APPN leads at 0.1% versus -11.4% for PATH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PATH leads at 82.7%, 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.
06Is APPN or PATH more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, UiPath Inc. (PATH) trades at 16.0x forward P/E versus 30.1x for Appian Corporation — 14.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PATH: 51.9% to $16.30.
07Which pays a better dividend — APPN or PATH?
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.
08Is APPN or PATH better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Appian Corporation (APPN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.03)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (APPN: +77.7%, PATH: -84.4%), 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.
09What are the main differences between APPN and PATH?
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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