Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Autohome Inc. (ATHM) vs Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) 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 | ATHM | -2.0% revenue growth vs GRPN's -4.3% |
| Value | ATHM | Lower P/E (11.5x vs 16.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | ATHM | 23.6% net margin vs GRPN's -28.5% |
| Stability / Safety | ATHM | Beta 0.64 vs GRPN's 1.10, lower leverage |
| Dividends | ATHM | 9.3% yield; 2-year raise streak; GRPN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GRPN | +13.5% vs ATHM's -27.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ATHM | 5.6% ROA vs GRPN's -23.3%, ROIC 3.4% vs 8.1% |
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
Autohome operates China's leading online automotive content and transaction platform, connecting car buyers with automakers and dealers. It generates revenue primarily through media services — automaker advertising and regional marketing campaigns — and leads generation services — dealer subscriptions and advertising — with additional income from its Autohome Mall transaction platform and commissions on auto-financing and insurance products. The company's moat lies in its dominant market position as China's most visited automotive website, creating a powerful network effect where more consumers attract more dealers and automakers, which in turn draws more consumers.
Groupon operates an online marketplace that connects consumers with local merchants offering deals and discounts. It makes money primarily by taking a commission — typically 30-50% — on each deal sold through its platform, with additional revenue from direct sales of first-party inventory. The company's key advantage is its established network of millions of users and thousands of local merchants, creating a two-sided marketplace that's difficult for new entrants to replicate at scale.
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
ATHM leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). GRPN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ATHM is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.8B annually — 13.6x GRPN's $496M. ATHM is the more profitable business, keeping 23.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GRPN's -28.5%. On growth, GRPN holds the edge at +7.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6.8B | $496M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $906M | $41M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.6B | -$142M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $60M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +72.1% | +90.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +4.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +23.6% | -28.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.5% | +12.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.3% | +7.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -119.9% | -10.4% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, GRPN's 16.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ATHM's 49.3x.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.2B | $644M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $9.0B | $668M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 9.89x | -8.36x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.49x | 16.68x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 49.25x | 16.84x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.96x | 1.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.64x | 12.04x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 51.14x | 16.12x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ATHM delivers a 6.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-160 for GRPN. ATHM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GRPN's 6.16x.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.3% | -159.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.6% | -23.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.4% | +8.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.9% | +3.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 6.16x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.6B | $24M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.7B | $229M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $97M | $253M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -6.09x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GRPN five years ago would be worth $2,194 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,138 for ATHM. Over the past 12 months, GRPN leads with a +13.5% total return vs ATHM's -27.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GRPN at 18.9% vs ATHM's -7.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -15.4% | -27.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -27.2% | +13.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.1% | +68.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -78.6% | -78.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +11.4% | -86.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.2% | +18.9% |
Risk & Volatility
ATHM is the less volatile stock with a 0.64 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GRPN's 1.10 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ATHM currently trades 60.9% from its 52-week high vs GRPN's 29.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.64x | 1.10x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $31.50 | $43.08 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $19.08 | $9.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.9% | +29.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 30.2 | 42.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 368K | 848K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ATHM as "Buy" and GRPN as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 127.7% upside for ATHM (target: $44) vs 100.1% for GRPN (target: $25). ATHM is the only dividend payer here at 9.25% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ATHMAutohome Inc. | GRPNGroupon, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $43.67 | $25.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +9.3% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $12.17 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autohome Inc. (ATHM) | 100 | 30.68 | -69.3% |
| Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) | 71.67 | 60.04 | -16.2% |
Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) returned -78% over 5 years vs Autohome Inc. (ATHM)'s -79%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autohome Inc. (ATHM) | $3.5B | $7.0B | +103.2% |
| Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) | $3.1B | $493M | -84.2% |
Autohome Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.5B (2015) to $7.0B (2024) — a 8.2% CAGR. Groupon, Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.1B (2015) to $493M (2024) — a -18.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autohome Inc. (ATHM) | 28.6% | 25.5% | -11.0% |
| Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) | 0.7% | -12.0% | -1908.9% |
Autohome Inc.'s net margin went from 29% (2015) to 25% (2024). Groupon, Inc.'s net margin went from 1% (2015) to -12% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autohome Inc. (ATHM) | 3.8 | 1.9 | -50.0% |
Autohome Inc. has traded in a 0x–4x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autohome Inc. (ATHM) | 8.57 | 13.31 | +55.3% |
| Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) | 0.6 | -1.51 | -351.7% |
Autohome Inc.'s EPS grew from $8.57 (2015) to $13.31 (2024) — a 5% CAGR. Groupon, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.60 (2015) to $-1.51 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Autohome Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2024 (-63% vs 2021). Groupon, Inc. generated $40M FCF in 2024 (+123% vs 2021).
ATHM vs GRPN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ATHM or GRPN a better buy right now?
Autohome Inc. (ATHM) offers the better valuation at 9.9x trailing P/E (11.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Autohome Inc. (ATHM) a "Buy" — based on 22 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 — ATHM or GRPN?
On forward P/E, Autohome Inc. is actually cheaper at 11.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ATHM or GRPN?
Over the past 5 years, Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) delivered a total return of -78.1%, compared to -78.6% for Autohome Inc. (ATHM). A $10,000 investment in GRPN five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ATHM returned +11.4% versus GRPN's -86.8%. 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 — ATHM or GRPN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Autohome Inc. (ATHM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.64β versus Groupon, Inc.'s 1.10β — meaning GRPN is approximately 73% more volatile than ATHM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Autohome Inc. (ATHM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 6% for Groupon, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ATHM or GRPN?
Autohome Inc. (ATHM) is the more profitable company, earning 25.5% net margin versus -12.0% for Groupon, Inc. — meaning it keeps 25.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ATHM leads at 14.3% versus 1.8% for GRPN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GRPN leads at 90.2%, 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 ATHM or GRPN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Autohome Inc. (ATHM) trades at 11.5x forward P/E versus 16.7x for Groupon, Inc. — 5.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ATHM: 127.7% to $43.67.
07Which pays a better dividend — ATHM or GRPN?
In this comparison, ATHM (9.3% yield) pays a dividend. GRPN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ATHM or GRPN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Autohome Inc. (ATHM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.64), 9.3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ATHM: +11.4%, GRPN: -86.8%), 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.
09What are the main differences between ATHM and GRPN?
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: ATHM is a small-cap deep-value stock; GRPN is a small-cap quality compounder stock. ATHM pays a dividend while GRPN does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 14%
- Dividend Yield > 3.7%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 5%
- Gross Margin > 54%