Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) vs Nova Ltd. (NVMI) 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 | CAMT | 36.1% revenue growth vs NVMI's 29.8% |
| Value | NVMI | Lower P/E (42.8x vs 48.2x), PEG 1.18 vs 1.38 |
| Quality / Margins | NVMI | 29.4% net margin vs CAMT's 28.4% |
| Stability / Safety | CAMT | Beta 1.83 vs NVMI's 1.83 |
| Dividends | CAMT | 0.7% yield; 2-year raise streak; NVMI pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CAMT | +124.6% vs NVMI's +83.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CAMT | 13.7% ROA vs NVMI's 11.0%, ROIC 13.7% vs 14.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Camtek designs and manufactures specialized inspection and metrology equipment for semiconductor manufacturers — particularly for advanced packaging, memory, and image sensor production. It generates revenue primarily from selling its Eagle-series inspection systems and related services to chipmakers across Asia, the US, and Europe. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary 2D and 3D inspection technologies that address complex semiconductor manufacturing challenges where precision is critical.
Nova Ltd. is a semiconductor process control systems company that designs and sells metrology equipment used to measure and monitor chip manufacturing processes. It generates revenue primarily from selling its dimensional, films, and materials metrology platforms—which account for the vast majority of sales—to logic, foundry, and memory chip manufacturers worldwide. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in complex measurement technologies and strong customer relationships with leading semiconductor manufacturers who rely on its precision tools for advanced process control.
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
CAMT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). NVMI leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NVMI is the larger business by revenue, generating $881M annually — 1.9x CAMT's $472M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 29.4% (NVMI) to 28.4% (CAMT). On growth, CAMT holds the edge at +20.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $472M | $881M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $161M | $276M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $134M | $259M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $218M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +50.3% | +57.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +26.6% | +28.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +28.4% | +29.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +26.1% | +24.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +20.2% | +14.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.1% | +22.8% |
Valuation Metrics
At 69.2x trailing earnings, CAMT trades at a 9% valuation discount to NVMI's 76.3x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), CAMT offers better value at 1.98x vs NVMI's 2.11x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.2B | $12.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.3B | $12.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 69.17x | 76.32x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 48.24x | 42.79x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.98x | 2.11x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 63.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 19.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 15.05x | 15.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 58.93x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CAMT delivers a 21.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $21 in annual profit, vs $20 for NVMI. NVMI carries lower financial leverage with a 0.25x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CAMT's 0.38x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NVMI scores 8/9 vs CAMT's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.4% | +19.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +13.7% | +11.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.7% | +14.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.8% | +20.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.38x | 0.25x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $81M | $78M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $126M | $158M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $207M | $236M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4356.62x | 116.20x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CAMT five years ago would be worth $56,827 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $48,991 for NVMI. Over the past 12 months, CAMT leads with a +124.6% total return vs NVMI's +83.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CAMT at 83.9% vs NVMI's 69.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +44.9% | +26.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +124.6% | +83.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +522.1% | +384.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +468.3% | +389.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +8757.0% | +4009.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +83.9% | +69.2% |
Risk & Volatility
CAMT is the less volatile stock with a 1.83 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NVMI's 1.83 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CAMT currently trades 95.9% from its 52-week high vs NVMI's 86.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.83x | 1.83x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $174.61 | $507.27 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $47.41 | $154.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.9% | +86.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 65.4 | 50.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 423K | 335K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CAMT as "Buy" and NVMI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 11.5% upside for NVMI (target: $490) vs -1.1% for CAMT (target: $166). CAMT is the only dividend payer here at 0.73% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CAMTCamtek Ltd. | NVMINova Ltd. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $165.60 | $489.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 12 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.7% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.22 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | — | +0.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) | 100 | 1,405.35 | +1305.3% |
| Nova Ltd. (NVMI) | 100 | 1,247.32 | +1147.3% |
Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) returned +468% over 5 years vs Nova Ltd. (NVMI)'s +390%. A $10,000 investment in CAMT 5 years ago would be worth $56,827 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) | $99M | $429M | +332.4% |
| Nova Ltd. (NVMI) | $149M | $672M | +352.7% |
Camtek Ltd.'s revenue grew from $99M (2015) to $429M (2024) — a 17.7% CAGR. Nova Ltd.'s revenue grew from $149M (2015) to $672M (2024) — a 18.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) | -10.2% | 27.6% | +371.0% |
| Nova Ltd. (NVMI) | 10.6% | 27.3% | +158.1% |
Camtek Ltd.'s net margin went from -10% (2015) to 28% (2024). Nova Ltd.'s net margin went from 11% (2015) to 27% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) | 14.7 | 33.4 | +127.2% |
| Nova Ltd. (NVMI) | 15.9 | 34.3 | +115.7% |
Camtek Ltd. has traded in a 13x–43x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~69x. Nova Ltd. has traded in a 12x–47x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~76x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) | -0.3 | 2.42 | +906.7% |
| Nova Ltd. (NVMI) | 0.57 | 5.75 | +908.8% |
Camtek Ltd.'s EPS grew from $-0.30 (2015) to $2.42 (2024). Nova Ltd.'s EPS grew from $0.57 (2015) to $5.75 (2024) — a 29% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Camtek Ltd. generated $112M FCF in 2024 (+97% vs 2021). Nova Ltd. generated $218M FCF in 2024 (+71% vs 2021).
CAMT vs NVMI: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CAMT or NVMI a better buy right now?
Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) offers the better valuation at 69.2x trailing P/E (48.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — CAMT or NVMI?
On trailing P/E, Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) is the cheapest at 69.2x versus Nova Ltd. at 76.3x. On forward P/E, Nova Ltd. is actually cheaper at 42.8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Nova Ltd. wins at 1.18x versus Camtek Ltd.'s 1.38x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CAMT or NVMI?
Over the past 5 years, Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) delivered a total return of +468.3%, compared to +389.9% for Nova Ltd. (NVMI). A $10,000 investment in CAMT five years ago would be worth approximately $57K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CAMT returned +87.6% versus NVMI's +40.1%. 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 — CAMT or NVMI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.83β versus Nova Ltd.'s 1.83β — meaning NVMI is approximately 0% more volatile than CAMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Nova Ltd. (NVMI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 38% for Camtek Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CAMT or NVMI?
Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) is the more profitable company, earning 27.6% net margin versus 27.3% for Nova Ltd. — meaning it keeps 27.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NVMI leads at 27.9% versus 25.2% for CAMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NVMI leads at 57.6%, 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 CAMT or NVMI more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Nova Ltd. (NVMI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1.18x versus Camtek Ltd.'s 1.38x. A PEG below 1.5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Nova Ltd. (NVMI) trades at 42.8x forward P/E versus 48.2x for Camtek Ltd. — 5.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NVMI: 11.5% to $489.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — CAMT or NVMI?
In this comparison, CAMT (0.7% yield) pays a dividend. NVMI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CAMT or NVMI better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (0.7% yield). Nova Ltd. (NVMI) carries a higher beta of 1.83 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CAMT: +87.6%, NVMI: +40.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CAMT and NVMI?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. CAMT pays a dividend while NVMI 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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