Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) vs Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) 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 | CLSKW | 102.2% revenue growth vs CIFR's 48.0% |
| Quality / Margins | CLSKW | 47.6% net margin vs CIFR's -367.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CLSKW | Beta 2.34 vs CIFR's 2.81 |
| Dividends | CLSKW | 10.8% yield; 3-year raise streak; CIFR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CIFR | +282.4% vs CLSKW's -34.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CLSKW | -7.8% ROA vs CIFR's -19.2%, ROIC 9.9% vs -15.8% |
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
CleanSpark is a Bitcoin mining company that operates data centers primarily powered by low-carbon energy sources. It generates revenue almost entirely from Bitcoin mining rewards and transaction fees — earning newly minted Bitcoin through its computing power contribution to the network. The company's key advantage is its focus on sustainable energy sources and strategic location in low-cost power regions, which gives it a cost edge in the energy-intensive mining process.
Cipher Mining is a Bitcoin mining company that operates large-scale data centers to validate transactions and earn newly minted Bitcoin. It generates revenue primarily from Bitcoin mining rewards — which account for nearly all its income — with a small portion from transaction fees. The company's competitive advantage lies in its strategic access to low-cost renewable energy in Texas and its vertically integrated operations that control both mining hardware and infrastructure.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CLSKW leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CIFR leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CLSKW is the larger business by revenue, generating $766M annually — 3.4x CIFR's $224M. CLSKW is the more profitable business, keeping 47.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CIFR's -3.7%.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $766M | $224M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $117M | $29M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$261M | -$822M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$627M | -$696M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +55.2% | -60.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +41.6% | -76.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | -3.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -79.0% | -3.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.6% | -36.6% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, CLSKW's 1.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CIFR's 199.0x.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $89M | $6.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $870M | $5.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 0.28x | -7.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.30x | 199.04x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.12x | 28.21x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.05x | 7.12x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CLSKW delivers a -18.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-19 in annual profit, vs $-98 for CIFR. CIFR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CLSKW's 0.38x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CLSKW scores 4/9 vs CIFR's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -18.9% | -98.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -7.8% | -19.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +9.9% | -15.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +13.7% | -8.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.38x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $781M | -$573M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $43M | $628M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $824M | $55M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 25.88x | -5.25x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CLSKW five years ago would be worth $56,818 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,072 for CIFR. Over the past 12 months, CIFR leads with a +282.4% total return vs CLSKW's -34.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CIFR at 117.3% vs CLSKW's 78.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -15.8% | -3.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -34.4% | +282.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +468.2% | +926.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +468.2% | +50.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +468.2% | +57.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +78.4% | +117.3% |
Risk & Volatility
CLSKW is the less volatile stock with a 2.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CIFR's 2.81 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CIFR currently trades 61.1% from its 52-week high vs CLSKW's 30.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.34x | 2.81x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $1.02 | $25.52 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.15 | $1.86 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +30.6% | +61.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 47.7 | 51.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 154K | 25.2M |
Analyst Outlook
CLSKW is the only dividend payer here at 10.82% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CLSKWCleanSpark, Inc. | CIFRCipher Mining Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $26.31 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 12 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +10.8% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.03 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +100.0% | +1.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Nov 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) | 100 | 439.82 | +339.8% |
| Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) | 100 | 361.27 | +261.3% |
CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) returned +468% over 5 years vs Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR)'s +51%. A $10,000 investment in CLSKW 5 years ago would be worth $56,818 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) | $82031.00 | $766M | +934076.1% |
| Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) | $0.00 | $224M | — |
CleanSpark, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $766M (2025) — a 176.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) | -31.0% | 47.6% | +253.6% |
| Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) | -12.9% | -3.7% | +71.4% |
CleanSpark, Inc.'s net margin went from -31% (2016) to 48% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) | -1.13 | 1.12 | +199.1% |
| Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) | -0.01 | -2.15 | -42900.0% |
CleanSpark, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.13 (2016) to $1.12 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CleanSpark, Inc. generated $-606M FCF in 2025 (-140% vs 2021). Cipher Mining Inc. generated $-696M FCF in 2025 (-1792% vs 2021).
CLSKW vs CIFR: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CLSKW or CIFR a better buy right now?
CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) offers the better valuation at 0.3x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) 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 is the better long-term investment — CLSKW or CIFR?
Over the past 5 years, CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) delivered a total return of +468.2%, compared to +50.7% for Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR). A $10,000 investment in CLSKW five years ago would be worth approximately $57K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CLSKW returned +468.2% versus CIFR's +57.6%. 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 — CLSKW or CIFR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) is the lower-risk stock at 2.34β versus Cipher Mining Inc.'s 2.81β — meaning CIFR is approximately 20% more volatile than CLSKW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 38% for CleanSpark, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CLSKW or CIFR?
CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) is the more profitable company, earning 47.6% net margin versus -367.2% for Cipher Mining Inc. — meaning it keeps 47.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CLSKW leads at 41.6% versus -76.7% for CIFR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CLSKW leads at 55.2%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — CLSKW or CIFR?
In this comparison, CLSKW (10.8% yield) pays a dividend. CIFR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is CLSKW or CIFR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CleanSpark, Inc. (CLSKW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (10.8% yield, +468.2% 10Y return). Cipher Mining Inc. (CIFR) 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 (CLSKW: +468.2%, CIFR: +57.6%), 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.
07What are the main differences between CLSKW and CIFR?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: CLSKW is a small-cap deep-value stock; CIFR is a small-cap quality compounder stock. CLSKW pays a dividend while CIFR 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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