Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) vs Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CMCM | 20.5% revenue growth vs NFLX's 15.9% |
| Quality / Margins | NFLX | 24.3% net margin vs CMCM's -40.2% |
| Stability / Safety | NFLX | Beta 0.76 vs CMCM's 1.16 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CMCM | +16.3% vs NFLX's -1.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NFLX | 19.8% ROA vs CMCM's -8.7%, ROIC 29.8% vs -58.3% |
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
Cheetah Mobile is a Chinese internet company that develops mobile utility apps — primarily security and cleaning tools — and casual mobile games. It generates revenue mainly through mobile advertising (roughly 70-80% of total) and to a lesser extent from in-app purchases in its games and premium subscription services. Its competitive advantage stems from its large installed base of utility apps — particularly Clean Master and Security Master — which provide a captive audience for its advertising network.
Netflix is a global streaming entertainment service that offers original and licensed TV shows, movies, and documentaries. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees — with three pricing tiers — and earns additional income from licensing its original content to other platforms. Its key advantage is its massive scale and data-driven content creation, which allows it to invest billions in programming that attracts and retains subscribers worldwide.
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
NFLX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). CMCM leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NFLX is the larger business by revenue, generating $45.2B annually — 41.9x CMCM's $1.1B. NFLX is the more profitable business, keeping 24.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CMCM's -40.2%. On growth, CMCM holds the edge at +49.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $45.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$62M | $30.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$434M | $11.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $9.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +74.3% | +48.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -22.3% | +29.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -40.2% | +24.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -32.4% | +20.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +49.6% | +17.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +72.9% | +31.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $6.3B | $407.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $6.0B | $413.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.04x | 38.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 30.75x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.15x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 13.74x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 53.15x | 9.03x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.01x | 15.61x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 43.10x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NFLX delivers a 41.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $41 in annual profit, vs $-20 for CMCM. CMCM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NFLX's 0.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NFLX scores 7/9 vs CMCM's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -19.8% | +41.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -8.7% | +19.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -58.3% | +29.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -16.4% | +30.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.8B | $5.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.8B | $9.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $75M | $14.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 17.33x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NFLX five years ago would be worth $17,479 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,212 for CMCM. Over the past 12 months, CMCM leads with a +16.3% total return vs NFLX's -1.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NFLX at 44.0% vs CMCM's 34.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -1.8% | +5.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +16.3% | -1.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +141.2% | +198.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -57.9% | +74.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -78.6% | +930.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +34.1% | +44.0% |
Risk & Volatility
NFLX is the less volatile stock with a 0.76 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CMCM's 1.16 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NFLX currently trades 71.8% from its 52-week high vs CMCM's 65.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.16x | 0.76x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $9.44 | $134.12 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.28 | $75.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.1% | +71.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.6 | 55.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 13K | 38.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CMCM as "Buy" and NFLX as "Buy".
| Metric | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… | NFLXNetflix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $117.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 97 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 100 | 43.69 | -56.3% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 100 | 224.4 | +124.4% |
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) returned +75% over 5 years vs Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM)'s -58%. A $10,000 investment in NFLX 5 years ago would be worth $17,479 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | $657M | $807M | +22.7% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | $8.8B | $45.2B | +411.7% |
Netflix, Inc.'s revenue grew from $8.8B (2016) to $45.2B (2025) — a 19.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | -1.8% | -76.5% | -4238.6% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 2.1% | 24.3% | +1049.7% |
Netflix, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 24% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 0.2 | 0 | -100.0% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 153.6 | 37.1 | -75.8% |
Cheetah Mobile Inc. has traded in a 0x–0x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-0x. Netflix, Inc. has traded in a 30x–154x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~38x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | -21 | -1,027 | -4790.5% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 0.04 | 2.53 | +5783.7% |
Netflix, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.04 (2016) to $2.53 (2025) — a 57% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cheetah Mobile Inc. generated $-261M FCF in 2024 (-566% vs 2021). Netflix, Inc. generated $9B FCF in 2025 (+7269% vs 2021).
CMCM vs NFLX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CMCM or NFLX a better buy right now?
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) offers the better valuation at 38.0x trailing P/E (30.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) a "Buy" — based on 8 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 — CMCM or NFLX?
Over the past 5 years, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) delivered a total return of +74.8%, compared to -57.9% for Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM). A $10,000 investment in NFLX five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NFLX returned +930.4% versus CMCM's -78.6%. 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 — CMCM or NFLX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.76β versus Cheetah Mobile Inc.'s 1.16β — meaning CMCM is approximately 53% more volatile than NFLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 54% for Netflix, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CMCM or NFLX?
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the more profitable company, earning 24.3% net margin versus -76.5% for Cheetah Mobile Inc. — meaning it keeps 24.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NFLX leads at 29.5% versus -54.2% for CMCM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CMCM leads at 67.6%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — CMCM or NFLX?
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.
06Is CMCM or NFLX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.76), +930.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NFLX: +930.4%, CMCM: -78.6%), 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 CMCM and NFLX?
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. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 24%
- Gross Margin > 44%