CMPR vs SSTK vs ETSY vs UPWK

For growth investors, Shutterstock, Inc.

(SSTK) is the stronger pick with 5. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for Upwork Inc. (UPWK). Upwork Inc. (UPWK) offers the better valuation at 12. 8x trailing P/E (7. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) a "Buy" — based on 45 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.

On trailing P/E, Upwork Inc.

(UPWK) is the cheapest at 12. 8x versus Cimpress plc at 158. 6x. On forward P/E, Upwork Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Cimpress plc (CMPR) delivered a total return of -9.

4%, compared to -74. 8% for Upwork Inc. (UPWK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ETSY returned +681. 2% versus UPWK's -49. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Upwork Inc.

(UPWK) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 16β versus Shutterstock, Inc. 's 1. 48β — meaning SSTK is approximately 28% more volatile than UPWK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 55% versus 60% for Upwork Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Shutterstock, Inc.

(SSTK) is pulling ahead at 5. 8% versus 2. 4% for Upwork Inc. (UPWK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Shutterstock, Inc. grew EPS 23. 8% year-over-year, compared to -91. 0% for Cimpress plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, UPWK leads at 8. 4% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Upwork Inc.

(UPWK) is the more profitable company, earning 14. 7% net margin versus 0. 4% for Cimpress plc — meaning it keeps 14. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UPWK leads at 16. 4% versus 6. 6% for CMPR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UPWK leads at 77. 8%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Upwork Inc.

(UPWK) trades at 7. 4x forward P/E versus 28. 0x for Cimpress plc — 20. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SSTK: 294. 5% to $67. 00.

In this comparison, SSTK (7.

6% yield) pays a dividend. CMPR, ETSY, UPWK do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Etsy, Inc.

(ETSY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 22), +681. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ETSY: +681. 2%, CMPR: -1. 9%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (CMPR (Communication Services) and SSTK (Communication Services) and ETSY (Consumer Cyclical) and UPWK (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CMPR is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SSTK is a small-cap deep-value stock; ETSY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; UPWK is a small-cap deep-value stock. SSTK pays a dividend while CMPR, ETSY, UPWK do 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.