Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Core Scientific, Inc. (CORZ) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | AAPL | 6.4% revenue growth vs CORZ's 1.6% |
| Value | AAPL | Lower P/E (31.1x vs 314.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs CORZ's -229.9% |
| Stability / Safety | AAPL | Beta 1.28 vs CORZ's 2.06 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; CORZ pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CORZ | +52.1% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs CORZ's -33.5% |
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
Core Scientific operates large-scale Bitcoin mining facilities and provides colocation hosting services for other miners. It generates revenue primarily from mining Bitcoin for its own account—earning block rewards and transaction fees—and from hosting fees paid by third-party miners who use its infrastructure. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale, operational expertise, and strategic partnerships with major hardware manufacturers, which provide access to efficient mining equipment.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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
AAPL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CORZ leads in 1 (Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 1303.5x CORZ's $334M. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CORZ's -2.3%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $334M | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$82M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$768M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$354M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +6.5% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -52.1% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -2.3% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -106.0% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -14.9% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +70.5% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, AAPL's 27.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CORZ's 55.5x.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.2B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.6B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.30x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 314.84x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 55.45x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 10.25x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs CORZ's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -33.5% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -2.3% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $364M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $836M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.2B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -418.37x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CORZ five years ago would be worth $49,331 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, CORZ leads with a +52.1% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CORZ at 70.2% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.1% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +52.1% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +393.3% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +393.3% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +393.3% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +70.2% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
AAPL is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CORZ's 2.06 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AAPL currently trades 91.5% from its 52-week high vs CORZ's 71.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.06x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $23.63 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.20 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +71.8% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 52.4 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 8.6M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CORZ as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 61.3% upside for CORZ (target: $27) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CORZCore Scientific, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $27.38 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Scientific, In… (CORZ) | 100 | 519.48 | +419.5% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 144.5 | +44.5% |
Core Scientific, In… (CORZ) returned +393% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. A $10,000 investment in CORZ 5 years ago would be worth $49,331 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Scientific, In… (CORZ) | $60M | $511M | +757.9% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Scientific, In… (CORZ) | -20.0% | -2.6% | +87.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Scientific, In… (CORZ) | -0.28 | -5.14 | -1735.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Core Scientific, Inc. generated $-52M FCF in 2024 (+55% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
CORZ vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CORZ or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Core Scientific, Inc. (CORZ) 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 — CORZ or AAPL?
On forward P/E, Apple Inc. is actually cheaper at 31.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CORZ or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Core Scientific, Inc. (CORZ) delivered a total return of +393.3%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in CORZ five years ago would be worth approximately $49K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus CORZ's +393.3%. 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 — CORZ or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.28β versus Core Scientific, Inc.'s 2.06β — meaning CORZ is approximately 61% more volatile than AAPL relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — CORZ or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -257.5% for Core Scientific, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus -3.8% for CORZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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 CORZ or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Apple Inc. (AAPL) trades at 31.1x forward P/E versus 314.8x for Core Scientific, Inc. — 283.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CORZ: 61.3% to $27.38.
07Which pays a better dividend — CORZ or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. CORZ does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CORZ or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 10Y return). Core Scientific, Inc. (CORZ) carries a higher beta of 2.06 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, CORZ: +393.3%), 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 CORZ and AAPL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology 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.
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