CRGO vs SHIP vs ZIM vs DAC

For growth investors, Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO) is the stronger pick with 23.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 1% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM). Danaos Corporation (DAC) offers the better valuation at 4. 9x trailing P/E (5. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO) a "Buy" — based on 3 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, Danaos Corporation (DAC) is the cheapest at 4.

9x versus Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. at 16. 0x. On forward P/E, Danaos Corporation is actually cheaper at 5. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Danaos Corporation (DAC) delivered a total return of +124.

8%, compared to -79. 0% for Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ZIM returned +548. 1% versus SHIP's -99. 7%. 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), Danaos Corporation (DAC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

62β versus Freightos Limited Ordinary shares's 1. 98β — meaning CRGO is approximately 218% more volatile than DAC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 143% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO) is pulling ahead at 23.

9% versus -18. 1% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Freightos Limited Ordinary shares grew EPS 23. 9% year-over-year, compared to -77. 7% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CRGO leads at 15. 6% 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.

Danaos Corporation (DAC) is the more profitable company, earning 47.

4% net margin versus -59. 5% for Freightos Limited Ordinary shares — meaning it keeps 47. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DAC leads at 47. 8% versus -65. 0% for CRGO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRGO leads at 66. 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, Danaos Corporation (DAC) trades at 5.

3x forward P/E versus 6. 9x for Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. — 1. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRGO: 46. 3% to $3. 00.

In this comparison, ZIM (16.

4% yield), SHIP (2. 9% yield), DAC (2. 6% yield) pay a dividend. CRGO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Danaos Corporation (DAC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

62), 2. 6% yield, +225. 9% 10Y return). Freightos Limited Ordinary shares (CRGO) carries a higher beta of 1. 98 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DAC: +225. 9%, CRGO: -79. 0%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: CRGO is a small-cap high-growth stock; SHIP is a small-cap deep-value stock; ZIM is a small-cap deep-value stock; DAC is a small-cap deep-value stock. SHIP, ZIM, DAC pay a dividend while CRGO 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.