CRTO vs GOOGL

For growth investors, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the stronger pick with 15. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 8% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). Criteo S. A. (CRTO) offers the better valuation at 10. 6x trailing P/E (4. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Criteo S. A. (CRTO) a "Buy" — based on 33 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, Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the cheapest at 10. 6x versus Alphabet Inc. at 35. 9x. On forward P/E, Criteo S. A. is actually cheaper at 4. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Criteo S. A. wins at 0. 70x versus Alphabet Inc. 's 0. 97x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) delivered a total return of +237. 1%, compared to -49. 3% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GOOGL returned +991. 5% versus CRTO'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), Criteo S.

A. (CRTO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 76β versus Alphabet Inc. 's 1. 26β — meaning GOOGL is approximately 65% more volatile than CRTO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Criteo S. A. (CRTO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 14% for Alphabet Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(GOOGL) is pulling ahead at 15. 1% versus -0. 8% for Criteo S. A. (CRTO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Criteo S. A. grew EPS 115. 9% year-over-year, compared to 34. 5% for Alphabet Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GOOGL leads at 12. 5% 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.

Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the more profitable company, earning 32. 8% net margin versus 5. 8% for Criteo S. A. — meaning it keeps 32. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GOOGL leads at 32. 1% versus 7. 8% for CRTO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GOOGL leads at 59. 7%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Criteo S. A. (CRTO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 70x versus Alphabet Inc. 's 0. 97x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Criteo S. A. (CRTO) trades at 4. 6x forward P/E versus 28. 9x for Alphabet Inc. — 24. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRTO: 55. 3% to $31. 25.

In this comparison, GOOGL (0.

2% yield) pays a dividend. CRTO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 26), +991. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GOOGL: +991. 5%, CRTO: -49. 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.

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.

In terms of investment character: CRTO is a small-cap deep-value stock; GOOGL is a mega-cap high-growth stock. 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.