Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare eBay Inc. (EBAY) 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 | EBAY | 7.9% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | EBAY | Lower P/E (15.0x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs EBAY's 18.3% |
| Stability / Safety | EBAY | Beta 0.57 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EBAY | 1.3% yield, 7-year raise streak, vs AAPL's 0.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EBAY | +42.1% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs EBAY's 11.5%, ROIC 64.5% vs 17.0% |
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
eBay operates a global online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of goods ranging from collectibles to everyday items. It generates revenue primarily through transaction fees — taking a percentage of each sale — along with listing fees and advertising services for sellers. Its key advantage is network effects from its massive user base and brand recognition as one of the original e-commerce platforms.
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 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). EBAY leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 39.2x EBAY's $11.1B. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EBAY's 18.3%.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $11.1B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.6B | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.0B | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.4B | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +71.5% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +20.5% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +18.3% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +13.0% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.0% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -17.9% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.9x trailing earnings, EBAY trades at a 41% valuation discount to AAPL's 35.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, EBAY's 17.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $40.8B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $46.0B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 20.94x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.02x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.86x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.68x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.06x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 27.49x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $44 for EBAY. EBAY carries lower financial leverage with a 1.53x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs EBAY's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +44.0% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.5% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +17.0% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +17.4% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.53x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.2B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.9B | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.1B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.13x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,334 for EBAY. Over the past 12 months, EBAY leads with a +42.1% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EBAY at 27.0% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.4% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +42.1% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +105.0% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +63.3% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +307.1% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +27.0% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
EBAY is the less volatile stock with a 0.57 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.57x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $101.15 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $58.71 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.8% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.9 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.1M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EBAY as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 14.7% upside for AAPL (target: $303) vs 9.1% for EBAY (target: $99). For income investors, EBAY offers the higher dividend yield at 1.27% vs AAPL's 0.39%.
| Metric | EBAYeBay Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $99.13 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 68 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.3% | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 7 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.15 | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.1% | +2.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Inc. (EBAY) | 100 | 260.79 | +160.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 361.46 | +261.5% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs eBay Inc. (EBAY)'s +63%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $21,049 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Inc. (EBAY) | $9.3B | $11.1B | +19.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
eBay Inc.'s revenue grew from $9.3B (2016) to $11.1B (2025) — a 2.0% CAGR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Inc. (EBAY) | 78.1% | 18.3% | -76.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
eBay Inc.'s net margin went from 78% (2016) to 18% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Inc. (EBAY) | 11 | 20.1 | +82.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
eBay Inc. has traded in a 3x–20x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay Inc. (EBAY) | 6.35 | 4.34 | -31.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
eBay Inc.'s EPS grew from $6.35 (2016) to $4.34 (2025) — a -4% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
eBay Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (-33% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
EBAY vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EBAY or AAPL a better buy right now?
eBay Inc. (EBAY) offers the better valuation at 20.9x trailing P/E (15.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — EBAY or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, eBay Inc. (EBAY) is the cheapest at 20.9x versus Apple Inc. at 35.4x. On forward P/E, eBay Inc. is actually cheaper at 15.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EBAY or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to +63.3% for eBay Inc. (EBAY). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus EBAY's +307.1%. 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 — EBAY or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), eBay Inc. (EBAY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.57β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 124% more volatile than EBAY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, eBay Inc. (EBAY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 153% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EBAY or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 18.3% for eBay 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 20.5% for EBAY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EBAY leads at 71.5%, 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 EBAY or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, eBay Inc. (EBAY) trades at 15.0x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 16.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 14.7% to $303.11.
07Which pays a better dividend — EBAY or AAPL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. eBay Inc. (EBAY) offers the highest yield at 1.3%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).
08Is EBAY or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, eBay Inc. (EBAY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.57), 1.3% yield, +307.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EBAY: +307.1%, AAPL: +1027%), 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 EBAY and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (EBAY (Consumer Cyclical) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. EBAY pays a dividend while AAPL 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.
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