EBAY vs SE

For growth investors, Sea Limited (SE) is the stronger pick with 28.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 9% for eBay Inc. (EBAY). eBay Inc. (EBAY) offers the better valuation at 24. 9x trailing P/E (17. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sea Limited (SE) a "Buy" — based on 44 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, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the cheapest at 24. 9x versus Sea Limited at 123. 3x. On forward P/E, eBay Inc. is actually cheaper at 17. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) delivered a total return of +92. 3%, compared to -62. 2% for Sea Limited (SE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SE returned +463. 8% versus EBAY's +380. 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), eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 73β versus Sea Limited's 1. 45β — meaning SE is approximately 97% more volatile than EBAY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Sea Limited (SE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 49% versus 160% for eBay Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sea Limited (SE) is pulling ahead at 28.

8% versus 7. 9% for eBay Inc. (EBAY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sea Limited grew EPS 192. 0% year-over-year, compared to 10. 2% for eBay Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SE leads at 19. 1% 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.

eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 3% net margin versus 2. 6% for Sea Limited — meaning it keeps 18. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EBAY leads at 20. 5% versus 3. 9% for SE. 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.

On forward earnings alone, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) trades at 17. 7x forward P/E versus 25. 4x for Sea Limited — 7. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SE: 64. 0% to $147. 67.

In this comparison, EBAY (1.

1% yield) pays a dividend. SE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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. 73), 1. 1% yield, +380. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EBAY: +380. 7%, SE: +463. 8%), 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 Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: EBAY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SE is a mid-cap high-growth stock. EBAY pays a dividend while SE 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.