Marine Shipping
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ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Marine Shipping
Marine Shipping
Marine Shipping
ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Marine Shipping | Marine Shipping | Marine Shipping | Marine Shipping |
| Market Cap | $506M | $2.42B | $3.15B | $2.10B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $228M | $1.04B | $6.90B | $1.09B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $137M | $495M | $479M | $365M |
| Gross Margin | 63.5% | 60.1% | 16.8% | 48.2% |
| Operating Margin | 61.6% | 47.8% | 12.3% | 39.4% |
| Forward P/E | 4.3x | 5.3x | 6.6x | 6.8x |
| Total Debt | $217M | $1.16B | $5.74B | $1.51B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $177M | $1.04B | $1.05B | $528M |
ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Jan 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA) | 100 | 1169.6 | +1069.6% |
| Danaos Corporation (DAC) | 100 | 500.0 | +400.0% |
| ZIM Integrated Ship… (ZIM) | 100 | 216.7 | +116.7% |
| Costamare Inc. (CMRE) | 100 | 293.3 | +193.3% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ESEA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 7.0%, EPS growth 21.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 7.6%
- 389.1% 10Y total return vs ZIM's 5.5%
- 7.0% revenue growth vs CMRE's -57.9%
- Lower P/E (4.3x vs 6.8x)
DAC is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if sleep-well-at-night and defensive is your priority.
- Lower volatility, beta 0.62, Low D/E 30.4%, current ratio 3.28x
- Beta 0.62, yield 2.6%, current ratio 3.28x
- Beta 0.62 vs ZIM's 1.33, lower leverage
ZIM lags the leaders in this set but could rank higher in a more targeted comparison.
CMRE is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability.
- Dividend streak 2 yrs, beta 1.25, yield 3.8%
- +153.2% vs DAC's +68.0%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 7.0% revenue growth vs CMRE's -57.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (4.3x vs 6.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 60.1% margin vs ZIM's 6.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.62 vs ZIM's 1.33, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 3.8% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs ZIM's 16.4% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +153.2% vs DAC's +68.0% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 19.6% ROA vs ZIM's 4.3%, ROIC 19.5% vs 7.3% |
ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Segment breakdown not available.
ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Who Leads Where
ESEA leads in 4 of 6 categories
DAC leads 1 • ZIM leads 0 • CMRE leads 0 • 1 tied
Explore the data ↓Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ESEA leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ZIM is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.9B annually — 30.3x ESEA's $228M. ESEA is the more profitable business, keeping 60.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ZIM's 6.9%. On growth, ESEA holds the edge at +7.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $228M | $1.0B | $6.9B | $1.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $169M | $695M | $2.1B | $550M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $137M | $495M | $479M | $365M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $64M | $341M | $2.0B | $262M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.5% | +60.1% | +16.8% | +48.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +61.6% | +47.8% | +12.3% | +39.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +60.1% | +47.4% | +6.9% | +33.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +28.1% | +32.7% | +29.0% | +23.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.7% | +3.1% | -31.5% | -61.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +65.9% | +37.8% | -93.1% | +140.0% |
Valuation Metrics
ESEA leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 3.7x trailing earnings, ESEA trades at a 44% valuation discount to ZIM's 6.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, ESEA's 3.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CMRE's 5.1x.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $506M | $2.4B | $3.1B | $2.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $546M | $2.5B | $7.8B | $3.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 3.67x | 4.94x | 6.56x | 6.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.32x | 5.26x | — | 6.81x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.11x | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.44x | 3.59x | 3.68x | 5.11x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.22x | 2.32x | 0.46x | 2.39x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.08x | 0.64x | 0.78x | 0.97x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 7.90x | 7.51x | 1.96x | 4.44x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ESEA leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ESEA delivers a 29.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $30 in annual profit, vs $12 for ZIM. DAC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.30x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ZIM's 1.43x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ESEA scores 7/9 vs ZIM's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +29.6% | +13.0% | +12.0% | +16.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +19.6% | +9.7% | +4.3% | +8.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.5% | +9.8% | +7.3% | +9.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +21.7% | +11.2% | +9.6% | +11.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.47x | 0.30x | 1.43x | 0.70x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $40M | $118M | $4.7B | $987M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $177M | $1.0B | $1.1B | $528M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $217M | $1.2B | $5.7B | $1.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.47x | 11.62x | 2.02x | 5.21x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
ESEA leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in ESEA five years ago would be worth $54,420 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $18,830 for ZIM. Over the past 12 months, CMRE leads with a +153.2% total return vs DAC's +68.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ESEA at 73.8% vs ZIM's 26.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +34.7% | +39.7% | +23.2% | +12.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +115.9% | +68.0% | +106.6% | +153.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +425.3% | +149.6% | +104.5% | +197.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +444.2% | +124.8% | +88.3% | +146.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +389.1% | +225.9% | +548.1% | +242.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +73.8% | +35.7% | +26.9% | +43.9% |
Risk & Volatility
DAC leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
DAC is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ZIM's 1.33 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. DAC currently trades 99.6% from its 52-week high vs ZIM's 87.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.28x | 0.62x | 1.33x | 1.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $74.70 | $132.70 | $29.97 | $18.05 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $33.76 | $80.29 | $12.33 | $6.63 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.8% | +99.6% | +87.1% | +96.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.5 | 74.6 | 61.3 | 55.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 86K | 83K | 1.8M | 388K |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — ESEA and ZIM each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: ESEA as "Buy", DAC as "Hold", ZIM as "Hold", CMRE as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -20.6% upside for DAC (target: $105) vs -43.3% for ZIM (target: $15). For income investors, ZIM offers the higher dividend yield at 16.39% vs DAC's 2.60%.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $105.00 | $14.80 | $12.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +2.6% | +16.4% | +3.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.73 | $3.44 | $4.28 | $0.66 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | +3.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
ESEA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). DAC leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
ESEA vs DAC vs ZIM vs CMRE: Key Questions Answered
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the stronger pick with 7. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -57. 9% for Costamare Inc. (CMRE). Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA) offers the better valuation at 3. 7x trailing P/E (4. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
On trailing P/E, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the cheapest at 3. 7x versus ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. at 6. 6x. On forward P/E, Euroseas Ltd. is actually cheaper at 4. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
Over the past 5 years, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) delivered a total return of +444. 2%, compared to +88. 3% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ZIM returned +548. 1% versus DAC's +225. 9%. 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 — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Danaos Corporation (DAC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
62β versus ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. 's 1. 33β — meaning ZIM is approximately 114% more volatile than DAC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Danaos Corporation (DAC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 30% versus 143% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is pulling ahead at 7. 0% versus -57. 9% for Costamare Inc. (CMRE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Euroseas Ltd. grew EPS 21. 7% year-over-year, compared to -77. 7% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ESEA leads at 7. 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.
06Which has better profit margins — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the more profitable company, earning 60. 1% net margin versus 6. 9% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. — meaning it keeps 60. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ESEA leads at 57. 0% versus 12. 2% for ZIM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ESEA leads at 63. 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.
07Is ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) trades at 4. 3x forward P/E versus 6. 8x for Costamare Inc. — 2. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DAC: -20. 6% to $105. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM) offers the highest yield at 16. 4%, versus 2. 6% for Danaos Corporation (DAC).
09Is ESEA or DAC or ZIM or CMRE better for a retirement portfolio?
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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DAC: +225. 9%, CMRE: +242. 7%), 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.
10What are the main differences between ESEA and DAC and ZIM and CMRE?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials 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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