Marine Shipping
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ESEA vs ZIM
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Marine Shipping
ESEA vs ZIM — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Marine Shipping | Marine Shipping |
| Market Cap | $506M | $3.15B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $228M | $6.90B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $137M | $479M |
| Gross Margin | 63.5% | 16.8% |
| Operating Margin | 61.6% | 12.3% |
| Forward P/E | 4.3x | 6.6x |
| Total Debt | $217M | $5.74B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $177M | $1.05B |
ESEA vs ZIM — 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% |
| ZIM Integrated Ship… (ZIM) | 100 | 216.7 | +116.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ESEA vs ZIM
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 income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 5 yrs, beta 1.28, yield 3.8%
- Rev growth 7.0%, EPS growth 21.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 7.6%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.28, Low D/E 46.8%, current ratio 4.89x
ZIM is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 5.5% 10Y total return vs ESEA's 389.1%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 7.0% revenue growth vs ZIM's -18.1% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (4.3x vs 6.6x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 60.1% margin vs ZIM's 6.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.28 vs ZIM's 1.33, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 3.8% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs ZIM's 16.4% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +115.9% vs ZIM's +106.6% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 19.6% ROA vs ZIM's 4.3%, ROIC 19.5% vs 7.3% |
ESEA vs ZIM — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
ESEA vs ZIM — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ESEA leads this category, winning 5 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 | $6.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $169M | $2.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $137M | $479M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $64M | $2.0B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.5% | +16.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +61.6% | +12.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +60.1% | +6.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +28.1% | +29.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.7% | -31.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +65.9% | -93.1% |
Valuation Metrics
ZIM leads this category, winning 3 of 5 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 ZIM's 3.7x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $506M | $3.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $546M | $7.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 3.67x | 6.56x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.32x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.44x | 3.68x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.22x | 0.46x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.08x | 0.78x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 7.90x | 1.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ESEA leads this category, winning 9 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. ESEA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.47x 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% | +12.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +19.6% | +4.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.5% | +7.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +21.7% | +9.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.47x | 1.43x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $40M | $4.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $177M | $1.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $217M | $5.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.47x | 2.02x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
ESEA leads this category, winning 5 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, ESEA leads with a +115.9% total return vs ZIM's +106.6%. 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% | +23.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +115.9% | +106.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +425.3% | +104.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +444.2% | +88.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +389.1% | +548.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +73.8% | +26.9% |
Risk & Volatility
ESEA leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
ESEA is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 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. ESEA currently trades 96.8% 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 | 1.33x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $74.70 | $29.97 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $33.76 | $12.33 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.8% | +87.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.5 | 61.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 86K | 1.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — ESEA and ZIM each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ESEA as "Buy" and ZIM as "Hold". For income investors, ZIM offers the higher dividend yield at 16.39% vs ESEA's 3.78%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $14.80 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +16.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.73 | $4.28 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | 0.0% |
ESEA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). ZIM leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
ESEA vs ZIM: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ESEA or ZIM a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the stronger pick with 7. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 1% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM). 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 ZIM?
On trailing P/E, Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the cheapest at 3. 7x versus ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. at 6. 6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ESEA or ZIM?
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 ESEA's +389. 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 — ESEA or ZIM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 28β versus ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. 's 1. 33β — meaning ZIM is approximately 4% more volatile than ESEA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 47% versus 143% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ESEA or ZIM?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Euroseas Ltd.
(ESEA) is pulling ahead at 7. 0% versus -18. 1% for ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM). 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 ZIM?
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.
07Which pays a better dividend — ESEA or ZIM?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM) offers the highest yield at 16. 4%, versus 3. 8% for Euroseas Ltd. (ESEA).
08Is ESEA or ZIM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.
(ZIM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (16. 4% yield, +548. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ZIM: +548. 1%, ESEA: +389. 1%), 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 ESEA and ZIM?
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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