ESTA vs AEYE

For growth investors, Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) is the stronger pick with 27. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 14. 5% for AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE). Analysts rate Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. (ESTA) a "Buy" — based on 14 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.

Over the past 5 years, Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) delivered a total return of +0. 6%, compared to -60. 2% for AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ESTA returned +191. 0% versus AEYE's +102. 2%. 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), Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 30β versus AudioEye, Inc. 's 2. 29β — meaning AEYE is approximately 75% more volatile than ESTA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 11% for Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) is pulling ahead at 27. 1% versus 14. 5% for AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. grew EPS 42. 7% year-over-year, compared to 30. 6% for AudioEye, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AEYE leads at 10. 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.

AudioEye, Inc.

(AEYE) is the more profitable company, earning -7. 6% net margin versus -24. 2% for Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps -7. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AEYE leads at -7. 9% versus -18. 5% for ESTA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AEYE leads at 78. 3%, 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.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+191. 0% 10Y return). AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE) carries a higher beta of 2. 29 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ESTA: +191. 0%, AEYE: +102. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (ESTA (Healthcare) and AEYE (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ESTA is a small-cap high-growth stock; AEYE is a small-cap quality compounder 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.