ESTA vs AEYE vs ALGN vs ALKT

For growth investors, Alkami Technology, Inc.

(ALKT) is the stronger pick with 32. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 9% for Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN). Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) offers the better valuation at 29. 8x trailing P/E (14. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. 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.

On forward P/E, Align Technology, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 14. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

(ESTA) delivered a total return of +0. 6%, compared to -71. 9% for Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ESTA returned +190. 0% versus ALKT's -58. 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), Alkami Technology, Inc.

(ALKT) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 23β versus AudioEye, Inc. 's 2. 18β — meaning AEYE is approximately 77% more volatile than ALKT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 11% for Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alkami Technology, Inc.

(ALKT) is pulling ahead at 32. 9% versus 0. 9% for Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. grew EPS 42. 7% year-over-year, compared to -12. 2% for Alkami Technology, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ALKT leads at 29. 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.

Align Technology, Inc.

(ALGN) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 2% net margin versus -24. 2% for Establishment Labs Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALGN leads at 15. 3% 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.

On forward earnings alone, Align Technology, Inc.

(ALGN) trades at 14. 8x forward P/E versus 23. 0x for Alkami Technology, Inc. — 8. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ALKT: 26. 2% to $22. 00.

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 (low volatility (β 1. 27), +190. 0% 10Y return). AudioEye, Inc. (AEYE) carries a higher beta of 2. 18 — 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: +190. 0%, AEYE: +96. 5%), 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) and ALGN (Healthcare) and ALKT (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; ALGN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ALKT is a small-cap high-growth 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.