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GES vs AMZN
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Specialty Retail
GES vs AMZN — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Apparel - Retail | Specialty Retail |
| Market Cap | $877M | $2.92T |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.14B | $742.78B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $80M | $90.80B |
| Gross Margin | 42.4% | 50.6% |
| Operating Margin | 3.7% | 11.5% |
| Forward P/E | 10.4x | 34.8x |
| Total Debt | $1.42B | $152.99B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $188M | $86.81B |
GES vs AMZN — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | Jan 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guess', Inc. (GES) | 100 | 175.7 | +75.7% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 100 | 189.0 | +89.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: GES vs AMZN
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
GES carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- Dividend streak 4 yrs, beta 0.82, yield 5.6%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.82, current ratio 1.50x
- Beta 0.82, yield 5.6%, current ratio 1.50x
AMZN is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 12.4%, EPS growth 29.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 11.7%
- 7.0% 10Y total return vs GES's 56.6%
- 12.4% revenue growth vs GES's 7.9%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 12.4% revenue growth vs GES's 7.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (10.4x vs 34.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 12.2% margin vs GES's 2.6% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.82 vs AMZN's 1.51 | |
| Dividends | 5.6% yield; 4-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +57.5% vs AMZN's +43.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 11.5% ROA vs GES's 2.7%, ROIC 14.7% vs 7.8% |
GES vs AMZN — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
GES vs AMZN — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AMZN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AMZN is the larger business by revenue, generating $742.8B annually — 236.2x GES's $3.1B. AMZN is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GES's 2.6%. On growth, AMZN holds the edge at +16.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.1B | $742.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $150M | $155.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $80M | $90.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $123M | -$2.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +42.4% | +50.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +3.7% | +11.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +2.6% | +12.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.9% | -0.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.2% | +16.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | +74.8% |
Valuation Metrics
GES leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 21.8x trailing earnings, GES trades at a 42% valuation discount to AMZN's 37.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, GES's 8.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AMZN's 20.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $877M | $2.92T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | $2.98T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.83x | 37.82x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.38x | 34.77x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.35x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.72x | 20.47x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.29x | 4.07x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.09x | 7.14x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 24.63x | 378.98x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AMZN leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
AMZN delivers a 23.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $23 in annual profit, vs $14 for GES. AMZN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.37x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GES's 2.58x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AMZN scores 6/9 vs GES's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +14.2% | +23.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.7% | +11.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.8% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.3% | +15.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.58x | 0.37x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.2B | $66.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $188M | $86.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.4B | $153.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.90x | 39.96x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
AMZN leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth $16,476 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,055 for GES. Over the past 12 months, GES leads with a +57.5% total return vs AMZN's +43.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMZN at 36.8% vs GES's 6.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.1% | +19.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +57.5% | +43.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +22.1% | +156.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -19.5% | +64.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.6% | +697.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.9% | +36.8% |
Risk & Volatility
GES leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
GES is the less volatile stock with a 0.82 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMZN's 1.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.82x | 1.51x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.15 | $278.56 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.29 | $185.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.0% | +97.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.4 | 81.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 9.1M | 45.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GES as "Hold" and AMZN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 55.8% upside for GES (target: $26) vs 13.1% for AMZN (target: $307). GES is the only dividend payer here at 5.57% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $26.19 | $306.77 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 32 | 94 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.6% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.94 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.9% | 0.0% |
AMZN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). GES leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
GES vs AMZN: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GES or AMZN a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Amazon.
com, Inc. (AMZN) is the stronger pick with 12. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 9% for Guess', Inc. (GES). Guess', Inc. (GES) offers the better valuation at 21. 8x trailing P/E (10. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) a "Buy" — based on 94 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 — GES or AMZN?
On trailing P/E, Guess', Inc.
(GES) is the cheapest at 21. 8x versus Amazon. com, Inc. at 37. 8x. On forward P/E, Guess', Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GES or AMZN?
Over the past 5 years, Amazon.
com, Inc. (AMZN) delivered a total return of +64. 8%, compared to -19. 5% for Guess', Inc. (GES). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMZN returned +697. 8% versus GES's +56. 6%. 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 — GES or AMZN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Guess', Inc.
(GES) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 82β versus Amazon. com, Inc. 's 1. 51β — meaning AMZN is approximately 83% more volatile than GES relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 3% for Guess', Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — GES or AMZN?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Amazon.
com, Inc. (AMZN) is pulling ahead at 12. 4% versus 7. 9% for Guess', Inc. (GES). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Amazon. com, Inc. grew EPS 29. 7% year-over-year, compared to -75. 1% for Guess', Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AMZN leads at 11. 7% 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 — GES or AMZN?
Amazon.
com, Inc. (AMZN) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 8% net margin versus 2. 0% for Guess', Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMZN leads at 11. 2% versus 5. 8% for GES. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMZN leads at 50. 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.
07Is GES or AMZN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Guess', Inc.
(GES) trades at 10. 4x forward P/E versus 34. 8x for Amazon. com, Inc. — 24. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GES: 55. 8% to $26. 19.
08Which pays a better dividend — GES or AMZN?
In this comparison, GES (5.
6% yield) pays a dividend. AMZN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is GES or AMZN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Guess', Inc.
(GES) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 82), 5. 6% yield). Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) carries a higher beta of 1. 51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GES: +56. 6%, AMZN: +697. 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.
10What are the main differences between GES and AMZN?
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: GES is a small-cap income-oriented stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. GES pays a dividend while AMZN 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.
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