Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Intchains Group Limited (ICG) vs Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ICG | 242.7% revenue growth vs AMBA's 25.8% |
| Value | ICG | Lower P/E (5.0x vs 98.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | ICG | 6.5% net margin vs AMBA's -21.3% |
| Stability / Safety | ICG | Beta 1.20 vs AMBA's 2.14, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMBA | -1.8% vs ICG's -68.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ICG | 1.9% ROA vs AMBA's -10.6%, ROIC 0.4% vs -22.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Intchains Group designs and sells specialized integrated circuit chips and related software/hardware for blockchain applications, primarily serving the Chinese market. It generates revenue through sales of its ASIC chips—which account for the majority of its income—alongside ancillary software and hardware products. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized technical expertise in blockchain-specific chip design and its established position within China's domestic blockchain ecosystem.
Ambarella designs specialized computer vision system-on-chips (SoCs) that process high-definition video and run AI algorithms for cameras in automotive, security, and robotics applications. It generates revenue primarily from semiconductor sales—with automotive (around 60%) and security/industrial (around 40%) as its main segments—through direct sales and distribution channels. The company's moat lies in its proprietary AI processor architecture and deep expertise in video compression and computer vision algorithms, which are difficult to replicate.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ICG leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AMBA leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AMBA and ICG operate at a comparable scale, with $374M and $310M in trailing revenue. ICG is the more profitable business, keeping 6.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMBA's -21.3%. On growth, AMBA holds the edge at +31.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $310M | $374M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$306,250 | -$72M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $20M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$28M | $76M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +47.0% | +59.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -1.6% | -23.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.5% | -21.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.0% | +20.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -64.9% | +31.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.0% | +39.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $81M | $2.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $34M | $2.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 5.03x | -21.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 98.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 28.40x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.96x | 9.12x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.26x | 4.44x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 110.74x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ICG delivers a 2.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $2 in annual profit, vs $-13 for AMBA. ICG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AMBA's 0.01x.
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +2.0% | -13.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.9% | -10.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.4% | -22.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.3% | -22.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$322M | -$139M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $322M | $145M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $272,000 | $5M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 56.36x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMBA five years ago would be worth $5,079 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,575 for ICG. Over the past 12 months, AMBA leads with a -1.8% total return vs ICG's -68.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMBA at -13.8% vs ICG's -46.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -32.6% | -19.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -68.1% | -1.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.3% | -36.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.3% | -49.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.3% | +30.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -46.0% | -13.8% |
Risk & Volatility
ICG is the less volatile stock with a 1.20 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMBA's 2.14 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMBA currently trades 62.4% from its 52-week high vs ICG's 30.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.20x | 2.14x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $4.19 | $96.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.93 | $38.86 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +30.1% | +62.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 31.8 | 59.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 58K | 726K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | ICGIntchains Group L… | AMBAAmbarella, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $97.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 36 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intchains Group Lim… (ICG) | 100 | 25.25 | -74.8% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 100 | 82.82 | -17.2% |
Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) returned -49% over 5 years vs Intchains Group Lim… (ICG)'s -84%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intchains Group Lim… (ICG) | $36M | $282M | +686.7% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | $316M | $285M | -10.0% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s revenue grew from $316M (2016) to $285M (2025) — a -1.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intchains Group Lim… (ICG) | -8.2% | 18.3% | +321.9% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 24.2% | -41.1% | -270.0% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s net margin went from 24% (2016) to -41% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intchains Group Lim… (ICG) | -0.05 | 1.72 | +3581.8% |
| Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) | 2.27 | -2.84 | -225.1% |
Ambarella, Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.27 (2016) to $-2.84 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Intchains Group Limited generated $-148M FCF in 2024 (-138% vs 2021). Ambarella, Inc. generated $23M FCF in 2025 (-9% vs 2021).
ICG vs AMBA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ICG or AMBA a better buy right now?
Intchains Group Limited (ICG) offers the better valuation at 5.0x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) a "Buy" — based on 36 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 is the better long-term investment — ICG or AMBA?
Over the past 5 years, Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) delivered a total return of -49.2%, compared to -84.3% for Intchains Group Limited (ICG). A $10,000 investment in AMBA five years ago would be worth approximately $5K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMBA returned +30.0% versus ICG's -84.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — ICG or AMBA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Intchains Group Limited (ICG) is the lower-risk stock at 1.20β versus Ambarella, Inc.'s 2.14β — meaning AMBA is approximately 78% more volatile than ICG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Intchains Group Limited (ICG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 1% for Ambarella, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ICG or AMBA?
Intchains Group Limited (ICG) is the more profitable company, earning 18.3% net margin versus -41.1% for Ambarella, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ICG leads at 1.1% versus -44.4% for AMBA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMBA leads at 60.5%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — ICG or AMBA?
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.
06Is ICG or AMBA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Intchains Group Limited (ICG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.20)). Ambarella, Inc. (AMBA) carries a higher beta of 2.14 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ICG: -84.3%, AMBA: +30.0%), 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.
07What are the main differences between ICG and AMBA?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: ICG is a small-cap deep-value stock; AMBA 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.
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