INLX vs OPEN vs DOCU vs COMP

For growth investors, Compass, Inc.

(COMP) is the stronger pick with 23. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -15. 2% for Opendoor Technologies Inc. (OPEN). DocuSign, Inc. (DOCU) offers the better valuation at 32. 6x trailing P/E (12. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Compass, Inc. (COMP) a "Buy" — based on 10 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, DocuSign, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 12. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, Intellinetics, Inc.

(INLX) delivered a total return of +77. 5%, compared to -75. 3% for DocuSign, Inc. (DOCU). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DOCU returned +20. 6% versus INLX's -99. 8%. 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), Intellinetics, Inc.

(INLX) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 44β versus Opendoor Technologies Inc. 's 3. 05β — meaning OPEN is approximately -788% more volatile than INLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, DocuSign, Inc. (DOCU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 58% for Compass, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Compass, Inc.

(COMP) is pulling ahead at 23. 7% versus -15. 2% for Opendoor Technologies Inc. (OPEN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Compass, Inc. grew EPS 67. 7% year-over-year, compared to -218. 2% for Intellinetics, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, INLX leads at 16. 3% 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.

DocuSign, Inc.

(DOCU) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 6% net margin versus -29. 7% for Opendoor Technologies Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DOCU leads at 9. 3% versus -6. 2% for OPEN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DOCU leads at 79. 4%, 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, DocuSign, Inc.

(DOCU) trades at 12. 7x forward P/E versus 36. 0x for Compass, Inc. — 23. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COMP: 60. 7% to $14. 06.

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, Intellinetics, Inc.

(INLX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 44)). Compass, Inc. (COMP) carries a higher beta of 2. 03 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (INLX: -99. 8%, COMP: -56. 7%), 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 (INLX (Technology) and OPEN (Real Estate) and DOCU (Technology) and COMP (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: INLX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; OPEN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DOCU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COMP 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.