Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) vs Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) vs Roku, Inc. (ROKU) vs Starz Entertainment Corp. (STRZ) vs Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) 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 | CNVS | 59.1% revenue growth vs IQ's -8.3% |
| Value | IQ | Lower P/E (2.5x vs 18.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | NFLX | 24.3% net margin vs CNVS's -16.7% |
| Stability / Safety | NFLX | Beta 0.76 vs ROKU's 1.81 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ROKU | +17.8% vs IQ's -23.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NFLX | 19.8% ROA vs CNVS's -13.4%, ROIC 29.8% vs 20.3% |
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
iQIYI is a leading Chinese online entertainment platform that provides streaming video content including dramas, movies, variety shows, and animations. It generates revenue primarily through membership subscriptions (around 60% of revenue) and online advertising (roughly 25%), with additional income from content distribution and other services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive proprietary content library — particularly its popular original productions — and its deep integration within the broader Baidu ecosystem.
Netflix is a global streaming entertainment service that offers original and licensed TV shows, movies, and documentaries. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees — with three pricing tiers — and earns additional income from licensing its original content to other platforms. Its key advantage is its massive scale and data-driven content creation, which allows it to invest billions in programming that attracts and retains subscribers worldwide.
Roku operates a leading TV streaming platform that connects viewers with content through its operating system and streaming devices. It makes money primarily through digital advertising on its platform (roughly 85% of revenue) and selling streaming hardware players and licensed TVs (about 15%). Its key advantage is its massive installed base of active accounts and its neutral platform position—unlike competitors tied to specific content ecosystems—which creates a powerful advertising network and distribution channel.
Starz Entertainment is a premium subscription video service offering original series and movies to viewers in the United States and Canada. It generates revenue primarily through monthly subscription fees — both direct-to-consumer via its app and through partnerships with cable/satellite providers and streaming platforms. Its competitive advantage lies in its established brand recognition for premium content and exclusive licensing deals for popular film libraries.
Cineverse Corp. is a streaming technology and entertainment company that operates a portfolio of niche streaming channels and provides technology services to other streaming platforms. It generates revenue through a mix of subscription fees from its SVOD channels, advertising on its AVOD and FAST channels, and technology licensing fees to third-party streaming services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary streaming technology platform and its focus on underserved niche content categories — particularly genre films and enthusiast programming — which creates a defensible position in the fragmented streaming market.
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 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NFLX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). STRZ leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NFLX is the larger business by revenue, generating $45.2B annually — 816.5x CNVS's $55M. NFLX is the more profitable business, keeping 24.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CNVS's -16.7%. On growth, NFLX holds the edge at +17.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $27.1B | $45.2B | $4.7B | $1.9B | $55M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $6.3B | $30.1B | $188M | $951M | -$2M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$390M | $11.0B | $88M | -$138M | -$9M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $466M | $9.5B | $594M | -$66M | -$13M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +21.9% | +48.5% | +43.8% | +41.0% | +53.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +29.5% | -0.1% | +0.6% | -12.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | +24.3% | +1.9% | -7.1% | -16.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +20.9% | +12.5% | -3.4% | -22.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.8% | +17.6% | +16.1% | -66.7% | -60.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.1% | +31.1% | +3.2% | +33.0% | -113.2% |
Valuation Metrics
At 14.3x trailing earnings, IQ trades at a 91% valuation discount to ROKU's 166.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, STRZ's 1.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than IQ's 24.2x.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.9B | $407.8B | $1.7B | $184M | $58M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $6.4B | $413.2B | $936M | $1.3B | $44M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 14.25x | 38.04x | 166.80x | -0.87x | 18.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 2.48x | 30.75x | 46.25x | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.15x | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 24.24x | 13.74x | 2.80x | 1.53x | 3.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.14x | 9.03x | 0.35x | 0.13x | 0.74x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.80x | 15.61x | 5.59x | 0.24x | 1.40x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 17.23x | 43.10x | 3.45x | — | 3.57x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NFLX delivers a 41.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $41 in annual profit, vs $-24 for CNVS. CNVS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to STRZ's 1.42x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NFLX scores 7/9 vs STRZ's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.9% | +41.3% | +3.3% | -21.4% | -24.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | +19.8% | +2.0% | -7.2% | -13.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.8% | +29.8% | -0.3% | +0.4% | +20.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.8% | +30.5% | -0.2% | +0.5% | +22.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.06x | 0.54x | 0.33x | 1.42x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $10.7B | $5.4B | -$715M | $1.1B | -$13M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3.5B | $9.0B | $1.6B | $18M | $14M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $14.2B | $14.5B | $872M | $1.1B | $462,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.77x | 17.33x | 36.47x | 0.28x | -4.16x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NFLX five years ago would be worth $17,479 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $629 for IQ. Over the past 12 months, ROKU leads with a +17.8% total return vs IQ's -23.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NFLX at 44.0% vs IQ's -40.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -21.2% | +5.8% | -9.5% | -5.3% | +41.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -23.1% | -1.9% | +17.8% | -1.8% | -20.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -79.3% | +198.8% | +52.1% | -1.8% | -69.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.7% | +74.8% | -76.6% | -1.8% | -89.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -89.7% | +930.4% | +318.8% | -1.8% | -94.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -40.8% | +44.0% | +15.0% | -0.6% | -32.9% |
Risk & Volatility
NFLX is the less volatile stock with a 0.76 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ROKU's 1.81 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ROKU currently trades 84.4% from its 52-week high vs CNVS's 40.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.36x | 0.76x | 1.81x | 0.99x | 1.47x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $2.84 | $134.12 | $116.66 | $22.98 | $7.39 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.50 | $75.01 | $52.43 | $8.00 | $1.77 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +56.3% | +71.8% | +84.4% | +47.9% | +40.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 30.6 | 55.8 | 50.0 | 49.7 | 70.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 7.4M | 38.8M | 3.0M | 96K | 231K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: IQ as "Buy", NFLX as "Buy", ROKU as "Buy", STRZ as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 35.0% upside for IQ (target: $2) vs 18.2% for STRZ (target: $13).
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | NFLXNetflix, Inc. | ROKURoku, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… | CNVSCineverse Corp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.16 | $117.25 | $129.08 | $13.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 97 | 45 | 3 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.2% | +9.1% | 0.0% | +0.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | 100 | 8.36 | -91.6% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 100 | 217.16 | +117.2% |
| Roku, Inc. (ROKU) | 100 | 83.88 | -16.1% |
| Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) | 100 | 24.76 | -75.2% |
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) returned +75% over 5 years vs iQIYI, Inc. (IQ)'s -94%. A $10,000 investment in NFLX 5 years ago would be worth $17,479 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | $11.2B | $29.2B | +160.1% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | $8.8B | $45.2B | +411.7% |
| Roku, Inc. (ROKU) | $399M | $4.7B | +1088.3% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | $2.3B | $1.4B | -41.7% |
| Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) | $104M | $78M | -25.1% |
Netflix, Inc.'s revenue grew from $8.8B (2016) to $45.2B (2025) — a 19.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | -27.4% | 2.6% | +109.6% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 2.1% | 24.3% | +1049.7% |
| Roku, Inc. (ROKU) | -10.7% | 1.9% | +117.4% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | 2.1% | -15.4% | -821.1% |
| Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) | -40.0% | 4.6% | +111.5% |
Netflix, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 24% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 153.6 | 37.1 | -75.8% |
Netflix, Inc. has traded in a 30x–154x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~38x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | -11.45 | 0.77 | +106.7% |
| Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) | 0.04 | 2.53 | +5783.7% |
| Roku, Inc. (ROKU) | -0.5 | 0.59 | +218.0% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | 13.2 | -12.64 | -195.8% |
| Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) | -130.2 | 0.16 | +100.1% |
Netflix, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.04 (2016) to $2.53 (2025) — a 57% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
iQIYI, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2024 (+130% vs 2021). Netflix, Inc. generated $9B FCF in 2025 (+7269% vs 2021).
IQ vs NFLX vs ROKU vs STRZ vs CNVS: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS a better buy right now?
iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) offers the better valuation at 14.3x trailing P/E (2.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) a "Buy" — based on 22 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 — IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS?
On trailing P/E, iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) is the cheapest at 14.3x versus Roku, Inc. at 166.8x. On forward P/E, iQIYI, Inc. is actually cheaper at 2.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS?
Over the past 5 years, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) delivered a total return of +74.8%, compared to -93.7% for iQIYI, Inc. (IQ). A $10,000 investment in NFLX five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NFLX returned +930.4% versus CNVS's -94.3%. 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 — IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.76β versus Roku, Inc.'s 1.81β — meaning ROKU is approximately 138% more volatile than NFLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 142% for Starz Entertainment Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS?
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the more profitable company, earning 24.3% net margin versus -15.4% for Starz Entertainment Corp. — meaning it keeps 24.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NFLX leads at 29.5% versus -0.1% for ROKU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CNVS leads at 50.4%, 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.
06Is IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) trades at 2.5x forward P/E versus 46.3x for Roku, Inc. — 43.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IQ: 35.0% to $2.16.
07Which pays a better dividend — IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS?
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.
08Is IQ or NFLX or ROKU or STRZ or CNVS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.76), +930.4% 10Y return). Roku, Inc. (ROKU) carries a higher beta of 1.81 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NFLX: +930.4%, ROKU: +318.8%), 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.
09What are the main differences between IQ and NFLX and ROKU and STRZ and CNVS?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: IQ is a small-cap deep-value stock; NFLX is a large-cap quality compounder stock; ROKU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; STRZ is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CNVS 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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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 8%
- Gross Margin > 26%