Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) vs Starz Entertainment Corp. (STRZ) 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 | STRZ | -1.6% revenue growth vs IQ's -8.3% |
| Quality / Margins | IQ | -1.4% net margin vs STRZ's -5.4% |
| Stability / Safety | STRZ | Beta 1.07 vs IQ's 1.31 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | IQ | -16.1% vs STRZ's -17.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | IQ | -0.9% ROA vs STRZ's -7.1%, ROIC 5.8% vs 0.4% |
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.
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.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
STRZ leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). IQ leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
IQ is the larger business by revenue, generating $27.1B annually — 10.5x STRZ's $2.6B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -1.4% (IQ) to -5.4% (STRZ).
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $27.1B | $2.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $6.3B | $1.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$390M | -$140M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $466M | -$157M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +21.9% | +44.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +4.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | -5.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | -6.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.8% | -7.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.1% | -72.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, STRZ's 1.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than IQ's 26.1x.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.4B | $155M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $6.9B | $1.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 15.72x | -0.73x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 2.46x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.13x | 1.49x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.26x | 0.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.88x | 0.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.01x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
IQ delivers a -2.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-3 in annual profit, vs $-21 for STRZ. IQ carries lower financial leverage with a 1.06x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to STRZ's 1.42x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IQ scores 5/9 vs STRZ's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.9% | -21.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | -7.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.8% | +0.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.8% | +0.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.06x | 1.42x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $10.7B | $1.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3.5B | $18M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $14.2B | $1.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.77x | 0.28x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in STRZ five years ago would be worth $8,286 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $699 for IQ. Over the past 12 months, IQ leads with a -16.1% total return vs STRZ's -17.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors STRZ at -6.1% vs IQ's -38.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -12.8% | -20.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.1% | -17.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.0% | -17.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.0% | -17.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.6% | -17.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -38.7% | -6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
STRZ is the less volatile stock with a 1.07 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than IQ's 1.31 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IQ currently trades 62.3% from its 52-week high vs STRZ's 40.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.31x | 1.07x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $2.84 | $22.98 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.50 | $8.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +62.3% | +40.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 36.5 | 45.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 7.9M | 105K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IQ as "Buy" and STRZ as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 40.1% upside for STRZ (target: $13) vs 18.6% for IQ (target: $2).
| Metric | IQiQIYI, Inc. | STRZStarz Entertainme… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.10 | $13.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 3 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 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 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | $11.2B | $29.2B | +160.1% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | $2.3B | $1.4B | -41.7% |
Starz Entertainment Corp.'s revenue grew from $2.3B (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a -5.8% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | -27.4% | 2.6% | +109.6% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | 2.1% | -15.4% | -821.1% |
Starz Entertainment Corp.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to -15% (2025).
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) | -11.45 | 0.77 | +106.7% |
| Starz Entertainment… (STRZ) | 13.2 | -12.64 | -195.8% |
Starz Entertainment Corp.'s EPS grew from $13.20 (2016) to $-12.64 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
iQIYI, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2024 (+130% vs 2021). Starz Entertainment Corp. generated $-64M FCF in 2025 (-316% vs 2021).
IQ vs STRZ: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IQ or STRZ a better buy right now?
iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) offers the better valuation at 15.7x 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 is the better long-term investment — IQ or STRZ?
Over the past 5 years, Starz Entertainment Corp. (STRZ) delivered a total return of -17.1%, compared to -93.0% for iQIYI, Inc. (IQ). A $10,000 investment in STRZ five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STRZ returned -17.1% versus IQ's -88.6%. 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 — IQ or STRZ?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Starz Entertainment Corp. (STRZ) is the lower-risk stock at 1.07β versus iQIYI, Inc.'s 1.31β — meaning IQ is approximately 22% more volatile than STRZ relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 106% versus 142% for Starz Entertainment Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — IQ or STRZ?
iQIYI, Inc. (IQ) is the more profitable company, earning 2.6% net margin versus -15.4% for Starz Entertainment Corp. — meaning it keeps 2.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IQ leads at 6.2% versus 0.9% for STRZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STRZ leads at 36.2%, 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.
05Is IQ or STRZ more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for STRZ: 40.1% to $13.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — IQ or STRZ?
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.
07Is IQ or STRZ better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Starz Entertainment Corp. (STRZ) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.07)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (STRZ: -17.1%, IQ: -88.6%), 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.
08What are the main differences between IQ and STRZ?
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; STRZ 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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