Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) vs Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CMCM | 20.5% revenue growth vs JFIN's 6.1% |
| Quality / Margins | JFIN | 26.2% net margin vs CMCM's -40.2% |
| Stability / Safety | JFIN | Beta 1.08 vs CMCM's 1.16, lower leverage |
| Dividends | JFIN | 12.8% yield; 2-year raise streak; CMCM pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CMCM | +16.3% vs JFIN's -25.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | JFIN | 21.6% ROA vs CMCM's -8.7%, ROIC 39.9% vs -58.3% |
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
Jiayin Group operates a Chinese fintech platform connecting individual borrowers with institutional funding partners for online consumer loans. It generates revenue primarily from loan facilitation fees — taking a percentage of each transaction — along with referral fees for investment products and various technical support services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary risk assessment technology and established network of financial institution partnerships in China's regulated lending market.
Cheetah Mobile is a Chinese internet company that develops mobile utility apps — primarily security and cleaning tools — and casual mobile games. It generates revenue mainly through mobile advertising (roughly 70-80% of total) and to a lesser extent from in-app purchases in its games and premium subscription services. Its competitive advantage stems from its large installed base of utility apps — particularly Clean Master and Security Master — which provide a captive audience for its advertising network.
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
JFIN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CMCM leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
JFIN is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.5B annually — 6.1x CMCM's $1.1B. JFIN is the more profitable business, keeping 26.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CMCM's -40.2%. On growth, CMCM holds the edge at +49.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6.5B | $1.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.1B | -$62M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.7B | -$434M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.9% | +74.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +32.1% | -22.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +26.2% | -40.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.8% | -32.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +1.8% | +49.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +44.9% | +72.9% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $700M | $6.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $629M | $6.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 2.24x | -0.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 1.67x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.15x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.41x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.83x | 53.15x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.75x | 0.01x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 6.99x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
JFIN delivers a 39.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $40 in annual profit, vs $-20 for CMCM. JFIN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CMCM's 0.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), JFIN scores 6/9 vs CMCM's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +39.7% | -19.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +21.6% | -8.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +39.9% | -58.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +32.2% | -16.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$489M | -$1.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $541M | $1.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $52M | $75M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in JFIN five years ago would be worth $18,492 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,212 for CMCM. Over the past 12 months, CMCM leads with a +16.3% total return vs JFIN's -25.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors JFIN at 42.3% vs CMCM's 34.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.6% | -1.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -25.5% | +16.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +188.0% | +141.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +84.9% | -57.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -47.2% | -78.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +42.3% | +34.1% |
Risk & Volatility
JFIN is the less volatile stock with a 1.08 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CMCM's 1.16 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CMCM currently trades 65.1% from its 52-week high vs JFIN's 33.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 1.16x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.23 | $9.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.73 | $3.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +33.7% | +65.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.9 | 50.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 74K | 13K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates JFIN as "Buy" and CMCM as "Buy". JFIN is the only dividend payer here at 12.76% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | JFINJiayin Group Inc. | CMCMCheetah Mobile In… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 8 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +12.8% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $5.67 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.1% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) | 100 | 230.21 | +130.2% |
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 100 | 42.38 | -57.6% |
Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) returned +85% over 5 years vs Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM)'s -58%. A $10,000 investment in JFIN 5 years ago would be worth $18,492 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) | $591M | $5.8B | +881.4% |
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | $581M | $807M | +38.8% |
Cheetah Mobile Inc.'s revenue grew from $581M (2015) to $807M (2024) — a 3.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) | -65.9% | 18.2% | +127.6% |
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 4.7% | -76.5% | -1737.9% |
Cheetah Mobile Inc.'s net margin went from 5% (2015) to -77% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) | 0.5 | 0.3 | -40.0% |
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 0.2 | 0 | -100.0% |
Jiayin Group Inc. has traded in a 0x–1x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~2x. Cheetah Mobile Inc. has traded in a 0x–0x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-0x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) | -7.8 | 19.88 | +354.9% |
| Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM) | 47.5 | -1,027 | -2262.1% |
Cheetah Mobile Inc.'s EPS grew from $47.50 (2015) to $-1027.00 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Jiayin Group Inc. generated $686M FCF in 2024 (+278% vs 2021). Cheetah Mobile Inc. generated $-261M FCF in 2024 (-566% vs 2021).
JFIN vs CMCM: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is JFIN or CMCM a better buy right now?
Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) offers the better valuation at 2.2x trailing P/E (1.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) a "Buy" — based on 1 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 — JFIN or CMCM?
Over the past 5 years, Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) delivered a total return of +84.9%, compared to -57.9% for Cheetah Mobile Inc. (CMCM). A $10,000 investment in JFIN five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JFIN returned -47.2% versus CMCM's -78.6%. 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 — JFIN or CMCM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.08β versus Cheetah Mobile Inc.'s 1.16β — meaning CMCM is approximately 7% more volatile than JFIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 3% for Cheetah Mobile Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — JFIN or CMCM?
Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) is the more profitable company, earning 18.2% net margin versus -76.5% for Cheetah Mobile Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: JFIN leads at 21.5% versus -54.2% for CMCM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CMCM leads at 67.6%, 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 — JFIN or CMCM?
In this comparison, JFIN (12.8% yield) pays a dividend. CMCM does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is JFIN or CMCM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Jiayin Group Inc. (JFIN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.08), 12.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (JFIN: -47.2%, CMCM: -78.6%), 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.
07What are the main differences between JFIN and CMCM?
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: JFIN is a small-cap deep-value stock; CMCM is a small-cap quality compounder stock. JFIN pays a dividend while CMCM 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 15%
- Dividend Yield > 5.1%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 24%
- Gross Margin > 44%