Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) vs Elastic N.V. (ESTC) 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 | ESTC | 17.0% revenue growth vs KC's 10.5% |
| Quality / Margins | ESTC | -5.0% net margin vs KC's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | ESTC | Beta 1.39 vs KC's 1.61, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | KC | -17.5% vs ESTC's -55.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ESTC | -3.5% ROA vs KC's -3.8%, ROIC -5.2% vs -17.7% |
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
Kingsoft Cloud is a Chinese cloud service provider offering public cloud infrastructure and enterprise cloud solutions to businesses across various industries. It generates revenue primarily from public cloud services — including computing, storage, and content delivery — and enterprise cloud services for specific verticals like finance and healthcare. Its competitive advantage stems from its integration with the broader Kingsoft ecosystem — including gaming and office software — which creates cross-selling opportunities and customer stickiness.
Elastic is a search and data analytics software company that provides the Elastic Stack platform for real-time search, observability, and security use cases. It generates revenue primarily through subscription-based software sales — about 90% from cloud and self-managed offerings — with the remainder from professional services. Its competitive advantage lies in its widely adopted open-source core (Elasticsearch) that creates a large developer ecosystem and network effects.
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
ESTC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). KC leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KC is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.0B annually — 5.4x ESTC's $1.7B. ESTC is the more profitable business, keeping -5.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KC's -10.8%. On growth, KC holds the edge at +33.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $9.0B | $1.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.3B | -$27M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$971M | -$85M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$343M | $257M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.2% | +76.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -8.3% | -1.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -10.8% | -5.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.8% | +15.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +33.7% | +17.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +99.6% | +143.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $49.7B | $5.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $50.1B | $5.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -11.42x | -50.07x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 20.96x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 43.80x | 3.70x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.12x | 5.82x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 20.99x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ESTC delivers a -10.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-11 in annual profit, vs $-14 for KC. ESTC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.64x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KC's 0.94x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ESTC scores 7/9 vs KC's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -13.7% | -10.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.8% | -3.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -17.7% | -5.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -20.9% | -3.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.94x | 0.64x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | -$133M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.6B | $728M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.2B | $595M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.40x | -2.17x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ESTC five years ago would be worth $3,595 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,210 for KC. Over the past 12 months, KC leads with a -17.5% total return vs ESTC's -55.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KC at 51.8% vs ESTC's -4.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.3% | -28.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -17.5% | -55.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +250.1% | -11.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.9% | -64.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -43.5% | -25.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +51.8% | -4.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ESTC is the less volatile stock with a 1.39 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KC's 1.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. KC currently trades 68.9% from its 52-week high vs ESTC's 44.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.61x | 1.39x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.57 | $117.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.29 | $49.90 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.9% | +44.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.8 | 47.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 1.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KC as "Buy" and ESTC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 99.7% upside for ESTC (target: $104) vs 35.8% for KC (target: $18).
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $18.30 | $104.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| 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 | May 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | 100 | 57.17 | -42.8% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | 100 | 73.03 | -27.0% |
Elastic N.V. (ESTC) returned -64% over 5 years vs Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC)'s -78%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | $2.3B | $7.8B | +237.8% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | $88M | $1.5B | +1582.2% |
Elastic N.V.'s revenue grew from $88M (2017) to $1.5B (2025) — a 42.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -45.4% | -25.3% | +44.3% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -58.9% | -7.3% | +87.6% |
Elastic N.V.'s net margin went from -59% (2017) to -7% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -33.23 | -8.1 | +75.6% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -0.84 | -1.04 | -23.8% |
Elastic N.V.'s EPS grew from $-0.84 (2017) to $-1.04 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited generated $-3B FCF in 2024 (-112% vs 2021). Elastic N.V. generated $262M FCF in 2025 (+1329% vs 2021).
KC vs ESTC: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KC or ESTC a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — KC or ESTC?
Over the past 5 years, Elastic N.V. (ESTC) delivered a total return of -64.1%, compared to -77.9% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC). A $10,000 investment in ESTC five years ago would be worth approximately $4K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ESTC returned -25.6% versus KC's -43.5%. 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 — KC or ESTC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Elastic N.V. (ESTC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.39β versus Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited's 1.61β — meaning KC is approximately 15% more volatile than ESTC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Elastic N.V. (ESTC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 64% versus 94% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — KC or ESTC?
Elastic N.V. (ESTC) is the more profitable company, earning -7.3% net margin versus -25.3% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — meaning it keeps -7.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ESTC leads at -3.7% versus -22.3% for KC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ESTC leads at 74.4%, 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.
05Is KC or ESTC more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ESTC: 99.7% to $104.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — KC or ESTC?
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 KC or ESTC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Elastic N.V. (ESTC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) carries a higher beta of 1.61 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ESTC: -25.6%, KC: -43.5%), 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 KC and ESTC?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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.