Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) vs Strategy Inc (MSTR) 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 | KC | 10.5% revenue growth vs MSTR's -6.6% |
| Quality / Margins | MSTR | 16.7% net margin vs KC's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | KC | Beta 1.61 vs MSTR's 2.14 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | KC | -17.5% vs MSTR's -49.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MSTR | 10.8% ROA vs KC's -3.8%, ROIC -9.3% 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.
MicroStrategy is an enterprise analytics software company that provides business intelligence platforms for data visualization, reporting, and mobile analytics. It generates revenue primarily through software licenses and subscription services (~60%) along with consulting, support, and education services (~40%). The company's key advantage is its comprehensive enterprise-grade platform with strong data governance capabilities and its early strategic investment in Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset.
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
MSTR leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). KC leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KC is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.0B annually — 19.0x MSTR's $475M. MSTR is the more profitable business, keeping 16.7% 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… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $9.0B | $475M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.3B | $11.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$971M | $7.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$343M | -$18.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.2% | +70.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -8.3% | +23.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -10.8% | +16.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.8% | -38.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +33.7% | +10.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +99.6% | +5.9% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $49.7B | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $50.1B | $9.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -11.42x | -21.37x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 1.78x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 43.80x | 5.49x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.12x | 1.37x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
MSTR delivers a 13.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $14 in annual profit, vs $-14 for KC. MSTR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.40x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KC's 0.94x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KC scores 4/9 vs MSTR's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -13.7% | +13.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.8% | +10.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -17.7% | -9.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -20.9% | -12.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.94x | 0.40x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | $7.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.6B | $38M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.2B | $7.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.40x | 156.03x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MSTR five years ago would be worth $16,552 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,210 for KC. Over the past 12 months, KC leads with a -17.5% total return vs MSTR's -49.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MSTR at 70.3% vs KC's 51.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.3% | -17.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -17.5% | -49.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +250.1% | +393.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.9% | +65.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -43.5% | +704.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +51.8% | +70.3% |
Risk & Volatility
KC is the less volatile stock with a 1.61 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MSTR's 2.14 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 MSTR's 28.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.61x | 2.14x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.57 | $457.22 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.29 | $104.17 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.9% | +28.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.8 | 46.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 19.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KC as "Buy" and MSTR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 181.2% upside for MSTR (target: $364) vs 35.8% for KC (target: $18).
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | MSTRStrategy Inc |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $18.30 | $364.13 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| 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% |
| Strategy Inc (MSTR) | 100 | 1,138.91 | +1038.9% |
Strategy Inc (MSTR) returned +66% over 5 years vs Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC)'s -78%. A $10,000 investment in MSTR 5 years ago would be worth $16,552 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | $2.3B | $7.8B | +237.8% |
| Strategy Inc (MSTR) | $530M | $463M | -12.5% |
Strategy Inc's revenue grew from $530M (2015) to $463M (2024) — a -1.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -45.4% | -25.3% | +44.3% |
| Strategy Inc (MSTR) | 20.0% | -2.5% | -112.6% |
Strategy Inc's net margin went from 20% (2015) to -3% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy Inc (MSTR) | 82.1 | 23.9 | -70.9% |
Strategy Inc has traded in a 24x–82x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -33.23 | -8.1 | +75.6% |
| Strategy Inc (MSTR) | 0.92 | -6.06 | -758.7% |
Strategy Inc's EPS grew from $0.92 (2015) to $-6.06 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited generated $-3B FCF in 2024 (-112% vs 2021). Strategy Inc generated $-22B FCF in 2024 (-773% vs 2021).
KC vs MSTR: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KC or MSTR 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 MSTR?
Over the past 5 years, Strategy Inc (MSTR) delivered a total return of +65.5%, compared to -77.9% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC). A $10,000 investment in MSTR five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MSTR returned +704.8% 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 MSTR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.61β versus Strategy Inc's 2.14β — meaning MSTR is approximately 33% more volatile than KC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Strategy Inc (MSTR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 40% versus 94% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — KC or MSTR?
Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) is the more profitable company, earning -25.3% net margin versus -251.7% for Strategy Inc — meaning it keeps -25.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KC leads at -22.3% versus -399.8% for MSTR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MSTR leads at 72.1%, 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 MSTR more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MSTR: 181.2% to $364.13.
06Which pays a better dividend — KC or MSTR?
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 MSTR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Strategy Inc (MSTR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+704.8% 10Y return). 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 (MSTR: +704.8%, 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 MSTR?
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.
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