LEDS vs LITE vs COHU vs AAOI vs OLED

For growth investors, SemiLEDs Corporation (LEDS) is the stronger pick with 729.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 5% for Universal Display Corporation (OLED). Universal Display Corporation (OLED) offers the better valuation at 18. 3x trailing P/E (19. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) a "Buy" — based on 24 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.

On trailing P/E, Universal Display Corporation (OLED) is the cheapest at 18.

3x versus Lumentum Holdings Inc. at 2412. 9x. On forward P/E, Universal Display Corporation is actually cheaper at 19. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.

(AAOI) delivered a total return of +1978%, compared to -74. 5% for SemiLEDs Corporation (LEDS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LITE returned +36. 4% versus LEDS's +9. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Universal Display Corporation (OLED) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

39β versus Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. 's 4. 13β — meaning AAOI is approximately 198% more volatile than OLED relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Universal Display Corporation (OLED) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 2% for Lumentum Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SemiLEDs Corporation (LEDS) is pulling ahead at 729.

8% versus 0. 5% for Universal Display Corporation (OLED). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Lumentum Holdings Inc. grew EPS 104. 6% year-over-year, compared to -6. 7% for Cohu, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LEDS leads at 82. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Universal Display Corporation (OLED) is the more profitable company, earning 37.

2% net margin versus -16. 4% for Cohu, Inc. — meaning it keeps 37. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OLED leads at 38. 5% versus -13. 3% for COHU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OLED leads at 73. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Universal Display Corporation (OLED) trades at 19.

4x forward P/E versus 167. 2x for Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. — 147. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OLED: 52. 0% to $141. 00.

In this comparison, OLED (1.

9% yield) pays a dividend. LEDS, LITE, COHU, AAOI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Universal Display Corporation (OLED) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.

9% yield). Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) carries a higher beta of 2. 69 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (OLED: +86. 6%, LITE: +36. 4%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: LEDS is a small-cap high-growth stock; LITE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; COHU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AAOI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; OLED is a small-cap quality compounder stock. OLED pays a dividend while LEDS, LITE, COHU, AAOI do 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.