LQDT vs CPRT vs KAR vs EBAY

For growth investors, Liquidity Services, Inc.

(LQDT) is the stronger pick with 31. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 9% for eBay Inc. (EBAY). OPENLANE, Inc. (KAR) offers the better valuation at 16. 7x trailing P/E (19. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, OPENLANE, Inc.

(KAR) is the cheapest at 16. 7x versus Liquidity Services, Inc. at 41. 7x. On forward P/E, eBay Inc. is actually cheaper at 17. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) delivered a total return of +86. 3%, compared to +8. 8% for Copart, Inc. (CPRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CPRT returned +527. 2% versus KAR's +99. 2%. 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), Copart, Inc.

(CPRT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 52β versus OPENLANE, Inc. 's 0. 98β — meaning KAR is approximately 89% more volatile than CPRT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Copart, Inc. (CPRT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 160% for eBay Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Liquidity Services, Inc.

(LQDT) is pulling ahead at 31. 2% versus 7. 9% for eBay Inc. (EBAY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: OPENLANE, Inc. grew EPS 264. 4% year-over-year, compared to 10. 2% for eBay Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LQDT leads at 19. 4% 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.

Copart, Inc.

(CPRT) is the more profitable company, earning 33. 4% net margin versus 5. 9% for Liquidity Services, Inc. — meaning it keeps 33. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CPRT leads at 36. 5% versus 7. 4% for LQDT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EBAY leads at 71. 5%, 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, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) trades at 17. 4x forward P/E versus 24. 3x for Liquidity Services, Inc. — 6. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LQDT: 21. 4% to $44. 00.

In this comparison, KAR (1.

3% yield), EBAY (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. LQDT, CPRT do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 73), 1. 1% yield, +369. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EBAY: +369. 5%, LQDT: +508. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (LQDT (Consumer Cyclical) and CPRT (Industrials) and KAR (Consumer Cyclical) and EBAY (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: LQDT is a small-cap high-growth stock; CPRT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; KAR is a small-cap deep-value stock; EBAY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. KAR, EBAY pay a dividend while LQDT, CPRT 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.