Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) vs Appian Corporation (APPN) 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 | APPN | 17.8% revenue growth vs MLGO's -9.2% |
| Value | MLGO | Lower P/E (6.5x vs 30.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | MLGO | 11.1% net margin vs APPN's -1.1% |
| Stability / Safety | MLGO | Beta 0.16 vs APPN's 1.03 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | APPN | -17.9% vs MLGO's -97.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MLGO | 2.1% ROA vs APPN's -1.2%, ROIC 14.1% vs 0.3% |
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
MicroAlgo develops central processing algorithm solutions that optimize computing performance for clients in internet advertising, gaming, and intelligent chips. It generates revenue primarily through algorithm services — including optimization, data processing, and intelligence services — and secondarily through intelligent chip resale and software development. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary algorithms that accelerate computing power without requiring hardware upgrades, offering cost-effective performance enhancements.
Appian is a low-code automation platform that enables businesses to build enterprise applications without extensive manual coding. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its cloud platform — which accounts for the majority of its income — supplemented by professional services for implementation and support. The company's competitive advantage lies in its unified platform that combines process automation, case management, and data integration into a single low-code environment, creating switching costs for enterprise customers.
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
MLGO leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). APPN leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
APPN is the larger business by revenue, generating $691M annually — 11.3x MLGO's $61M. MLGO is the more profitable business, keeping 11.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to APPN's -1.1%. On growth, APPN holds the edge at +21.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $61M | $691M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $4M | $16M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7M | -$7M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9M | $73M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +26.8% | +76.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.8% | +0.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.1% | -1.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.9% | +10.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -34.3% | +21.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -8.2% | +4.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.5x trailing earnings, MLGO trades at a 100% valuation discount to APPN's 1333.5x P/E.
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $36M | $2.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$85M | $2.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.49x | 1333.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 30.06x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | -30.45x | 3494.04x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.48x | 2.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.23x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.77x | 33.14x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), APPN scores 6/9 vs MLGO's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +2.1% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.1% | -1.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.1% | +0.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.9% | +0.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.16x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$121M | $154M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $144M | $136M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $23M | $290M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 25.26x | 0.85x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in APPN five years ago would be worth $1,426 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1 for MLGO. Over the past 12 months, APPN leads with a -17.9% total return vs MLGO's -97.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors APPN at -13.7% vs MLGO's -93.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -30.3% | -21.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -97.1% | -17.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | -35.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | -85.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +77.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -93.3% | -13.7% |
Risk & Volatility
MLGO is the less volatile stock with a 0.16 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than APPN's 1.03 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. APPN currently trades 57.9% from its 52-week high vs MLGO's 0.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.16x | 1.03x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $972.00 | $46.06 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.35 | $21.77 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +0.4% | +57.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 41.8 | 52.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 149K | 915K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | MLGOMicroAlgo Inc. | APPNAppian Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $30.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 19 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) | 100 | 0.01 | -100.0% |
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | 100 | 23.22 | -76.8% |
Appian Corporation (APPN) returned -86% over 5 years vs MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO)'s -100%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) | $16M | $74M | +364.6% |
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | $133M | $727M | +446.9% |
Appian Corporation's revenue grew from $133M (2016) to $727M (2025) — a 20.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) | 39.0% | 7.1% | -81.7% |
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | -9.4% | 0.2% | +101.8% |
Appian Corporation's net margin went from -9% (2016) to 0% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) | 29.45 | 0.55 | -98.1% |
| Appian Corporation (APPN) | -0.23 | 0.02 | +108.7% |
Appian Corporation's EPS grew from $-0.23 (2016) to $0.02 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
MicroAlgo Inc. generated $4M FCF in 2024 (-74% vs 2021). Appian Corporation generated $60M FCF in 2025 (+199% vs 2021).
MLGO vs APPN: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MLGO or APPN a better buy right now?
MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) offers the better valuation at 6.5x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Appian Corporation (APPN) a "Hold" — based on 19 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 has the better valuation — MLGO or APPN?
On trailing P/E, MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) is the cheapest at 6.5x versus Appian Corporation at 1333.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MLGO or APPN?
Over the past 5 years, Appian Corporation (APPN) delivered a total return of -85.7%, compared to -100.0% for MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO). A $10,000 investment in APPN five years ago would be worth approximately $1K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APPN returned +77.7% versus MLGO's -100.0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — MLGO or APPN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.16β versus Appian Corporation's 1.03β — meaning APPN is approximately 552% more volatile than MLGO relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — MLGO or APPN?
MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) is the more profitable company, earning 7.1% net margin versus 0.2% for Appian Corporation — meaning it keeps 7.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MLGO leads at 3.7% versus 0.1% for APPN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — APPN leads at 72.5%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — MLGO or APPN?
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 MLGO or APPN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.16)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MLGO: -100.0%, APPN: +77.7%), 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 MLGO and APPN?
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: MLGO is a small-cap deep-value stock; APPN is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.