Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) vs JOYY Inc. (JOYY) 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 | JOYY | -1.3% revenue growth vs MOMO's -12.0% |
| Value | MOMO | Lower P/E (1.1x vs 1.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | MOMO | 8.2% net margin vs JOYY's -6.5% |
| Stability / Safety | MOMO | Beta 0.46 vs JOYY's 0.51 |
| Dividends | MOMO | 8.5% yield; JOYY pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | JOYY | +35.3% vs MOMO's -12.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MOMO | 5.2% ROA vs JOYY's -1.9%, ROIC 11.2% vs -6.7% |
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
Hello Group operates China's leading mobile social and entertainment platforms — primarily Momo and Tantan — that connect users through location-based matching, live streaming, and dating services. It generates revenue mainly from virtual gifting in live streaming (where viewers buy digital gifts for creators), premium subscriptions for enhanced features, and mobile marketing services. The company's competitive moat lies in its massive user network effects within China's social entertainment ecosystem and its deep understanding of local user preferences for interactive, video-based social experiences.
JOYY operates a portfolio of social media platforms centered around live streaming, short-form video, and casual gaming. It generates revenue primarily through virtual gifting on its Bigo Live platform—where viewers purchase digital gifts for creators—alongside advertising and in-app purchases across its other apps. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep penetration of emerging markets—particularly Southeast Asia and the Middle East—where it has established strong local 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
MOMO leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). JOYY leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MOMO is the larger business by revenue, generating $10.5B annually — 4.7x JOYY's $2.2B. MOMO is the more profitable business, keeping 8.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to JOYY's -6.5%.
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $10.5B | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.4B | -$317M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $854M | -$146M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.2B | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +37.6% | +36.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | -18.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.2% | -6.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.1% | +10.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.6% | -3.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -139.6% | -9.2% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.3B | $20.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $20.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 8.12x | -24.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 1.14x | 1.61x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.99x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.46x | 9.12x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.74x | 0.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 11.40x | 91.04x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MOMO delivers a 7.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $8 in annual profit, vs $-3 for JOYY. JOYY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MOMO's 0.40x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), JOYY scores 6/9 vs MOMO's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +7.8% | -3.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.2% | -1.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.2% | -6.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +11.7% | -7.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $459M | -$414M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $4.1B | $445M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4.6B | $31M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 14.22x | 30.37x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in JOYY five years ago would be worth $6,069 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,960 for MOMO. Over the past 12 months, JOYY leads with a +35.3% total return vs MOMO's -12.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors JOYY at 28.9% vs MOMO's -3.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -2.5% | -2.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -12.0% | +35.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.7% | +114.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -40.4% | -39.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.5% | +39.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.0% | +28.9% |
Risk & Volatility
MOMO is the less volatile stock with a 0.46 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than JOYY's 0.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. JOYY currently trades 88.1% from its 52-week high vs MOMO's 71.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.46x | 0.51x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $9.22 | $70.96 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.12 | $37.53 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +71.8% | +88.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.2 | 41.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 842K | 339K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MOMO as "Buy" and JOYY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 22.4% upside for MOMO (target: $8) vs 5.6% for JOYY (target: $66). MOMO is the only dividend payer here at 8.47% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MOMOHello Group Inc. | JOYYJOYY Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $8.10 | $66.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 5 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +8.5% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.83 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.8% | +1.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) | 100 | 23.31 | -76.7% |
| JOYY Inc. (JOYY) | 100 | 113.75 | +13.7% |
JOYY Inc. (JOYY) returned -39% over 5 years vs Hello Group Inc. (MOMO)'s -40%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) | $870M | $10.6B | +1114.4% |
| JOYY Inc. (JOYY) | $908M | $2.2B | +146.3% |
Hello Group Inc.'s revenue grew from $870M (2015) to $10.6B (2024) — a 32.0% CAGR. JOYY Inc.'s revenue grew from $908M (2015) to $2.2B (2024) — a 10.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) | 10.2% | 9.8% | -3.7% |
| JOYY Inc. (JOYY) | 17.5% | -6.5% | -137.3% |
Hello Group Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2015) to 10% (2024). JOYY Inc.'s net margin went from 18% (2015) to -7% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) | 2.4 | 1.4 | -41.7% |
| JOYY Inc. (JOYY) | 17.7 | 8.3 | -53.1% |
Hello Group Inc. has traded in a 1x–3x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~8x. JOYY Inc. has traded in a 5x–20x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-24x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) | 0.39 | 5.58 | +1330.8% |
| JOYY Inc. (JOYY) | 2.8 | -2.6 | -192.9% |
Hello Group Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.39 (2015) to $5.58 (2024) — a 34% CAGR. JOYY Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.80 (2015) to $-2.60 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Hello Group Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2024 (-7% vs 2021). JOYY Inc. generated $224M FCF in 2024 (+778% vs 2021).
MOMO vs JOYY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MOMO or JOYY a better buy right now?
Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) offers the better valuation at 8.1x trailing P/E (1.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 — MOMO or JOYY?
On forward P/E, Hello Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 1.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MOMO or JOYY?
Over the past 5 years, JOYY Inc. (JOYY) delivered a total return of -39.3%, compared to -40.4% for Hello Group Inc. (MOMO). A $10,000 investment in JOYY five years ago would be worth approximately $6K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JOYY returned +39.0% versus MOMO's -9.5%. 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 — MOMO or JOYY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.46β versus JOYY Inc.'s 0.51β — meaning JOYY is approximately 11% more volatile than MOMO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, JOYY Inc. (JOYY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 40% for Hello Group Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MOMO or JOYY?
Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) is the more profitable company, earning 9.8% net margin versus -6.5% for JOYY Inc. — meaning it keeps 9.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MOMO leads at 14.5% versus -18.1% for JOYY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MOMO leads at 39.0%, 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.
06Is MOMO or JOYY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) trades at 1.1x forward P/E versus 1.6x for JOYY Inc. — 0.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MOMO: 22.4% to $8.10.
07Which pays a better dividend — MOMO or JOYY?
In this comparison, MOMO (8.5% yield) pays a dividend. JOYY does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is MOMO or JOYY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Hello Group Inc. (MOMO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.46), 8.5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MOMO: -9.5%, JOYY: +39.0%), 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.
09What are the main differences between MOMO and JOYY?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: MOMO is a small-cap deep-value stock; JOYY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. MOMO pays a dividend while JOYY does 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.
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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Net Margin > 5%
- Dividend Yield > 3.3%