Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare NextNav Inc. (NN) vs Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) 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 | NN | 46.8% revenue growth vs META's 22.2% |
| Quality / Margins | META | 30.1% net margin vs NN's -27.7% |
| Stability / Safety | NN | Beta 1.23 vs META's 1.42 |
| Dividends | META | 0.3% yield; 2-year raise streak; NN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NN | +53.4% vs META's -2.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | META | 16.5% ROA vs NN's -58.4%, ROIC 27.6% vs -61.5% |
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
NextNav provides next-generation 3D geolocation and positioning services as an alternative to traditional GPS. It makes money by selling its Pinnacle 3D geolocation service — available in thousands of U.S. cities — and its TerraPoiNT terrestrial-based encrypted timing network directly to customers and through partners. The company's key advantage is its terrestrial-based encrypted network that provides more reliable indoor and urban positioning where GPS signals are weak or unavailable.
Meta Platforms operates a family of social media and messaging apps — Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger — that connect billions of users globally. It generates nearly all its revenue from digital advertising across these platforms, with its Reality Labs segment — which includes VR hardware and software — currently operating at a loss. The company's massive network effects and user data advantage create a powerful moat, making it difficult for competitors to challenge its dominant position in social media.
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
META leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). NN leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
META is the larger business by revenue, generating $201.0B annually — 36282.0x NN's $6M. META is the more profitable business, keeping 30.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NN's -27.7%. On growth, META holds the edge at +23.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6M | $201.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$64M | $101.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$154M | $60.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$47M | $46.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -64.6% | +82.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -12.4% | +41.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -27.7% | +30.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -8.5% | +22.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -44.8% | +23.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.1% | +10.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.1B | $222.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | $270.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -19.15x | 27.59x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 21.80x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.50x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 2.65x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 372.20x | 1.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 39.00x | 7.68x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 4.82x |
Profitability & Efficiency
META delivers a 27.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $28 in annual profit, vs $-156 for NN. META carries lower financial leverage with a 0.39x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NN's 1.43x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), META scores 5/9 vs NN's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -156.5% | +27.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -58.4% | +16.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -61.5% | +27.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -39.8% | +29.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.43x | 0.39x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $32M | $48.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $39M | $35.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $71M | $83.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -6.08x | 61.69x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in META five years ago would be worth $24,623 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,698 for NN. Over the past 12 months, NN leads with a +53.4% total return vs META's -2.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NN at 80.0% vs META's 55.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.8% | -0.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +53.4% | -2.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +483.0% | +272.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +57.0% | +146.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +65.0% | +510.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +80.0% | +55.1% |
Risk & Volatility
NN is the less volatile stock with a 1.23 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than META's 1.42 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NN currently trades 88.2% from its 52-week high vs META's 81.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.23x | 1.42x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $18.25 | $796.25 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $9.05 | $479.80 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +88.2% | +81.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 58.5 | 50.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.0M | 13.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NN as "Buy" and META as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 31.6% upside for META (target: $853) vs -44.1% for NN (target: $9). META is the only dividend payer here at 0.32% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NNNextNav Inc. | METAMeta Platforms, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $9.00 | $853.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 3 | 60 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $2.07 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +11.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Nov 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextNav Inc. (NN) | 100 | 151.79 | +51.8% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 100 | 270.28 | +170.3% |
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) returned +146% over 5 years vs NextNav Inc. (NN)'s +57%. A $10,000 investment in META 5 years ago would be worth $24,623 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextNav Inc. (NN) | $164000.00 | $6M | +3356.7% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | $27.6B | $201.0B | +627.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s revenue grew from $27.6B (2016) to $201.0B (2025) — a 24.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextNav Inc. (NN) | -602.3% | -18.0% | +97.0% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 36.9% | 30.1% | -18.4% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s net margin went from 37% (2016) to 30% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 32.7 | 28.1 | -14.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc. has traded in a 14x–33x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~28x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextNav Inc. (NN) | -6.27 | -0.84 | +86.6% |
| Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) | 3.49 | 23.49 | +573.1% |
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.49 (2016) to $23.49 (2025) — a 24% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
NextNav Inc. generated $-38M FCF in 2024 (+22% vs 2021). Meta Platforms, Inc. generated $46B FCF in 2025 (+18% vs 2021).
NN vs META: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NN or META a better buy right now?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) offers the better valuation at 27.6x trailing P/E (21.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NextNav Inc. (NN) a "Buy" — based on 3 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 — NN or META?
Over the past 5 years, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) delivered a total return of +146.2%, compared to +57.0% for NextNav Inc. (NN). A $10,000 investment in META five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: META returned +510.1% versus NN's +65.0%. 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 — NN or META?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), NextNav Inc. (NN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.23β versus Meta Platforms, Inc.'s 1.42β — meaning META is approximately 16% more volatile than NN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 39% versus 143% for NextNav Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NN or META?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is the more profitable company, earning 30.1% net margin versus -1797.1% for NextNav Inc. — meaning it keeps 30.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: META leads at 41.4% versus -1060.1% for NN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — META leads at 82.0%, 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.
05Is NN or META more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for META: 31.6% to $853.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — NN or META?
In this comparison, META (0.3% yield) pays a dividend. NN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is NN or META better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+510.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (META: +510.1%, NN: +65.0%), 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.
08What are the main differences between NN and META?
These companies operate in different sectors (NN (Communication Services) and META (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. 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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