NYAX vs ACMR vs ICHR vs IIIV vs MKSI

For growth investors, Nayax Ltd.

(NYAX) is the stronger pick with 38. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) offers the better valuation at 40. 9x trailing P/E (20. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nayax Ltd. (NYAX) a "Buy" — based on 6 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, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) is the cheapest at 40. 9x versus Nayax Ltd. at 70. 9x. On forward P/E, i3 Verticals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Nayax Ltd.

(NYAX) delivered a total return of +158. 9%, compared to -27. 6% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ACMR returned +30. 7% versus IIIV's +24. 9%. 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), Nayax Ltd.

(NYAX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 71β versus Ichor Holdings, Ltd. 's 3. 93β — meaning ICHR is approximately 449% more volatile than NYAX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 173% for MKS Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Nayax Ltd.

(NYAX) is pulling ahead at 38. 0% versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Nayax Ltd. grew EPS 737. 5% year-over-year, compared to -140. 6% for Ichor Holdings, Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, NYAX leads at 35. 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.

ACM Research, Inc.

(ACMR) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 4% net margin versus -5. 6% for Ichor Holdings, Ltd. — meaning it keeps 10. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MKSI leads at 14. 4% versus -4. 1% for ICHR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IIIV leads at 55. 7%, 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, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) trades at 20. 3x forward P/E versus 81. 5x for Nayax Ltd. — 61. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IIIV: 26. 6% to $29. 00.

In this comparison, MKSI (0.

3% yield), ACMR (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. NYAX, ICHR, IIIV do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Nayax Ltd.

(NYAX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 71), +158. 9% 10Y return). ACM Research, Inc. (ACMR) carries a higher beta of 3. 24 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NYAX: +158. 9%, ACMR: +30. 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.

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: NYAX is a small-cap high-growth stock; ACMR is a small-cap high-growth stock; ICHR is a small-cap quality compounder stock; IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MKSI is a mid-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.