Internet Content & Information
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
PERI vs IAS
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Advertising Agencies
PERI vs IAS — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Internet Content & Information | Advertising Agencies |
| Market Cap | $483M | $1.74B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $440M | $591M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-8M | $47M |
| Gross Margin | 33.3% | 77.4% |
| Operating Margin | -3.4% | 11.1% |
| Forward P/E | 8.9x | 27.5x |
| Total Debt | $42M | $58M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $91M | $84M |
PERI vs IAS — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Jun 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perion Network Ltd. (PERI) | 100 | 50.3 | -49.7% |
| Integral Ad Science… (IAS) | 100 | 50.0 | -50.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: PERI vs IAS
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
PERI is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 139.6% 10Y total return vs IAS's -49.8%
- Lower P/E (8.9x vs 27.5x)
IAS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 0.83
- Rev growth 11.7%, EPS growth 413.4%, 3Y rev CAGR 17.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.83, Low D/E 5.7%, current ratio 3.02x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 11.7% revenue growth vs PERI's -11.7% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (8.9x vs 27.5x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 7.9% margin vs PERI's -1.8% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.83 vs PERI's 0.94, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +40.1% vs PERI's +16.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 3.9% ROA vs PERI's -0.9%, ROIC 4.6% vs -1.7% |
PERI vs IAS — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
PERI vs IAS — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
IAS leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
IAS and PERI operate at a comparable scale, with $591M and $440M in trailing revenue. IAS is the more profitable business, keeping 7.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PERI's -1.8%. On growth, IAS holds the edge at +15.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $440M | $591M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3M | $125M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$8M | $47M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $39M | $165M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.3% | +77.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -3.4% | +11.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.8% | +7.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.9% | +27.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.8% | +15.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +72.7% | -57.4% |
Valuation Metrics
PERI leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, IAS's 13.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PERI's 106.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $483M | $1.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $434M | $1.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -56.74x | 44.96x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.89x | 27.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 106.04x | 13.74x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.10x | 3.27x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.67x | 1.70x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 12.66x | 22.44x |
Profitability & Efficiency
IAS leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
IAS delivers a 4.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $4 in annual profit, vs $-1 for PERI. IAS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.06x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PERI's 0.06x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IAS scores 6/9 vs PERI's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -1.2% | +4.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | +3.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -1.7% | +4.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.8% | +5.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.06x | 0.06x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49M | -$27M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $91M | $84M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $42M | $58M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 93.78x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
IAS leads this category, winning 3 of 5 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in PERI five years ago would be worth $6,282 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,024 for IAS. Over the past 12 months, IAS leads with a +40.1% total return vs PERI's +16.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IAS at -15.2% vs PERI's -31.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +15.3% | — |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +16.9% | +40.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.0% | -39.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -37.2% | -49.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +139.6% | -49.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.6% | -15.2% |
Risk & Volatility
IAS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
IAS is the less volatile stock with a 0.83 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PERI's 0.94 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IAS currently trades 100.0% from its 52-week high vs PERI's 91.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.94x | 0.83x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.79 | $10.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $8.07 | $7.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +91.4% | +100.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.1 | 67.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 321K | 0 |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PERI as "Buy" and IAS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 38.2% upside for IAS (target: $14) vs 29.9% for PERI (target: $14).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.00 | $14.29 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 13 | 12 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +14.7% | 0.0% |
IAS leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). PERI leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
PERI vs IAS: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PERI or IAS a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.
(IAS) is the stronger pick with 11. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -11. 7% for Perion Network Ltd. (PERI). Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (IAS) offers the better valuation at 45. 0x trailing P/E (27. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Perion Network Ltd. (PERI) a "Buy" — based on 13 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 — PERI or IAS?
On forward P/E, Perion Network Ltd.
is actually cheaper at 8. 9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PERI or IAS?
Over the past 5 years, Perion Network Ltd.
(PERI) delivered a total return of -37. 2%, compared to -49. 8% for Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (IAS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PERI returned +139. 6% versus IAS's -49. 8%. 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 — PERI or IAS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.
(IAS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 83β versus Perion Network Ltd. 's 0. 94β — meaning PERI is approximately 13% more volatile than IAS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (IAS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 6% for Perion Network Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — PERI or IAS?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.
(IAS) is pulling ahead at 11. 7% versus -11. 7% for Perion Network Ltd. (PERI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. grew EPS 413. 4% year-over-year, compared to -176. 0% for Perion Network Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IAS leads at 17. 9% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — PERI or IAS?
Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.
(IAS) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 1% net margin versus -1. 8% for Perion Network Ltd. — meaning it keeps 7. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IAS leads at 11. 4% versus -3. 1% for PERI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IAS leads at 78. 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.
07Is PERI or IAS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Perion Network Ltd.
(PERI) trades at 8. 9x forward P/E versus 27. 5x for Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. — 18. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IAS: 38. 2% to $14. 29.
08Which pays a better dividend — PERI or IAS?
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.
09Is PERI or IAS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Perion Network Ltd.
(PERI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94), +139. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PERI: +139. 6%, IAS: -49. 8%), 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.
10What are the main differences between PERI and IAS?
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.
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 outperform both.
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Revenue Growth > 5%
- Gross Margin > 20%
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.