PI vs COHU

For growth investors, Cohu, Inc.

(COHU) is the stronger pick with 12. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 4% for Impinj, Inc. (PI). Analysts rate Impinj, Inc. (PI) a "Buy" — based on 22 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.

Over the past 5 years, Impinj, Inc.

(PI) delivered a total return of +193. 4%, compared to +22. 2% for Cohu, Inc. (COHU). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PI returned +742. 1% versus COHU's +330. 2%. 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), Impinj, Inc.

(PI) is the lower-risk stock at 2. 12β versus Cohu, Inc. 's 2. 13β — meaning COHU is approximately 0% more volatile than PI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cohu, Inc. (COHU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 46% versus 156% for Impinj, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Cohu, Inc.

(COHU) is pulling ahead at 12. 7% versus -1. 4% for Impinj, Inc. (PI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Cohu, Inc. grew EPS -6. 7% year-over-year, compared to -126. 6% for Impinj, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PI leads at 11. 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.

Impinj, Inc.

(PI) is the more profitable company, earning -3. 0% net margin versus -16. 4% for Cohu, Inc. — meaning it keeps -3. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PI leads at -0. 2% versus -13. 3% for COHU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PI leads at 52. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Impinj, Inc.

(PI) trades at 80. 4x forward P/E versus 89. 2x for Cohu, Inc. — 8. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PI: 18. 9% to $180. 00.

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.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Impinj, Inc.

(PI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+742. 1% 10Y return). Cohu, Inc. (COHU) carries a higher beta of 2. 13 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PI: +742. 1%, COHU: +330. 2%), 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.

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.