Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) vs Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) 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 | PINS | 15.8% revenue growth vs GOOG's 15.1% |
| Value | PINS | Lower P/E (9.9x vs 27.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | GOOG | 32.8% net margin vs PINS's 9.9% |
| Stability / Safety | GOOG | Beta 0.98 vs PINS's 1.51 |
| Dividends | GOOG | 0.3% yield; 2-year raise streak; PINS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GOOG | +81.3% vs PINS's -53.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GOOG | 22.2% ROA vs PINS's 7.6%, ROIC 24.7% vs 6.2% |
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
Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users find inspiration for everything from recipes to home decor through personalized image and video pins. It generates revenue primarily through advertising — selling promoted pins and shopping ads to brands — with advertising accounting for nearly all of its revenue. Its competitive advantage lies in its unique intent-based discovery model where users actively seek inspiration, creating a high-intent advertising environment distinct from social media feeds.
Alphabet is a technology conglomerate best known for its Google search engine and digital ecosystem. It generates over 80% of its revenue from digital advertising—primarily through Google Search, YouTube, and its ad network—with the remainder coming from Google Cloud services and other ventures. Its dominant competitive advantage lies in its massive user data network, which creates powerful network effects and makes its advertising targeting capabilities nearly impossible for competitors to replicate at scale.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
GOOG leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). PINS leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GOOG is the larger business by revenue, generating $402.9B annually — 95.4x PINS's $4.2B. GOOG is the more profitable business, keeping 32.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PINS's 9.9%. On growth, GOOG holds the edge at +18.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.2B | $402.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $339M | $150.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $417M | $132.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.3B | $73.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.1% | +59.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +7.6% | +32.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | +32.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +29.7% | +18.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +14.3% | +18.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -84.7% | +31.2% |
Valuation Metrics
At 28.1x trailing earnings, PINS trades at a 3% valuation discount to GOOG's 28.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PINS's 1.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than GOOG's 11.5x.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.4B | $1.69T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $616M | $1.73T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 28.08x | 28.81x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 9.91x | 27.24x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.97x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.93x | 11.52x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.32x | 4.20x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.48x | 9.17x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 1.09x | 23.08x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GOOG delivers a 31.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $32 in annual profit, vs $9 for PINS. PINS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.05x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GOOG's 0.17x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GOOG scores 7/9 vs PINS's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +8.8% | +31.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.6% | +22.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.2% | +24.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.4% | +30.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$749M | $41.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $969M | $30.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $221M | $72.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.38x | 903.26x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GOOG five years ago would be worth $30,060 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,056 for PINS. Over the past 12 months, GOOG leads with a +81.3% total return vs PINS's -53.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GOOG at 51.3% vs PINS's -12.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -35.5% | -1.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -53.7% | +81.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.8% | +246.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -79.4% | +200.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.8% | +796.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -12.0% | +51.3% |
Risk & Volatility
GOOG is the less volatile stock with a 0.98 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PINS's 1.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. GOOG currently trades 88.9% from its 52-week high vs PINS's 42.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.51x | 0.98x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $39.93 | $350.15 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $13.84 | $142.66 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +42.9% | +88.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 38.1 | 40.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 13.8M | 17.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PINS as "Buy" and GOOG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.9% upside for PINS (target: $25) vs 14.6% for GOOG (target: $357). GOOG is the only dividend payer here at 0.26% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PINSPinterest, Inc. | GOOGAlphabet Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $25.33 | $356.91 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 46 | 79 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.82 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +67.9% | +2.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) | 100 | 110 | +10.0% |
| Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) | 100 | 496.54 | +396.5% |
Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) returned +201% over 5 years vs Pinterest, Inc. (PINS)'s -79%. A $10,000 investment in GOOG 5 years ago would be worth $30,060 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) | $473M | $4.2B | +792.8% |
| Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) | $90.3B | $403.0B | +346.4% |
Alphabet Inc.'s revenue grew from $90.3B (2016) to $403.0B (2025) — a 18.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) | -27.5% | 9.9% | +135.9% |
| Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) | 21.6% | 32.8% | +52.0% |
Alphabet Inc.'s net margin went from 22% (2016) to 33% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) | 88.7 | 42.4 | -52.2% |
| Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) | 58.1 | 29 | -50.1% |
Pinterest, Inc. has traded in a 11x–89x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~28x. Alphabet Inc. has traded in a 20x–58x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~29x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) | -0.29 | 0.61 | +310.3% |
| Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) | 1.39 | 10.81 | +677.7% |
Alphabet Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.39 (2016) to $10.81 (2025) — a 26% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Pinterest, Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+68% vs 2021). Alphabet Inc. generated $73B FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
PINS vs GOOG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PINS or GOOG a better buy right now?
Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) offers the better valuation at 28.1x trailing P/E (9.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) a "Buy" — based on 46 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 — PINS or GOOG?
On trailing P/E, Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) is the cheapest at 28.1x versus Alphabet Inc. at 28.8x. On forward P/E, Pinterest, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PINS or GOOG?
Over the past 5 years, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) delivered a total return of +200.6%, compared to -79.4% for Pinterest, Inc. (PINS). A $10,000 investment in GOOG five years ago would be worth approximately $30K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GOOG returned +796.7% versus PINS's -29.8%. 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 — PINS or GOOG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.98β versus Pinterest, Inc.'s 1.51β — meaning PINS is approximately 53% more volatile than GOOG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 17% for Alphabet Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PINS or GOOG?
Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) is the more profitable company, earning 32.8% net margin versus 9.9% for Pinterest, Inc. — meaning it keeps 32.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GOOG leads at 32.1% versus 7.6% for PINS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PINS leads at 80.1%, 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 PINS or GOOG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) trades at 9.9x forward P/E versus 27.2x for Alphabet Inc. — 17.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PINS: 47.9% to $25.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — PINS or GOOG?
In this comparison, GOOG (0.3% yield) pays a dividend. PINS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PINS or GOOG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.98), +796.7% 10Y return). Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) carries a higher beta of 1.51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GOOG: +796.7%, PINS: -29.8%), 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.
09What are the main differences between PINS and GOOG?
These companies operate in different sectors (PINS (Communication Services) and GOOG (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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