Compare Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) vs Opera Limited (OPRA) Stock

Opera Limited (OPRA) offers the better valuation at 17.1x trailing P/E (14.0x 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.

On trailing P/E, Opera Limited (OPRA) is the cheapest at 17.1x versus Pinterest, Inc. at 29.2x. On forward P/E, Pinterest, Inc. is actually cheaper at 10.1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Opera Limited (OPRA) delivered a total return of +55.2%, compared to -78.6% for Pinterest, Inc. (PINS). A $10,000 investment in OPRA five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OPRA returned +44.4% versus PINS's -27.0%. 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), Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) is the lower-risk stock at 1.49β versus Opera Limited's 1.54β — meaning OPRA is approximately 3% more volatile than PINS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Opera Limited (OPRA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 5% for Pinterest, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

Opera Limited (OPRA) is the more profitable company, earning 16.8% net margin versus 9.9% for Pinterest, Inc. — meaning it keeps 16.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OPRA leads at 19.2% 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.

On forward earnings alone, Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) trades at 10.1x forward P/E versus 14.0x for Opera Limited — 3.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PINS: 42.2% to $25.33.

In this comparison, OPRA (2.7% yield) pays a dividend. PINS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Opera Limited (OPRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2.7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (OPRA: +44.4%, PINS: -27.0%), 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.

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. In terms of investment character: PINS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; OPRA is a small-cap deep-value stock. OPRA pays a dividend while PINS does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.