PMTS vs FORM vs IDCC vs COHU

For growth investors, CPI Card Group Inc.

(PMTS) is the stronger pick with 13. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 0% for InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC). CPI Card Group Inc. (PMTS) offers the better valuation at 12. 4x trailing P/E (6. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CPI Card Group Inc. (PMTS) a "Buy" — based on 11 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, CPI Card Group Inc.

(PMTS) is the cheapest at 12. 4x versus FormFactor, Inc. at 209. 7x. On forward P/E, CPI Card Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 6. 6x.

Over the past 5 years, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) delivered a total return of +303. 1%, compared to -5. 6% for CPI Card Group Inc. (PMTS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FORM returned +1952% versus PMTS's -57. 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), InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 12β versus Cohu, Inc. 's 2. 13β — meaning COHU is approximately 91% more volatile than IDCC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, FormFactor, Inc. (FORM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 46% for InterDigital, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), CPI Card Group Inc.

(PMTS) is pulling ahead at 13. 1% versus -4. 0% for InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: InterDigital, Inc. grew EPS -2. 2% year-over-year, compared to -23. 8% for CPI Card Group Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IDCC leads at 22. 1% 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.

InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the more profitable company, earning 48. 8% net margin versus -16. 4% for Cohu, Inc. — meaning it keeps 48. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IDCC leads at 55. 3% versus -13. 3% for COHU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IDCC leads at 80. 3%, 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, CPI Card Group Inc.

(PMTS) trades at 6. 6x forward P/E versus 89. 2x for Cohu, Inc. — 82. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PMTS: 82. 4% to $28. 33.

In this comparison, IDCC (0.

6% yield) pays a dividend. PMTS, FORM, COHU do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 12), 0. 6% yield, +436. 7% 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 (IDCC: +436. 7%, 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (PMTS (Financial Services) and FORM (Technology) and IDCC (Technology) and COHU (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: PMTS is a small-cap deep-value stock; FORM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; IDCC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COHU is a small-cap quality compounder stock. IDCC pays a dividend while PMTS, FORM, COHU do 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.