QS vs SES

Analysts rate QuantumScape Corporation (QS) a "Hold" — 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.

Over the past 5 years, QuantumScape Corporation (QS) delivered a total return of -74.

3%, compared to -90. 2% for SES AI Corporation (SES). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: QS returned -19. 7% versus SES's -90. 9%. 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), QuantumScape Corporation (QS) is the lower-risk stock at 2.

61β versus SES AI Corporation's 2. 91β — meaning SES is approximately 12% more volatile than QS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SES AI Corporation (SES) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 6% for QuantumScape Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SES AI Corporation grew EPS 29.

0% year-over-year, compared to 19. 1% for QuantumScape Corporation. 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.

QuantumScape Corporation (QS) is the more profitable company, earning 0.

0% net margin versus -347. 8% for SES AI Corporation — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: QS leads at 0. 0% versus -393. 4% for SES. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SES leads at 53. 8%, 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.

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, QuantumScape Corporation (QS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding.

SES AI Corporation (SES) carries a higher beta of 2. 91 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (QS: -19. 7%, SES: -90. 9%), 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 Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: QS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SES is a small-cap high-growth stock. 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.