SCOR vs IPGP vs LITE vs IAS vs COHR

For growth investors, Coherent, Inc.

(COHR) is the stronger pick with 23. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 4% for comScore, Inc. (SCOR). comScore, Inc. (SCOR) offers the better valuation at 1. 7x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate IPG Photonics Corporation (IPGP) a "Buy" — based on 27 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, comScore, Inc.

(SCOR) is the cheapest at 1. 7x versus Lumentum Holdings Inc. at 2441. 7x. On forward P/E, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. is actually cheaper at 27. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Lumentum Holdings Inc.

(LITE) delivered a total return of +1019%, compared to -89. 2% for comScore, Inc. (SCOR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LITE returned +36. 8% versus SCOR's -98. 7%. 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), comScore, Inc.

(SCOR) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 80β versus Coherent, Inc. 's 2. 82β — meaning COHR is approximately 252% more volatile than SCOR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (IAS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 2% for Lumentum Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(COHR) is pulling ahead at 23. 4% versus 0. 4% for comScore, Inc. (SCOR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. grew EPS 413. 4% year-over-year, compared to 71. 7% for Coherent, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, COHR leads at 20. 5% 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.

Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 1% net margin versus -2. 8% for comScore, Inc. — meaning it keeps 7. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IAS leads at 11. 4% versus -10. 9% for LITE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IAS leads at 78. 5%, 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, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) trades at 27. 5x forward P/E versus 110. 1x for Lumentum Holdings Inc. — 82. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IAS: 38. 2% to $14. 29.

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, Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

(IAS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 80)). Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) carries a higher beta of 2. 66 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IAS: -49. 8%, LITE: +36. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (SCOR (Communication Services) and IPGP (Technology) and LITE (Technology) and IAS (Communication Services) and COHR (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SCOR is a small-cap deep-value stock; IPGP is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LITE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; IAS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COHR is a mid-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.