Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Semrush Holdings, Inc. (SEMR) vs DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) 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 | SEMR | 22.5% revenue growth vs DV's 13.9% |
| Value | DV | Lower P/E (20.2x vs 28.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | DV | 6.8% net margin vs SEMR's -1.1% |
| Stability / Safety | DV | Beta 1.00 vs SEMR's 1.25 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SEMR | +7.5% vs DV's -24.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | DV | 3.7% ROA vs SEMR's -1.0%, ROIC 6.4% vs 3.0% |
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
Semrush is a software-as-a-service platform that helps businesses manage their online visibility and digital marketing. It makes money primarily through subscription fees for its suite of SEO, content marketing, social media, and competitive research tools — with enterprise plans generating higher revenue per user. The company's competitive advantage lies in its comprehensive, integrated dataset of search and digital marketing intelligence — which creates switching costs and network effects as more customers contribute anonymized data.
DoubleVerify is a digital media measurement and analytics platform that helps advertisers verify the quality and effectiveness of their online advertising. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its verification services — including fraud detection, brand safety, viewability, and contextual targeting solutions — with most revenue coming from advertisers and agencies. The company's key advantage is its independent, third-party verification status which creates trust and objectivity in an industry plagued by fraud and opaque metrics.
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
DV leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). SEMR leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
DV is the larger business by revenue, generating $748M annually — 1.7x SEMR's $429M. DV is the more profitable business, keeping 6.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SEMR's -1.1%. On growth, SEMR holds the edge at +15.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $429M | $748M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $8M | $136M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | $51M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $48M | $173M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.9% | +82.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -1.7% | +10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.1% | +6.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +23.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.1% | +7.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +28.6% |
Valuation Metrics
At 35.1x trailing earnings, DV trades at a 84% valuation discount to SEMR's 213.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, DV's 11.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SEMR's 11.5x.
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $248M | $1.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $212M | $1.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 213.74x | 35.13x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 28.22x | 20.19x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.93x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.53x | 11.39x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.66x | 2.28x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.61x | 1.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 5.75x | 9.88x |
Profitability & Efficiency
DV delivers a 4.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $4 in annual profit, vs $-2 for SEMR. SEMR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.05x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DV's 0.09x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SEMR scores 6/9 vs DV's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -1.5% | +4.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.0% | +3.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.0% | +6.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.2% | +6.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.09x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$37M | -$159M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $49M | $259M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $12M | $100M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 26.89x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SEMR five years ago would be worth $8,443 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,928 for DV. Over the past 12 months, SEMR leads with a +7.5% total return vs DV's -24.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SEMR at 13.9% vs DV's -26.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.6% | -2.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +7.5% | -24.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +47.8% | -59.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -15.6% | -70.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -15.6% | -69.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +13.9% | -26.2% |
Risk & Volatility
DV is the less volatile stock with a 1.00 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SEMR's 1.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SEMR currently trades 98.8% from its 52-week high vs DV's 61.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.00x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.96 | $17.09 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.56 | $7.64 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.8% | +61.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.3 | 43.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.9M | 1.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SEMR as "Hold" and DV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 34.2% upside for DV (target: $14) vs 1.5% for SEMR (target: $12).
| Metric | SEMRSemrush Holdings,… | DVDoubleVerify Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $12.00 | $14.14 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.1% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | May 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush Holdings, I… (SEMR) | 100 | 61.89 | -38.1% |
| DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV) | 99.33 | 29.44 | -70.4% |
Semrush Holdings, I… (SEMR) returned -16% over 5 years vs DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV)'s -71%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush Holdings, I… (SEMR) | $92M | $377M | +309.1% |
| DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV) | $104M | $748M | +617.4% |
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $104M (2018) to $748M (2025) — a 32.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush Holdings, I… (SEMR) | -11.0% | 2.2% | +119.8% |
| DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV) | 3.0% | 6.8% | +122.2% |
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from 3% (2018) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV) | 184.9 | 38.1 | -79.4% |
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. has traded in a 38x–185x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush Holdings, I… (SEMR) | -0.08 | 0.06 | +173.3% |
| DoubleVerify Holdin… (DV) | 0.02 | 0.3 | +1363.4% |
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.02 (2018) to $0.30 (2025) — a 47% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Semrush Holdings, Inc. generated $43M FCF in 2024 (+116% vs 2021). DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. generated $173M FCF in 2025 (+135% vs 2021).
SEMR vs DV: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SEMR or DV a better buy right now?
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) offers the better valuation at 35.1x trailing P/E (20.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) a "Buy" — based on 33 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 — SEMR or DV?
On trailing P/E, DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) is the cheapest at 35.1x versus Semrush Holdings, Inc. at 213.7x. On forward P/E, DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SEMR or DV?
Over the past 5 years, Semrush Holdings, Inc. (SEMR) delivered a total return of -15.6%, compared to -70.7% for DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV). A $10,000 investment in SEMR five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SEMR returned -15.6% versus DV's -69.7%. 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 — SEMR or DV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) is the lower-risk stock at 1.00β versus Semrush Holdings, Inc.'s 1.25β — meaning SEMR is approximately 25% more volatile than DV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Semrush Holdings, Inc. (SEMR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 9% for DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SEMR or DV?
DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) is the more profitable company, earning 6.8% net margin versus 2.2% for Semrush Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DV leads at 10.6% versus 2.2% for SEMR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SEMR leads at 82.6%, 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 SEMR or DV more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) trades at 20.2x forward P/E versus 28.2x for Semrush Holdings, Inc. — 8.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DV: 34.2% to $14.14.
07Which pays a better dividend — SEMR or DV?
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.
08Is SEMR or DV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (DV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.00)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DV: -69.7%, SEMR: -15.6%), 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 SEMR and DV?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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