Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) vs Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | DUOL | 38.7% revenue growth vs SOGP's -1.9% |
| Value | SOGP | Lower P/E (0.5x vs 23.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | DUOL | 39.9% net margin vs SOGP's -3.4% |
| Stability / Safety | DUOL | Beta 1.52 vs SOGP's 1.64, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SOGP | +6.0% vs DUOL's -67.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | DUOL | 20.8% ROA vs SOGP's -12.8% |
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
Sound Group operates an audio-centric social entertainment platform where users connect through voice-based interactions. It generates revenue primarily through virtual gifting within its live audio rooms — where listeners purchase digital gifts for creators — and advertising on its platform. The company's moat lies in its early-mover advantage in China's audio social space and its proprietary audio technology infrastructure.
Duolingo operates a freemium language-learning platform that makes acquiring new languages accessible through gamified lessons. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its premium Duolingo Super service — which removes ads and offers additional features — along with advertising and its English proficiency testing product. The company's key advantage is its massive user base and data-driven approach to optimizing engagement, creating network effects that make its platform increasingly effective for learners.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
DUOL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SOGP leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SOGP is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.0B annually — 2.0x DUOL's $1.0B. DUOL is the more profitable business, keeping 39.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SOGP's -3.4%.
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.0B | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | — | $146M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | — | $414M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | — | $377M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +27.4% | +72.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -4.4% | +13.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -3.4% | +39.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -1.9% | +36.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +35.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.4B | $4.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.4B | $3.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -6.77x | 13.32x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 0.51x | 23.41x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 27.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 35.24x | 4.54x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.27x | 3.50x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 12.14x |
Profitability & Efficiency
DUOL delivers a 30.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $31 in annual profit, vs $-28 for SOGP. DUOL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SOGP's 0.09x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), DUOL scores 5/9 vs SOGP's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -27.6% | +30.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -12.8% | +20.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +40.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -35.0% | +8.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.09x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$422M | -$943M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $442M | $1.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $20M | $94M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -215.63x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in DUOL five years ago would be worth $7,266 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,593 for SOGP. Over the past 12 months, SOGP leads with a +604.9% total return vs DUOL's -67.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SOGP at 24.2% vs DUOL's 3.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +17.6% | -42.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +604.9% | -67.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +91.4% | +11.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.1% | -27.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -86.4% | -27.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +24.2% | +3.6% |
Risk & Volatility
DUOL is the less volatile stock with a 1.52 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SOGP's 1.64 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SOGP currently trades 37.3% from its 52-week high vs DUOL's 18.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.64x | 1.52x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $37.00 | $544.93 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.18 | $91.99 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +37.3% | +18.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 52.3 | 40.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 81K | 1.9M |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | SOGPSound Group Inc. | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $235.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Aug 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) | 100 | 28.54 | -71.5% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | 103.45 | 94.91 | -8.3% |
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) returned -27% over 5 years vs Sound Group Inc. (SOGP)'s -84%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) | $454M | $2.0B | +348.0% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | $71M | $1.0B | +1366.3% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) | -33.9% | -3.4% | +89.9% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | -19.2% | 39.9% | +308.3% |
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) | -54.9 | -14 | +74.5% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | -0.41 | 7.58 | +1948.8% |
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Sound Group Inc. generated $-39M FCF in 2024 (+37% vs 2021). Duolingo, Inc. generated $388M FCF in 2025 (+12984% vs 2021).
SOGP vs DUOL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SOGP or DUOL a better buy right now?
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) offers the better valuation at 13.3x trailing P/E (23.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) a "Hold" — based on 21 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 — SOGP or DUOL?
On forward P/E, Sound Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 0.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SOGP or DUOL?
Over the past 5 years, Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) delivered a total return of -27.3%, compared to -84.1% for Sound Group Inc. (SOGP). A $10,000 investment in DUOL five years ago would be worth approximately $7K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DUOL returned -27.3% versus SOGP's -86.4%. 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 — SOGP or DUOL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.52β versus Sound Group Inc.'s 1.64β — meaning SOGP is approximately 8% more volatile than DUOL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 9% for Sound Group Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SOGP or DUOL?
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the more profitable company, earning 39.9% net margin versus -3.4% for Sound Group Inc. — meaning it keeps 39.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DUOL leads at 13.1% versus -4.4% for SOGP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DUOL leads at 72.2%, 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 SOGP or DUOL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) trades at 0.5x forward P/E versus 23.4x for Duolingo, Inc. — 22.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — SOGP or DUOL?
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 SOGP or DUOL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Sound Group Inc. (SOGP) carries a higher beta of 1.64 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DUOL: -27.3%, SOGP: -86.4%), 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 SOGP and DUOL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: SOGP is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; DUOL is a small-cap deep-value 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.