SPT vs YELP

For growth investors, Sprout Social, Inc.

(SPT) is the stronger pick with 12. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 7% for Yelp Inc. (YELP). Yelp Inc. (YELP) offers the better valuation at 12. 7x trailing P/E (13. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sprout Social, Inc. (SPT) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 forward P/E, Sprout Social, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 7. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Yelp Inc.

(YELP) delivered a total return of -27. 9%, compared to -89. 3% for Sprout Social, Inc. (SPT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: YELP returned +10. 2% versus SPT's -59. 0%. 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), Yelp Inc.

(YELP) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 82β versus Sprout Social, Inc. 's 1. 27β — meaning SPT is approximately 54% more volatile than YELP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Yelp Inc. (YELP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 33% for Sprout Social, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sprout Social, Inc.

(SPT) is pulling ahead at 12. 7% versus 3. 7% for Yelp Inc. (YELP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sprout Social, Inc. grew EPS 32. 1% year-over-year, compared to 19. 1% for Yelp Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SPT leads at 21. 7% 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.

Yelp Inc.

(YELP) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 9% net margin versus -9. 5% for Sprout Social, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: YELP leads at 12. 6% versus -9. 5% for SPT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — YELP leads at 90. 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, Sprout Social, Inc.

(SPT) trades at 7. 4x forward P/E versus 13. 7x for Yelp Inc. — 6. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SPT: 744. 1% to $57. 40.

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, Yelp Inc.

(YELP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 82)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (YELP: +10. 2%, SPT: -59. 0%), 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 (SPT (Technology) and YELP (Communication Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SPT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; YELP 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.