Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) vs Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) 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 | KC | 10.5% revenue growth vs STRK's -6.6% |
| Quality / Margins | STRK | 16.7% net margin vs KC's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | STRK | Beta 0.62 vs KC's 1.61, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | STRK | -7.4% vs KC's -17.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | STRK | 10.8% ROA vs KC's -3.8%, ROIC -9.3% vs -17.7% |
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
MicroStrategy is an enterprise analytics software company that provides AI-powered business intelligence platforms for data analysis and decision-making. It generates revenue primarily from software licenses and subscription services (~70%) along with consulting and support services (~30%), while also holding a substantial bitcoin treasury as a strategic asset. The company's key advantage lies in its sophisticated semantic graph technology—which provides unified data access across complex enterprise systems—and its first-mover position in corporate bitcoin adoption.
Kingsoft Cloud is a Chinese cloud service provider offering public cloud infrastructure and enterprise cloud solutions to businesses across various industries. It generates revenue primarily from public cloud services — including computing, storage, and content delivery — and enterprise cloud services for specific verticals like finance and healthcare. Its competitive advantage stems from its integration with the broader Kingsoft ecosystem — including gaming and office software — which creates cross-selling opportunities and customer stickiness.
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
STRK leads in 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KC is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.0B annually — 19.0x STRK's $475M. STRK is the more profitable business, keeping 16.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KC's -10.8%. On growth, KC holds the edge at +33.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $475M | $9.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $11.0B | $1.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.9B | -$971M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$18.1B | -$343M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.1% | +16.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.1% | -8.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | -10.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -38.2% | -3.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.9% | +33.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.9% | +99.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | — | $49.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | — | $50.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -12.93x | -11.42x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 43.80x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.83x | 4.12x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
STRK delivers a 13.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $14 in annual profit, vs $-14 for KC. STRK carries lower financial leverage with a 0.40x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KC's 0.94x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KC scores 4/9 vs STRK's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.6% | -13.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.8% | -3.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -9.3% | -17.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -12.4% | -20.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 0.94x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.2B | $2.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $38M | $2.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.3B | $5.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 156.03x | -1.40x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in STRK five years ago would be worth $10,566 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,210 for KC. Over the past 12 months, STRK leads with a -7.4% total return vs KC's -17.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KC at 51.8% vs STRK's 1.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.1% | +23.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -7.4% | -17.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | +250.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | -77.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | -43.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.9% | +51.8% |
Risk & Volatility
STRK is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KC's 1.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. KC currently trades 68.9% from its 52-week high vs STRK's 60.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 1.61x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $129.48 | $19.57 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $71.40 | $10.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.5% | +68.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 45.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 168K | 1.1M |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $18.30 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 10 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | — | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 25 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 100 | 100.12 | +0.1% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | 100 | 90.03 | -10.0% |
MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) returned +6% over 5 years vs Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC)'s -78%. A $10,000 investment in STRK 5 years ago would be worth $10,566 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | $530M | $463M | -12.5% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | $2.3B | $7.8B | +237.8% |
MicroStrategy Incorporated's revenue grew from $530M (2015) to $463M (2024) — a -1.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 20.0% | -2.5% | -112.6% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -45.4% | -25.3% | +44.3% |
MicroStrategy Incorporated's net margin went from 20% (2015) to -3% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 0.92 | -6.06 | -758.7% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -33.23 | -8.1 | +75.6% |
MicroStrategy Incorporated's EPS grew from $0.92 (2015) to $-6.06 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
MicroStrategy Incorporated generated $-22B FCF in 2024 (-773% vs 2021). Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited generated $-3B FCF in 2024 (-112% vs 2021).
STRK vs KC: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is STRK or KC a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) a "Buy" — based on 10 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 is the better long-term investment — STRK or KC?
Over the past 5 years, MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) delivered a total return of +5.7%, compared to -77.9% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC). A $10,000 investment in STRK five years ago would be worth approximately $11K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STRK returned +5.7% versus KC's -43.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — STRK or KC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited's 1.61β — meaning KC is approximately 159% more volatile than STRK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 40% versus 94% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — STRK or KC?
Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) is the more profitable company, earning -25.3% net margin versus -251.7% for MicroStrategy Incorporated — meaning it keeps -25.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KC leads at -22.3% versus -399.8% for STRK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STRK leads at 72.1%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — STRK or KC?
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.
06Is STRK or KC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.62)). Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) carries a higher beta of 1.61 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (STRK: +5.7%, KC: -43.5%), 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.
07What are the main differences between STRK and KC?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.