STUB vs EBAY vs ETSY vs AMZN vs SHOP

For growth investors, Shopify Inc.

(SHOP) is the stronger pick with 30. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 4% for StubHub Holdings, Inc. (STUB). eBay Inc. (EBAY) offers the better valuation at 25. 0x trailing P/E (17. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) a "Buy" — based on 45 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, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the cheapest at 25. 0x versus Shopify Inc. at 115. 1x. On forward P/E, eBay Inc. is actually cheaper at 17. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Amazon. com, Inc. wins at 0. 97x versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 04x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) delivered a total return of +72. 6%, compared to -59. 2% for Etsy, Inc. (ETSY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHOP returned +37. 7% versus STUB's -47. 9%. 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), eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 77β versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 29β — meaning SHOP is approximately 196% more volatile than EBAY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 160% for eBay Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(SHOP) is pulling ahead at 30. 1% versus -1. 4% for StubHub Holdings, Inc. (STUB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Amazon. com, Inc. grew EPS 29. 7% year-over-year, compared to -37. 4% for StubHub Holdings, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SHOP leads at 27. 3% 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.

eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 3% net margin versus -109. 2% for StubHub Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EBAY leads at 20. 5% versus -73. 4% for STUB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STUB leads at 80. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 97x versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 04x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, eBay Inc. (EBAY) trades at 17. 8x forward P/E versus 59. 7x for Shopify Inc. — 41. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SHOP: 44. 9% to $156. 79.

In this comparison, EBAY (1.

1% yield) pays a dividend. STUB, ETSY, AMZN, SHOP do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, eBay Inc.

(EBAY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 77), 1. 1% yield, +382. 5% 10Y return). Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a higher beta of 2. 29 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EBAY: +382. 5%, SHOP: +37. 7%), 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 (STUB (Technology) and EBAY (Consumer Cyclical) and ETSY (Consumer Cyclical) and AMZN (Consumer Cyclical) and SHOP (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: STUB is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EBAY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ETSY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock; SHOP is a mid-cap high-growth stock. EBAY pays a dividend while STUB, ETSY, AMZN, SHOP do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.