Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Token Cat Limited (TC) vs Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) 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 | SSTK | 5.8% revenue growth vs TC's -69.7% |
| Quality / Margins | SSTK | 4.6% net margin vs TC's -403.8% |
| Stability / Safety | TC | Beta 0.11 vs SSTK's 1.38 |
| Dividends | SSTK | 7.6% yield; 5-year raise streak; TC pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SSTK | -15.7% vs TC's -34.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SSTK | 3.4% ROA vs TC's -72.7% |
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
Token Cat operates an omni-channel automotive marketplace in China that connects car buyers with dealers through auto shows, group purchasing, and virtual dealership services. It generates revenue primarily from transaction fees on vehicle sales — including commissions from dealers and fees from group-buying events — supplemented by advertising and data services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its integrated online-to-offline platform that combines physical auto shows with digital tools, creating a comprehensive ecosystem that addresses both consumer discovery and dealer sales needs.
Shutterstock operates a global marketplace for stock photography, video footage, and music content used by businesses and creators. It generates revenue primarily through subscription plans — where customers pay monthly or annual fees for content downloads — and through on-demand purchases from its extensive digital library. The company's key advantage is its massive, curated content library of over 400 million images and 30 million video clips, which creates network effects as more contributors attract more customers.
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
SSTK leads in 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SSTK is the larger business by revenue, generating $990M annually — 27.0x TC's $37M. SSTK is the more profitable business, keeping 4.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to TC's -4.0%. On growth, SSTK holds the edge at -12.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $37M | $990M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$4M | $130M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$148M | $45M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$193M | $123M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +73.3% | +58.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.3% | +7.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -4.0% | +4.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -5.3% | +12.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -38.8% | -12.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +58.6% | -9.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $621M | $690M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $627M | $645M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.19x | 13.44x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 8.95x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 3.21x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 86.57x | 0.70x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 1.05x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 5.57x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SSTK delivers a 7.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $8 in annual profit, vs $-4 for TC. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SSTK scores 8/9 vs TC's 2/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.5% | +7.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -72.7% | +3.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +13.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +15.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.23x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $42M | -$44M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $6M | $178M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $48M | $134M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -60.86x | 5.94x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SSTK five years ago would be worth $2,488 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $94 for TC. Over the past 12 months, SSTK leads with a -15.7% total return vs TC's -34.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SSTK at -35.3% vs TC's -59.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +48.5% | -10.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -34.5% | -15.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.5% | -72.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -99.1% | -75.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -99.9% | -25.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -59.9% | -35.3% |
Risk & Volatility
TC is the less volatile stock with a 0.11 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SSTK's 1.38 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SSTK currently trades 56.9% from its 52-week high vs TC's 50.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.11x | 1.38x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.46 | $29.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.50 | $14.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +50.0% | +56.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 58.9 | 46.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 21K | 202K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TC as "Hold" and SSTK as "Hold". SSTK is the only dividend payer here at 7.64% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | TCToken Cat Limited | SSTKShutterstock, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $67.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +7.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.28 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token Cat Limited (TC) | 100 | 0.6 | -99.4% |
| Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) | 100 | 51.6 | -48.4% |
Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) returned -75% over 5 years vs Token Cat Limited (TC)'s -99%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token Cat Limited (TC) | $117M | $49M | -58.1% |
| Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) | $494M | $990M | +100.3% |
Shutterstock, Inc.'s revenue grew from $494M (2016) to $990M (2025) — a 8.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token Cat Limited (TC) | -83.9% | -3.8% | +95.4% |
| Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) | 6.6% | 4.6% | -30.4% |
Shutterstock, Inc.'s net margin went from 7% (2016) to 5% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) | 91.6 | 15.3 | -83.3% |
Shutterstock, Inc. has traded in a 15x–92x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~13x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Token Cat Limited (TC) | -158.48 | -64.8 | +59.1% |
| Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) | 0.91 | 1.25 | +37.4% |
Shutterstock, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.91 (2016) to $1.25 (2025) — a 4% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Token Cat Limited generated $-35M FCF in 2024 (+63% vs 2021). Shutterstock, Inc. generated $124M FCF in 2025 (-31% vs 2021).
TC vs SSTK: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TC or SSTK a better buy right now?
Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) offers the better valuation at 13.4x trailing P/E (9.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Token Cat Limited (TC) a "Hold" — based on 18 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 — TC or SSTK?
Over the past 5 years, Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) delivered a total return of -75.1%, compared to -99.1% for Token Cat Limited (TC). A $10,000 investment in SSTK five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SSTK returned -25.8% versus TC's -99.9%. 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 — TC or SSTK?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Token Cat Limited (TC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.11β versus Shutterstock, Inc.'s 1.38β — meaning SSTK is approximately 1161% more volatile than TC relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — TC or SSTK?
Shutterstock, Inc. (SSTK) is the more profitable company, earning 4.6% net margin versus -382.3% for Token Cat Limited — meaning it keeps 4.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SSTK leads at 11.1% versus -182.9% for TC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TC leads at 68.3%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — TC or SSTK?
In this comparison, SSTK (7.6% yield) pays a dividend. TC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is TC or SSTK better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Token Cat Limited (TC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.11)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TC: -99.9%, SSTK: -25.8%), 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 TC and SSTK?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: TC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SSTK is a small-cap deep-value stock. SSTK pays a dividend while TC does 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.
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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 35%
- Dividend Yield > 3.0%