Compare TIM S.A. (TIMB) vs VEON Ltd. (VEON) Stock

VEON Ltd. (VEON) offers the better valuation at 9.8x trailing P/E (7.6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate VEON Ltd. (VEON) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, VEON Ltd. (VEON) is the cheapest at 9.8x versus TIM S.A. at 15.7x. On forward P/E, TIM S.A. is actually cheaper at 2.9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, TIM S.A. (TIMB) delivered a total return of +183.1%, compared to +26.7% for VEON Ltd. (VEON). A $10,000 investment in TIMB five years ago would be worth approximately $28K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TIMB returned +308.5% versus VEON's -8.4%. 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), TIM S.A. (TIMB) is the lower-risk stock at 0.43β versus VEON Ltd.'s 0.87β — meaning VEON is approximately 101% more volatile than TIMB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, TIM S.A. (TIMB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 69% versus 4% for VEON Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

TIM S.A. (TIMB) is the more profitable company, earning 16.2% net margin versus 10.4% for VEON Ltd. — meaning it keeps 16.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VEON leads at 27.7% versus 25.0% for TIMB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VEON leads at 87.1%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, TIM S.A. (TIMB) trades at 2.9x forward P/E versus 7.6x for VEON Ltd. — 4.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

In this comparison, TIMB (7.9% yield) pays a dividend. VEON does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, TIM S.A. (TIMB) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.43), 7.9% yield, +308.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TIMB: +308.5%, VEON: -8.4%), 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.

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. TIMB pays a dividend while VEON 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.