VSA vs COE vs GOTU vs TAL vs EDU

For growth investors, 51Talk Online Education Group (COE) is the stronger pick with 87.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 9% for TCTM Kids IT Education Inc ADR (VSA). TAL Education Group (TAL) offers the better valuation at 9. 0x trailing P/E (18. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate 51Talk Online Education Group (COE) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, TAL Education Group (TAL) is the cheapest at 9.

0x versus New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. at 24. 5x. On forward P/E, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 16. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, TCTM Kids IT Education Inc ADR (VSA) delivered a total return of +42.

4%, compared to -92. 4% for Gaotu Techedu Inc. (GOTU). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VSA returned +110. 8% versus GOTU's -81. 2%. 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), New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.

(EDU) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 82β versus TCTM Kids IT Education Inc ADR's 1. 05β — meaning VSA is approximately 28% more volatile than EDU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, TAL Education Group (TAL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 9% versus 25% for Gaotu Techedu Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), 51Talk Online Education Group (COE) is pulling ahead at 87.

0% versus -14. 9% for TCTM Kids IT Education Inc ADR (VSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: TAL Education Group grew EPS 24. 7% year-over-year, compared to -145. 0% for Gaotu Techedu Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, COE leads at 300. 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.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.

(EDU) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 6% net margin versus -50. 1% for TCTM Kids IT Education Inc ADR — meaning it keeps 7. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EDU leads at 8. 7% versus -43. 2% for VSA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COE leads at 78. 0%, 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, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.

(EDU) trades at 16. 2x forward P/E versus 446. 1x for 51Talk Online Education Group — 429. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TAL: 57. 9% to $18. 00.

In this comparison, EDU (1.

1% yield) pays a dividend. VSA, COE, GOTU, TAL do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.

(EDU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 82), 1. 1% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EDU: +47. 3%, COE: -66. 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 (VSA (Consumer Defensive) and COE (Technology) and GOTU (Consumer Defensive) and TAL (Consumer Defensive) and EDU (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: VSA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COE is a small-cap high-growth stock; GOTU is a small-cap high-growth stock; TAL is a small-cap high-growth stock; EDU is a small-cap quality compounder stock. EDU pays a dividend while VSA, COE, GOTU, TAL 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.