Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock (WBTN) vs Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) 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 | DUOL | 38.7% revenue growth vs WBTN's 5.1% |
| Value | DUOL | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | DUOL | 39.9% net margin vs WBTN's -9.4% |
| Stability / Safety | DUOL | Beta 1.52 vs WBTN's 1.65 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | WBTN | +24.4% vs DUOL's -67.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | DUOL | 20.8% ROA vs WBTN's -6.6%, ROIC 40.8% vs -7.0% |
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
WEBTOON Entertainment operates a digital comics and web novel platform where creators publish serialized stories for a global audience. It generates revenue primarily through in-app purchases—where readers buy coins to unlock episodes—and advertising, with additional income from content licensing and creator support programs. Its key advantage is its massive creator ecosystem and first-mover position in the mobile-first webtoon format, which creates network effects between readers and content producers.
Duolingo operates a freemium language-learning platform that makes acquiring new languages accessible through gamified lessons. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its premium Duolingo Super service — which removes ads and offers additional features — along with advertising and its English proficiency testing product. The company's key advantage is its massive user base and data-driven approach to optimizing engagement, creating network effects that make its platform increasingly effective for learners.
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
DUOL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). WBTN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WBTN and DUOL operate at a comparable scale, with $1.4B and $1.0B in trailing revenue. DUOL is the more profitable business, keeping 39.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to WBTN's -9.4%. On growth, DUOL holds the edge at +35.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.4B | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$38M | $146M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$131M | $414M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$16M | $377M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +23.1% | +72.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -5.4% | +13.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.4% | +39.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -1.2% | +36.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +8.7% | +35.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -159.4% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $4.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $916M | $3.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -9.30x | 13.32x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 23.41x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 27.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.09x | 4.54x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.93x | 3.50x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 310.66x | 12.14x |
Profitability & Efficiency
DUOL delivers a 30.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $31 in annual profit, vs $-8 for WBTN. WBTN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DUOL's 0.07x.
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -8.3% | +30.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -6.6% | +20.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -7.0% | +40.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -6.5% | +8.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$555M | -$943M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $572M | $1.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $17M | $94M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -8812.07x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in DUOL five years ago would be worth $7,266 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,891 for WBTN. Over the past 12 months, WBTN leads with a +24.4% total return vs DUOL's -67.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors DUOL at 3.6% vs WBTN's -21.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.8% | -42.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +24.4% | -67.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.1% | +11.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.1% | -27.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -51.1% | -27.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -21.2% | +3.6% |
Risk & Volatility
DUOL is the less volatile stock with a 1.52 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than WBTN's 1.65 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WBTN currently trades 50.1% from its 52-week high vs DUOL's 18.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.65x | 1.52x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.47 | $544.93 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.75 | $91.99 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +50.1% | +18.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.0 | 40.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 259K | 1.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates WBTN as "Buy" and DUOL as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 132.7% upside for DUOL (target: $235) vs 15.6% for WBTN (target: $13).
| Metric | WBTNWEBTOON Entertain… | DUOLDuolingo, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $13.00 | $235.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| 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 | Jun 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON Entertainme… (WBTN) | 100 | 51.09 | -48.9% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | 100 | 67.58 | -32.4% |
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) returned -27% over 5 years vs WEBTOON Entertainme… (WBTN)'s -51%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON Entertainme… (WBTN) | $1.1B | $1.3B | +24.9% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | $71M | $1.0B | +1366.3% |
Duolingo, Inc.'s revenue grew from $71M (2019) to $1.0B (2025) — a 56.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON Entertainme… (WBTN) | -12.0% | -10.7% | +11.3% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | -19.2% | 39.9% | +308.3% |
Duolingo, Inc.'s net margin went from -19% (2019) to 40% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON Entertainme… (WBTN) | -1.02 | -1.21 | -18.6% |
| Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) | -0.41 | 7.58 | +1948.8% |
Duolingo, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.41 (2019) to $7.58 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock generated $5M FCF in 2024 (+103% vs 2022). Duolingo, Inc. generated $388M FCF in 2025 (+12984% vs 2021).
WBTN vs DUOL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is WBTN or DUOL a better buy right now?
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) offers the better valuation at 13.3x trailing P/E (23.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock (WBTN) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — WBTN or DUOL?
Over the past 5 years, Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) delivered a total return of -27.3%, compared to -51.1% for WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock (WBTN). A $10,000 investment in DUOL five years ago would be worth approximately $7K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DUOL returned -27.3% versus WBTN's -51.1%. 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 — WBTN or DUOL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.52β versus WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock's 1.65β — meaning WBTN is approximately 8% more volatile than DUOL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock (WBTN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 7% for Duolingo, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — WBTN or DUOL?
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the more profitable company, earning 39.9% net margin versus -10.7% for WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock — meaning it keeps 39.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DUOL leads at 13.1% versus -7.5% for WBTN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DUOL leads at 72.2%, 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.
05Is WBTN or DUOL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DUOL: 132.7% to $235.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — WBTN or DUOL?
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.
07Is WBTN or DUOL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. Common stock (WBTN) carries a higher beta of 1.65 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DUOL: -27.3%, WBTN: -51.1%), 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.
08What are the main differences between WBTN and DUOL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: WBTN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DUOL is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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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