Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Yalla Group Limited (YALA) vs Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | LYFT | 9.2% revenue growth vs YALA's 6.5% |
| Value | YALA | Lower P/E (8.0x vs 21.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | LYFT | 45.0% net margin vs YALA's 42.3% |
| Stability / Safety | YALA | Beta 0.62 vs LYFT's 1.40, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | YALA | +79.7% vs LYFT's +3.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LYFT | 31.5% ROA vs YALA's 17.0%, ROIC -7.1% vs 39.3% |
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
Yalla Group operates a voice-centric social networking and entertainment platform primarily serving the Middle East and North Africa region. It generates revenue through in-app purchases of virtual items and premium features within its chat rooms and casual games — with the social entertainment segment contributing the majority of sales. The company's key advantage is its deep cultural understanding and localization for Arabic-speaking users, creating a sticky ecosystem where voice-based social interaction drives engagement.
Lyft operates a digital ridesharing platform connecting passengers with drivers through a mobile app. It generates revenue primarily from taking a commission — typically 20-25% — on each ride fare, supplemented by subscription fees from its Lyft Pink membership program and enterprise transportation solutions. Its competitive advantage lies in its established two-sided network effect — a large driver base attracts more riders, which in turn attracts more drivers — and its brand recognition in North America.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
YALA leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LYFT is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.3B annually — 18.1x YALA's $349M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 45.0% (LYFT) to 42.3% (YALA).
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $349M | $6.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $127M | -$57M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $148M | $2.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +66.6% | +41.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.0% | -3.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +42.3% | +45.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +50.6% | +18.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.8% | +2.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.5% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 2.0x trailing earnings, LYFT trades at a 79% valuation discount to YALA's 9.6x P/E.
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $175M | $5.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | -$312M | $5.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 9.57x | 2.03x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.05x | 21.45x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.35x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | -2.54x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.52x | 0.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.86x | 1.77x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 1.02x | 4.97x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LYFT delivers a 86.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $87 in annual profit, vs $19 for YALA. YALA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LYFT's 0.41x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), YALA scores 5/9 vs LYFT's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +19.0% | +86.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +17.0% | +31.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +39.3% | -7.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +19.2% | -6.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.41x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$487M | -$1.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $488M | $1.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1M | $1.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 80.43x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in YALA five years ago would be worth $2,750 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,414 for LYFT. Over the past 12 months, YALA leads with a +79.7% total return vs LYFT's +3.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors YALA at 17.6% vs LYFT's 11.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.3% | -30.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +79.7% | +3.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +62.8% | +38.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -72.5% | -75.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.1% | -82.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +17.6% | +11.4% |
Risk & Volatility
YALA is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LYFT's 1.40 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. YALA currently trades 76.2% from its 52-week high vs LYFT's 54.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 1.40x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $9.29 | $25.54 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.83 | $9.66 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +76.2% | +54.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.4 | 38.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 233K | 12.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates YALA as "Buy" and LYFT as "Hold".
| Metric | YALAYalla Group Limit… | LYFTLyft, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $19.85 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 59 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.9% | +9.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yalla Group Limited (YALA) | 100 | 100.14 | +0.1% |
| Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) | 100 | 62.06 | -37.9% |
Yalla Group Limited (YALA) returned -73% over 5 years vs Lyft, Inc. (LYFT)'s -76%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yalla Group Limited (YALA) | $42M | $340M | +701.7% |
| Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) | $343M | $6.3B | +1739.9% |
Lyft, Inc.'s revenue grew from $343M (2016) to $6.3B (2025) — a 38.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yalla Group Limited (YALA) | 47.8% | 39.9% | -16.4% |
| Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) | -198.9% | 45.0% | +122.6% |
Lyft, Inc.'s net margin went from -199% (2016) to 45% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yalla Group Limited (YALA) | 14.6 | 5.5 | -62.3% |
Yalla Group Limited has traded in a 6x–15x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yalla Group Limited (YALA) | 0.27 | 0.74 | +174.1% |
| Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) | -2.87 | 6.81 | +337.3% |
Lyft, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-2.87 (2016) to $6.81 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Yalla Group Limited generated $172M FCF in 2024 (+20% vs 2021). Lyft, Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+717% vs 2021).
YALA vs LYFT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is YALA or LYFT a better buy right now?
Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) offers the better valuation at 2.0x trailing P/E (21.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Yalla Group Limited (YALA) 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.
02Which has the better valuation — YALA or LYFT?
On trailing P/E, Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) is the cheapest at 2.0x versus Yalla Group Limited at 9.6x. On forward P/E, Yalla Group Limited is actually cheaper at 8.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — YALA or LYFT?
Over the past 5 years, Yalla Group Limited (YALA) delivered a total return of -72.5%, compared to -75.9% for Lyft, Inc. (LYFT). A $10,000 investment in YALA five years ago would be worth approximately $3K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: YALA returned +1.1% versus LYFT's -82.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — YALA or LYFT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Yalla Group Limited (YALA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus Lyft, Inc.'s 1.40β — meaning LYFT is approximately 127% more volatile than YALA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Yalla Group Limited (YALA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 41% for Lyft, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — YALA or LYFT?
Lyft, Inc. (LYFT) is the more profitable company, earning 45.0% net margin versus 39.9% for Yalla Group Limited — meaning it keeps 45.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: YALA leads at 35.7% versus -3.0% for LYFT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — YALA leads at 64.5%, 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.
06Is YALA or LYFT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Yalla Group Limited (YALA) trades at 8.0x forward P/E versus 21.5x for Lyft, Inc. — 13.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — YALA or LYFT?
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.
08Is YALA or LYFT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Yalla Group Limited (YALA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.62)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (YALA: +1.1%, LYFT: -82.3%), 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.
09What are the main differences between YALA and LYFT?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.