YOU vs IIIV

For growth investors, Clear Secure, Inc.

(YOU) is the stronger pick with 16. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) offers the better valuation at 40. 9x trailing P/E (20. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Clear Secure, Inc. (YOU) a "Buy" — based on 9 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, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) is the cheapest at 40. 9x versus Clear Secure, Inc. at 51. 9x. On forward P/E, i3 Verticals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Clear Secure, Inc.

(YOU) delivered a total return of +52. 9%, compared to -27. 6% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: YOU returned +52. 9% versus IIIV's +24. 9%. 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), i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 92β versus Clear Secure, Inc. 's 1. 01β — meaning YOU is approximately 10% more volatile than IIIV relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Clear Secure, Inc.

(YOU) is pulling ahead at 16. 9% versus -7. 3% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Clear Secure, Inc. grew EPS -28. 2% year-over-year, compared to -87. 9% for i3 Verticals, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, YOU leads at 27. 2% 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.

Clear Secure, Inc.

(YOU) is the more profitable company, earning 12. 1% net margin versus 8. 4% for i3 Verticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: YOU leads at 20. 7% versus 1. 9% for IIIV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — YOU leads at 85. 8%, 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, i3 Verticals, Inc.

(IIIV) trades at 20. 3x forward P/E versus 39. 4x for Clear Secure, Inc. — 19. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IIIV: 26. 6% to $29. 00.

In this comparison, YOU (1.

6% yield) pays a dividend. IIIV does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Clear Secure, Inc.

(YOU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 01), 1. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (YOU: +52. 9%, IIIV: +24. 9%), 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 Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: YOU is a small-cap high-growth stock; IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock. YOU pays a dividend while IIIV 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.