YOU vs OSIS vs CGNX vs IDCC 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). InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) offers the better valuation at 23. 6x trailing P/E (38. 8x 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, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the cheapest at 23. 6x versus Cognex Corporation at 96. 9x. On forward P/E, i3 Verticals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: InterDigital, Inc. wins at 0. 74x versus OSI Systems, Inc. 's 1. 39x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) delivered a total return of +303. 1%, compared to -27. 6% for i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IDCC returned +436. 7% 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 Cognex Corporation's 1. 50β — meaning CGNX is approximately 64% more volatile than IIIV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 72% for OSI Systems, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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: OSI Systems, Inc. grew EPS 18. 0% 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.

InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the more profitable company, earning 48. 8% net margin versus 8. 4% for i3 Verticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 48. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IDCC leads at 55. 3% 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 74x versus OSI Systems, Inc. 's 1. 39x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, i3 Verticals, Inc. (IIIV) trades at 20. 3x forward P/E versus 53. 0x for Cognex Corporation — 32. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IDCC: 52. 5% to $425. 00.

In this comparison, YOU (1.

6% yield), IDCC (0. 6% yield), CGNX (0. 5% yield) pay a dividend. OSIS, IIIV do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, InterDigital, Inc.

(IDCC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 12), 0. 6% yield, +436. 7% 10Y return). Cognex Corporation (CGNX) carries a higher beta of 1. 50 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IDCC: +436. 7%, CGNX: +249. 6%), 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; OSIS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CGNX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; IDCC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; IIIV is a small-cap quality compounder stock. YOU, IDCC pay a dividend while OSIS, CGNX, IIIV 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.