ZD vs IAC

For growth investors, Ziff Davis, Inc.

(ZD) is the stronger pick with 3. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -37. 1% for IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC). Ziff Davis, Inc. (ZD) offers the better valuation at 37. 7x trailing P/E (7. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ziff Davis, Inc. (ZD) a "Buy" — based on 13 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 forward P/E, Ziff Davis, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 7. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Ziff Davis, Inc.

(ZD) delivered a total return of -59. 2%, compared to -67. 3% for IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IAC returned +347. 8% versus ZD's -13. 7%. 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), IAC InterActive Corp.

(IAC) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 10β versus Ziff Davis, Inc. 's 1. 19β — meaning ZD is approximately 9% more volatile than IAC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 30% versus 51% for Ziff Davis, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ziff Davis, Inc.

(ZD) is pulling ahead at 3. 5% versus -37. 1% for IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: IAC InterActive Corp. grew EPS 79. 5% year-over-year, compared to -19. 0% for Ziff Davis, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ZD leads at 1. 4% 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.

Ziff Davis, Inc.

(ZD) is the more profitable company, earning 3. 3% net margin versus -4. 3% for IAC InterActive Corp. — meaning it keeps 3. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ZD leads at 14. 1% versus -4. 1% for IAC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ZD leads at 70. 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, Ziff Davis, Inc.

(ZD) trades at 7. 1x forward P/E versus 109. 7x for IAC InterActive Corp. — 102. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IAC: 14. 0% to $49. 17.

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.

For long-horizon retirement investors, IAC InterActive Corp.

(IAC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 10), +347. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (IAC: +347. 8%, ZD: -13. 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 (ZD (Communication Services) and IAC (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.