AI vs. TTD: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AI and TTD, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
TTD’s market capitalization of 36.58 billion USD is significantly greater than AI’s 3.37 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 2.04 for AI and 1.40 for TTD, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AI | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | C3.ai, Inc. | The Trade Desk, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Information Technology Services | Software - Application |
| CEO | Thomas M. Siebel | Jeffrey Terry Green |
| Price | 25.75 USD | 74.41 USD |
| Market Cap | 3.37 billion USD | 36.58 billion USD |
| Beta | 2.04 | 1.40 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | December 9, 2020 | September 21, 2016 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AI and TTD by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AI
-33.64%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 47.24%
- Q3
- 23.27%
- Median
- 12.85%
- Q1
- 2.22%
- Min
- -26.63%
AI has a negative Return on Equity of -33.64%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
TTD
15.41%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 17.85%
- Median
- 4.73%
- Q1
- -10.56%
- Min
- -52.94%
TTD’s Return on Equity of 15.41% is on par with the norm for the Software - Application industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AI
-36.41%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 28.29%
- Q3
- 13.19%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 0.23%
- Min
- -18.82%
AI has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -36.41%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
TTD
11.23%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 35.07%
- Q3
- 9.72%
- Median
- 0.76%
- Q1
- -8.68%
- Min
- -34.12%
In the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, TTD’s Return on Invested Capital of 11.23% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AI
-74.21%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 20.47%
- Q3
- 11.62%
- Median
- 5.97%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- -4.62%
AI has a negative Net Profit Margin of -74.21%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
TTD
16.04%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 16.07%
- Median
- 1.83%
- Q1
- -9.60%
- Min
- -45.64%
TTD’s Net Profit Margin of 16.04% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Software - Application industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AI
-83.39%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 29.42%
- Q3
- 14.75%
- Median
- 8.92%
- Q1
- 2.62%
- Min
- -11.92%
AI has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -83.39%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
TTD
17.63%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 51.67%
- Q3
- 15.35%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- -12.42%
- Min
- -45.17%
An Operating Profit Margin of 17.63% places TTD in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AI | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -33.64% | 15.41% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -28.14% | 7.22% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -36.41% | 11.23% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -74.21% | 16.04% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -83.39% | 17.63% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.62% | 80.11% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AI
6.86
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 3.41
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.58
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.00
AI’s Current Ratio of 6.86 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Information Technology Services industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
TTD
1.81
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 5.09
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.70
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.04
TTD’s Current Ratio of 1.81 aligns with the median group of the Software - Application industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AI
--
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 2.63
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.48
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.01
Debt-to-Equity Ratio data for AI is currently unavailable.
TTD
0.12
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 1.85
- Q3
- 0.77
- Median
- 0.18
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
TTD’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.12 is typical for the Software - Application industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AI
--
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 17.52
- Q3
- 10.04
- Median
- 4.66
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- -10.50
Interest Coverage Ratio data for AI is currently unavailable.
TTD
--
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 39.23
- Q3
- 8.55
- Median
- 1.48
- Q1
- -14.59
- Min
- -39.97
Interest Coverage Ratio data for TTD is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AI | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 6.86 | 1.81 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.86 | 1.81 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.12 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.06 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.52 | -1.57 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AI and TTD. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AI
0.00%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 16.57%
- Q3
- 1.39%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AI currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
TTD
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 3.66%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
TTD currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AI
0.00%
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 112.81%
- Q3
- 20.98%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AI has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
TTD
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 81.09%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
TTD has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AI | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AI
-11.88
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 49.12
- Q3
- 36.91
- Median
- 24.84
- Q1
- 15.88
- Min
- 1.55
AI has a negative P/E Ratio of -11.88. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
TTD
89.37
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 194.31
- Q3
- 98.56
- Median
- 51.87
- Q1
- 22.76
- Min
- 1.02
TTD’s P/E Ratio of 89.37 is within the middle range for the Software - Application industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AI
0.53
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 5.35
- Q3
- 3.79
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.03
In the lower quartile for the Information Technology Services industry, AI’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.53 is a positive indicator. It suggests that the stock may be attractively valued relative to its expected earnings growth.
TTD
2.63
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 15.44
- Q3
- 6.57
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
TTD’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.63 is within the middle range of its peers in the Software - Application industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AI
8.66
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.17
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.10
With a P/S Ratio of 8.66, AI trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Information Technology Services industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
TTD
14.24
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 23.49
- Q3
- 11.14
- Median
- 5.62
- Q1
- 2.84
- Min
- 0.33
TTD’s P/S Ratio of 14.24 is in the upper echelon for the Software - Application industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AI
4.09
Information Technology Services Industry
- Max
- 11.78
- Q3
- 6.14
- Median
- 3.23
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 0.42
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Information Technology Services industry.
TTD
13.56
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 21.03
- Q3
- 10.49
- Median
- 6.36
- Q1
- 2.89
- Min
- 0.12
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Application industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AI | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -11.88 | 89.37 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.53 | 2.63 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 8.66 | 14.24 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 4.09 | 13.56 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -75.83 | 53.34 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -10.17 | 71.88 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 8.24 | 13.93 |