AI vs. ZM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AI and ZM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ZM’s market capitalization of 23.77 billion USD is significantly greater than AI’s 3.37 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
AI’s beta of 2.04 points to significantly higher volatility compared to ZM (beta: 0.69), suggesting AI has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | AI | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | C3.ai, Inc. | Zoom Video Communications, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Information Technology Services | Software - Application |
| CEO | Thomas M. Siebel | Eric S. Yuan |
| Price | 25.75 USD | 78.58 USD |
| Market Cap | 3.37 billion USD | 23.77 billion USD |
| Beta | 2.04 | 0.69 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | December 9, 2020 | April 18, 2019 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AI and ZM 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.
ZM
11.97%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 17.85%
- Median
- 4.73%
- Q1
- -10.56%
- Min
- -52.94%
ZM’s Return on Equity of 11.97% 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.
ZM
6.71%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 35.07%
- Q3
- 9.72%
- Median
- 0.76%
- Q1
- -8.68%
- Min
- -34.12%
ZM’s Return on Invested Capital of 6.71% is in line with the norm for the Software - Application industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
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.
ZM
22.31%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 16.07%
- Median
- 1.83%
- Q1
- -9.60%
- Min
- -45.64%
A Net Profit Margin of 22.31% places ZM in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
ZM
16.57%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 51.67%
- Q3
- 15.35%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- -12.42%
- Min
- -45.17%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.57% places ZM 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 | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -33.64% | 11.97% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -28.14% | 9.57% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -36.41% | 6.71% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -74.21% | 22.31% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -83.39% | 16.57% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.62% | 75.85% |
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.
ZM
4.48
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 5.09
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.70
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.04
ZM’s Current Ratio of 4.48 is in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its 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.
ZM
0.01
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 1.85
- Q3
- 0.77
- Median
- 0.18
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Software - Application industry, ZM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
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.
ZM
--
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 39.23
- Q3
- 8.55
- Median
- 1.48
- Q1
- -14.59
- Min
- -39.97
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZM is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AI | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 6.86 | 4.48 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.86 | 4.48 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.01 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.01 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.52 | -1.12 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AI and ZM. 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.
ZM
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 3.66%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZM 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.
ZM
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 81.09%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZM 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 | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
ZM
22.85
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 194.31
- Q3
- 98.56
- Median
- 51.87
- Q1
- 22.76
- Min
- 1.02
ZM’s P/E Ratio of 22.85 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.
ZM
9.68
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 15.44
- Q3
- 6.57
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
A Forward PEG Ratio of 9.68 places ZM in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
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.
ZM
5.06
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 23.49
- Q3
- 11.14
- Median
- 5.62
- Q1
- 2.84
- Min
- 0.33
ZM’s P/S Ratio of 5.06 aligns with the market consensus for the Software - Application industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
ZM
2.69
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 | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -11.88 | 22.85 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.53 | 9.68 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 8.66 | 5.06 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 4.09 | 2.69 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -75.83 | 13.96 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -10.17 | 21.36 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 8.24 | 4.81 |