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AKAM vs. APP: Akamai vs. AppLovin Stock Comparison

How do Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but AKAM is classified in IT Services while APP is classified in Software.

Akamai (AKAM) has more than two decades of public-market history since October 29, 1999, whereas AppLovin (APP) listed on April 15, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
Profile ItemAKAMAPP
NameAkamai Technologies, Inc.AppLovin Corporation Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryInternet Services & InfrastructureApplication Software
Market Capitalization11.94 billion USD129.62 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateOctober 29, 1999April 15, 2021
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AKAM
APP
GSPC
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Total Return (1Y)-2.77%-34.71%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-9.48%116.87%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.72%31.34%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AKAM
APP
GSPC
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

AppLovin (APP) has a highly aggressive beta of 2.25, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Akamai (AKAM) is defensive at 0.69 and tends to be less market-sensitive — a wide gap in beta profiles.

Risk profile metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)62.11%80.36%
Beta (5Y)0.692.25
Max Drawdown (5Y)-51.69%-91.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.75M5.33M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AKAM and APP are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.11-0.49
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.17-0.69

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

AppLovin (APP) at 210.09% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Akamai (AKAM) at 7.85%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

7.85%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
AKAM
7.85%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

APP

Software & Services industry group

210.09%

APP
210.09%
Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

AppLovin (APP) at 65.89% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Akamai (AKAM) at 8.84% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

8.84%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
AKAM
8.84%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

APP

Software & Services industry group

65.89%

APP
65.89%
Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AppLovin (APP) at 78.22% turns sales into operating profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Akamai (AKAM) at 9.88% operates around its industry’s norm.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

9.88%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
AKAM
9.88%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

APP

Software & Services industry group

78.22%

APP
78.22%
Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
ROE (TTM)7.85%210.09%
ROA (TTM)2.18%49.57%
Net Margin (TTM)8.84%65.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.88%78.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)56.39%88.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

AppLovin (APP) at 69.99% delivers above-range revenue growth, while Akamai (AKAM) at 5.44% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.

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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

AppLovin (APP) at 115.23% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Akamai (AKAM) at -6.12% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for APP.

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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.44%69.99%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.18%24.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-6.12%115.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.98%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Akamai (AKAM) at 2.13 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while AppLovin (APP) at 3.81 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

2.13

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
AKAM
2.13
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

APP

Software & Services industry group

3.81

Max
5.11
APP
3.81
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

AppLovin (APP) at 1.07 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Akamai (AKAM) at 1.84 uses more debt funding than most peers.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

1.84

Max
2.52
AKAM
1.84
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

APP

Software & Services industry group

1.07

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
APP
1.07
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.133.81
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.841.07
Net Debt / EBITDA5.780.06

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Akamai (AKAM) nor AppLovin (APP) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

AKAM
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

APP

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

APP
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither Akamai (AKAM) nor AppLovin (APP) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

AKAM
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

APP

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

APP
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Akamai (AKAM) at 32.33 and AppLovin (APP) at 26.34 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

32.33

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
AKAM
32.33
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

APP

Software & Services industry group

26.34

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
APP
26.34
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
Loading chart…
Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Akamai (AKAM) at 2.72 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while AppLovin (APP) at 17.04 sits in the pricier quartile — APP costs more per dollar of sales.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

2.72

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
AKAM
2.72
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02

APP

Software & Services industry group

17.04

Max
17.91
APP
17.04
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
Loading chart…
Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Akamai (AKAM) at 2.32 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while AppLovin (APP) at 39.29 prices above its benchmark range — APP looks rich relative to book.

AKAM

Software & Services industry group

2.32

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
AKAM
2.32
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

APP

Software & Services industry group

39.29

APP
39.29
Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
Loading chart…
Akamai (AKAM) vs. AppLovin (APP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and AppLovin (APP)
MetricAKAMAPP
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.3326.34
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.7217.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.3239.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.51%2.87%