APP vs. IT: AppLovin vs. Gartner Stock Comparison
How do AppLovin (APP) and Gartner (IT) 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
AppLovin (APP) and Gartner (IT) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but APP is classified in Software while IT is classified in IT Services.
Gartner (IT) has more than two decades of public-market history since October 5, 1993, whereas AppLovin (APP) listed on April 15, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Name | AppLovin Corporation Class A Common Stock | Gartner Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Software | IT Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Application Software | IT Consulting & Other Services |
| Market Capitalization | 129.62 billion USD | 11.99 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 15, 2021 | October 5, 1993 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -34.71% | -17.60% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 116.87% | -22.07% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 31.34% | -10.95% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
AppLovin (APP) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.25, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Gartner (IT) is closer to market-like at 0.95 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 80.36% | 58.29% |
| Beta (5Y) | 2.25 | 0.95 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -91.90% | -77.21% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 5.33M | 1.14M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.49 | -0.38 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.69 | -0.54 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both AppLovin (APP) at 210.09% and Gartner (IT) at 365.76% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.
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%
IT
Software & Services industry group
365.76%
- IT
- 365.76%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
AppLovin (APP) at 65.89% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Gartner (IT) at 14.81% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
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%
IT
Software & Services industry group
14.81%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- IT
- 14.81%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
AppLovin (APP) at 78.22% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Gartner (IT) at 18.58% also operates in the top quartile.
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%
IT
Software & Services industry group
18.58%
- Max
- 46.89%
- IT
- 18.58%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 210.09% | 365.76% |
| ROA (TTM) | 49.57% | 11.33% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 65.89% | 14.81% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 78.22% | 18.58% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 88.78% | 70.18% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
AppLovin (APP) at 69.99% delivers above-range revenue growth, while Gartner (IT) at 3.67% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
AppLovin (APP) at 115.23% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Gartner (IT) at -39.69% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 69.99% | 3.67% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 24.84% | 5.87% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 115.23% | -39.69% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -1.05% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
AppLovin (APP) at 3.81 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Gartner (IT) at 0.91 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
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
IT
Software & Services industry group
0.91
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- IT
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: AppLovin (APP) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07 against its industry range, while Gartner (IT) reports no figure this period.
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
IT
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
- IT
- --
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.81 | 0.91 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.07 | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.06 | 1.18 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither AppLovin (APP) nor Gartner (IT) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
IT
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- IT
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither AppLovin (APP) nor Gartner (IT) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
IT
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- IT
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Gartner (IT) at 13.62 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while AppLovin (APP) at 26.34 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for IT, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
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
IT
Software & Services industry group
13.62
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- IT
- 13.62
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Gartner (IT) at 1.86 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while AppLovin (APP) at 17.04 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.
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
IT
Software & Services industry group
1.86
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- IT
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Gartner (IT) reports a negative P/B ratio of -348.81, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile AppLovin (APP) reports 39.29, ranking against industry peers normally.
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
IT
Software & Services industry group
-348.81
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
- IT
- -348.81
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APP | IT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.34 | 13.62 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 17.04 | 1.86 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 39.29 | -348.81 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.87% | 8.90% |