GDS vs. TOST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GDS and TOST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
GDS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, TOST is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | GDS Holdings Limited | Toast, Inc. |
| Country | China | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Financials |
| GICS Industry | IT Services | Financial Services |
| Market Capitalization | 7.79 billion USD | 21.36 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGM | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 2, 2016 | September 22, 2021 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GDS and TOST 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.71% | -1.32% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 23.16% | -15.92% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 53.06% | 10.46% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -19.97% | 33.58% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.90% | 0.36% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 74.21% | 0.52% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 12.52M | 10.30M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 10.14M | 8.12M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 62.59% | 35.03% |
| Beta | 1.88 | 1.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GDS
19.17%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 32.78%
- Q3
- 19.28%
- Median
- 13.86%
- Q1
- 5.50%
- Min
- -10.00%
GDS’s Return on Equity of 19.17% is on par with the norm for the IT Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
TOST
13.88%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 39.28%
- Q3
- 18.88%
- Median
- 9.97%
- Q1
- 4.03%
- Min
- -10.25%
TOST’s Return on Equity of 13.88% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GDS
42.87%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 19.71%
- Q3
- 11.01%
- Median
- 6.66%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- -6.22%
GDS’s Net Profit Margin of 42.87% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the IT Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
TOST
4.05%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.16%
- Q3
- 25.35%
- Median
- 12.68%
- Q1
- 6.11%
- Min
- -11.69%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry, TOST’s Net Profit Margin of 4.05% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GDS
22.44%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 22.44%
- Q3
- 14.90%
- Median
- 8.82%
- Q1
- 4.91%
- Min
- -9.89%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.44% places GDS in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
TOST
3.67%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 75.57%
- Q3
- 37.78%
- Median
- 19.09%
- Q1
- 10.04%
- Min
- -19.42%
TOST’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.67% is in the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.17% | 13.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 6.08% | 8.99% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 42.87% | 4.05% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.44% | 3.67% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.45% | 25.19% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GDS
2.00
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.17
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.52
GDS’s Current Ratio of 2.00 aligns with the median group of the IT Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
TOST
2.59
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.83
- Q3
- 2.70
- Median
- 1.44
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
GDS
1.82
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.11
- Q3
- 1.55
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.17
- Min
- 0.00
GDS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the IT Services industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.82. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
TOST
0.00
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.66
- Q1
- 0.12
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
GDS
0.66
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 129.00
- Q3
- 56.00
- Median
- 11.69
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- -28.15
GDS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.66 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.
TOST
-3.26
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 136.23
- Q3
- 56.08
- Median
- 6.55
- Q1
- 2.01
- Min
- -33.27
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.00 | 2.59 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.93 | 2.44 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.82 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 0.66 | -3.26 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GDS
0.00%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.58%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GDS 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.
TOST
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 8.12%
- Q3
- 3.37%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
TOST 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 (TTM)
GDS
0.00%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 107.85%
- Q3
- 52.62%
- Median
- 22.53%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GDS 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.
TOST
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 132.10%
- Q3
- 64.32%
- Median
- 18.23%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
TOST 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 | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GDS
12.94
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 56.41
- Q3
- 33.17
- Median
- 23.17
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 6.62
In the lower quartile for the IT Services industry, GDS’s P/E Ratio of 12.94 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
TOST
95.36
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 45.81
- Q3
- 30.21
- Median
- 16.29
- Q1
- 10.14
- Min
- 0.70
At 95.36, TOST’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Financial Services industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
GDS
5.55
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 5.99
- Q3
- 4.26
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.12
GDS’s P/S Ratio of 5.55 is in the upper echelon for the IT Services 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.
TOST
3.86
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 10.88
- Q3
- 5.34
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.06
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
GDS
1.62
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 12.34
- Q3
- 7.54
- Median
- 3.84
- Q1
- 2.52
- Min
- 0.88
GDS’s P/B Ratio of 1.62 is in the lower quartile for the IT Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
TOST
14.11
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.93
- Q3
- 3.78
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.08
At 14.11, TOST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | TOST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 12.94 | 95.36 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.55 | 3.86 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.62 | 14.11 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | -- | 42.05 |