Is Meta Platforms a Better Buy Than Alphabet?
Alphabet surged 5.1% during the past Day. You may be tempted to buy more or may want to reduce your exposure. But there is an entirely different perspective you might be missing. Is there a better alternative? Turns out, its peer Meta Platforms gives you more. Meta Platforms (META) stock offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs Alphabet (GOOGL) stock, suggesting you may be better off investing in META
- META’s quarterly revenue growth was 23.8%, vs. GOOGL’s 18.0%.
- In addition, its Last 12 Months revenue growth came in at 22.2%, ahead of GOOGL’s 15.1%.
- META leads on profitability over both periods – LTM margin of 41.4% and 3-year average of 39.4%.
These differences become even clearer when you look at the financials side by side. The table highlights how GOOGL’s fundamentals stack up against those of META on growth, margins, momentum, and valuation multiples.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| GOOGL | META | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 26.9 | 17.3 | META |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 18.0% | 23.8% | META |
| Last 12 Months | 15.1% | 22.2% | META |
| Last 3 Year Average | 12.5% | 19.9% | META |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 32.0% | 41.4% | META |
| Last 3 Year Average | 30.5% | 39.4% | META |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | 179.5% | 172.1% | GOOGL |
Note: For “Last 3 Year Return” metric, preferred stock is one with higher returns unless the returns are too high (>300%) which creates risk of sell off.
See more revenue details: GOOGL Revenue Comparison | META Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: GOOGL Operating Income Comparison | META Operating Income Comparison
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See detailed fundamentals on Buy or Sell META Stock and Buy or Sell GOOGL Stock. Below we compare market return and related metrics across years.
Historical Market Performance
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| GOOGL Return | 65% | -39% | 58% | 36% | 66% | -13% | 215% | <=== | |
| META Return | 23% | -64% | 194% | 66% | 13% | -19% | 98% | ||
| S&P 500 Return | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | -7% | 69% | ||
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| GOOGL Win Rate | 83% | 25% | 67% | 67% | 75% | 33% | 58% | ||
| META Win Rate | 67% | 33% | 92% | 67% | 42% | 33% | 56% | ||
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 67% | 33% | 60% | <=== | |
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| GOOGL Max Drawdown | -2% | -42% | -2% | -6% | -23% | -13% | -15% | ||
| META Max Drawdown | -10% | -74% | 0% | -3% | -17% | -20% | -21% | ||
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | -7% | -9% | <=== | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] 2026 data is for the year up to 3/31/2026 (YTD)
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
No matter how good the numbers, stock investment is never a smooth ride. There is a risk you must factor in. Read META Dip Buyer Analyses to see how the stock has fallen and recovered in the past.
Still not sure about GOOGL or META? Consider a portfolio approach.
The Right Way To Invest Is Through Portfolios
Individual stocks can soar or tank, but one thing matters: staying invested. The right portfolio can help you stay invested, capture upside, and mitigate the downside associated with any individual stock.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? HQ Portfolio has posted more than 105% in cumulative return since inception, with less risk versus the benchmark index, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.