Which has grown faster, AAOI or U?

Over the past five years, U grew revenue faster — AAOI at a 15.77% CAGR versus U at 18.01%.

Which has been the better investment, AAOI or U?

Over the past 5-year, AAOI delivered the higher annualized total return — AAOI at 32.46% versus U at -24.45%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI) vs Unity Software Inc. (U)

AAOI and U are evenly matched — 5 metrics each of 10.

A side-by-side comparison of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. and Unity Software Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 23, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

AAOI

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.

Total return — AAOI vs U

growth of $100 · last 6y

AAOI +1564.0%U -60.3%AAOI compounded faster

Log scale — wide-divergence pair

AAOI U

AAOI vs U: by the numbers

•AAOI is the larger company ($13.74B vs $11.85B market cap).
•Both run net losses; AAOI's is the smaller (-8.55% vs -34.95% net margin).
•U grew revenue faster over the past five years (18.01% vs 15.77% CAGR).

Which is better, AAOI or U?

Metric tally: AAOI 5 · U 5

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

GrowthU(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)

QualityAAOI(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

Metric	AAOI	U
Forward P/E	165.73	50.97●
P/S ratio	25.66	6.13●
P/B ratio	11.76	3.96●
EV / EBITDA	—	210.82
FCF yield	—	3.93%

Profitability

Metric	AAOI	U
Gross margin	29.64%	59.38%●
Operating margin	-11.57%●	-36.09%
Net margin	-8.55%●	-34.95%
ROE	-3.92%●	-22.58%
ROIC	-4.71%●	-7.17%

Growth (annualized)

Metric	AAOI	U
Revenue CAGR (5Y)	15.77%	18.01%●
Total return CAGR (5Y)	82.46%●	-24.45%

Frequently asked

Which is better, AAOI or U?: It depends on your goal. growth: U (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: AAOI (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, they are evenly matched.
Which has grown faster, AAOI or U?: Over the past five years, U grew revenue faster — AAOI at a 15.77% CAGR versus U at 18.01%.
Which has been the better investment, AAOI or U?: Over the past 5-year, AAOI delivered the higher annualized total return — AAOI at 32.46% versus U at -24.45%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full AAOI analysis Full U analysis Interactive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

Applied Optoelectronics P/E ratio Unity Software P/E ratio Applied Optoelectronics dividend yield Unity Software dividend yield Applied Optoelectronics ROE Unity Software ROE Applied Optoelectronics operating margin Unity Software operating margin Applied Optoelectronics revenue growth Unity Software revenue growth Applied Optoelectronics free cash flow Unity Software free cash flow

Applied Optoelectronics & Unity Software appear in these rankings

Fastest Revenue Growth Stocks Best 10-Year Total Return Stocks

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 23, 2026.