C3.ai, Inc. (AI) vs Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT)
LQDT leads on 8 of 9 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of C3.ai, Inc. and Liquidity Services, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — AI vs LQDT
growth of $100 · last 6yAI -91.6%LQDT +139.8%LQDT compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AI LQDT
AI vs LQDT: by the numbers
- •AI is the larger company ($1.55B vs $1.18B market cap).
- •LQDT is profitable (6.30% net margin) while AI runs a net loss (-187.95%).
- •LQDT grew revenue faster over the past five years (16.76% vs 6.44% CAGR).
Which is better, AI or LQDT?
Metric tally: AI 1 · LQDT 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthLQDT(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityLQDT(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AI | LQDT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 40.80 |
| Forward P/E | — | 25.21 |
| P/S ratio | 6.37 | 2.55● |
| P/B ratio | 2.44● | 5.52 |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.80 |
| EV / EBITDA | — | 18.90 |
| FCF yield | — | 6.35% |
Profitability
| Metric | AI | LQDT |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.92% | 45.61%● |
| Operating margin | -194.86% | 8.37%● |
| Net margin | -187.95% | 6.30%● |
| ROE | -71.95% | 13.62%● |
| ROIC | -68.71% | 11.42%● |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AI | LQDT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 6.44% | 16.76%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | — | -0.58% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | — | 6.73% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -29.02% | 10.63%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AI or LQDT?
- It depends on your goal. growth: LQDT (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: LQDT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, LQDT leads 8 to 1.
- Which has grown faster, AI or LQDT?
- Over the past five years, LQDT grew revenue faster — AI at a 6.44% CAGR versus LQDT at 16.76%.
- Is AI or LQDT more profitable?
- LQDT runs the higher net margin — AI at -187.95% versus LQDT at 6.30%.
- Which has been the better investment, AI or LQDT?
- Over the past 5-year, LQDT delivered the higher annualized total return — AI at -29.02% versus LQDT at 18.06%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
C3.ai P/E ratioLiquidity Services P/E ratioC3.ai dividend yieldLiquidity Services dividend yieldC3.ai ROELiquidity Services ROEC3.ai operating marginLiquidity Services operating marginC3.ai revenue growthLiquidity Services revenue growthC3.ai free cash flowLiquidity Services free cash flow
C3.ai & Liquidity Services appear in these rankings
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 13, 2026.