Growth vs Value Investing
Two fundamental approaches to stock picking and how MetricSide serves both.
Growth investing and value investing represent two different philosophies for selecting stocks. Most successful investors use elements of both.
Growth investing
Growth investors seek companies that are growing revenue and earnings faster than the market average — and expect the stock price to follow.
Key metrics for growth investors: - High revenue growth rates (15%+ annually) - Expanding profit margins - Large addressable market - Competitive moat - Willingness to pay premium valuations
Growth stocks tend to trade at higher P/E ratios because investors expect future earnings to justify the price. The risk: if growth slows, the stock can fall sharply (multiple compression).
Value investing
Value investors seek companies trading below their intrinsic value — buying $1 of value for $0.60, as Benjamin Graham taught.
Key metrics for value investors: - Low P/E ratio (under 15) - Low P/B ratio (under 1.5) - High earnings yield - High FCF yield (5%+) - Strong balance sheet (low D/E) - Consistent profitability
Value stocks are often out of favor or in mature industries. The risk: "value traps" — stocks that appear cheap but deserve to be because the business is deteriorating.
GARP: Growth at a Reasonable Price
A middle ground: buy growing companies at reasonable valuations. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by growth rate) is the classic GARP metric. A PEG under 1.0 is generally considered attractive.
How MetricSide helps both
The Growth tab serves growth investors with revenue and earnings trends. The Valuation tab serves value investors with P/E, P/B, EV/EBITDA, and FCF yield. The Efficiency tab bridges both — high ROE with reasonable valuations is the GARP sweet spot.