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Interactive fitness player Peloton (NASDAQ: PTON), which is best known for its connected bikes, treadmills, and fitness content, emerged a big winner of the Covid-19 pandemic, as people opted to work out from home, instead of visiting gyms and spin classes. However, mega-cap computing titan Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has also been looking to play a larger role in the fitness space with its wearables such as the Apple Watch and digital services such as Apple Fitness+. So which stock is a better bet for investors? We think Peloton has more longer-term upside, given its lower valuation multiples (the stock trades at about 5.9x trailing revenue, versus about 7x for Apple) and its stronger long-term growth rates. However, there is more to the comparison. Let’s step back to look at the fuller picture of the relative valuation of the two companies by looking more closely at historical revenue growth as well as operating margin growth and financial risk. Our dashboard Peloton Interactive vs Apple: Which Stock Is Better Play On The At Home Fitness Trend? has more details on this. Parts of the analysis are summarized below.
1. Peloton’s Revenue Growth Has Been Stronger
Peloton, with revenue of $4 billion over the last 12 months, is a baby compared to Apple, which posted revenues of over $347 billion over the last 12 months. However, Peloton’s growth has been much stronger, with sales rising 54% year-over-year over the most recent quarter (Q4 FY’21) to about $937 million, driven by relatively strong demand for its fitness equipment and its investments in bolstering its supply chain. In comparison, Apple’s sales rose by 36%, driven by stronger demand for computing products, digital services, and wearables. Peloton’s average historical growth rate has also been higher and more consistent. For instance, Peloton has roughly doubled its revenues every year over the last three years, while Apple has grown revenue at a compounded rate of 6% over the last three fiscal years.
Looking forward, Peloton revenues are estimated to grow 30% y-o-y to $5.2 billion in 2022. However, Apple revenue growth is likely to accelerate in FY’21, rising by about 33% to …….