MAX vs. QNST
MAX (MediaAlpha, Inc.) and QNST (QuinStreet, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Communication Services sector — MAX in Internet Content & Information, QNST in Advertising Agencies. Over the past 5 years, MAX returned -18.00%/yr vs -3.31%/yr for QNST. Their 0.53 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
MAX vs. QNST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MAX achieves a -4.40% return, which is significantly lower than QNST's 7.86% return.
MAX
- 1D
- -8.57%
- 1M
- -7.82%
- 6M
- 21.02%
- YTD
- -4.40%
- 1Y
- 25.56%
- 3Y*
- 8.47%
- 5Y*
- -18.00%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- -10.20%
QNST
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -2.02%
- 6M
- 16.63%
- YTD
- 7.86%
- 1Y
- -4.62%
- 3Y*
- 22.27%
- 5Y*
- -3.31%
- 10Y*
- 15.98%
- ALL TIME*
- 0.20%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.58M | $15.12M | $9.27M | |
QNST QuinStreet, Inc. | $11.24M | $11.16M | $11.07M |
MAX vs. QNST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MAX MediaAlpha, Inc. | -4.40% | 14.70% | 1.26% | 12.06% | -35.56% | -60.48% | 69.87% |
QNST QuinStreet, Inc. | 7.86% | -37.71% | 79.95% | -10.66% | -21.11% | -15.16% | 32.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between MAX and QNST is 0.68, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.58 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 28, 2020 | 0.53 |
The correlation between MAX and QNST shifts across timeframes, from 0.53 (all time) to 0.68 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MAX:
$655.84M
QNST:
$890.40M
MAX:
$1.60
QNST:
-$0.52
MAX:
0.61
QNST:
0.76
MAX:
27.50
QNST:
2.91
MAX:
$1.22B
QNST:
$1.18B
MAX:
$180.09M
QNST:
$123.85M
MAX:
-$36.38M
QNST:
$21.66M
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Return for Risk
MAX vs. QNST — Risk / Return Rank
MAX
QNST
MAX vs. QNST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) and QuinStreet, Inc. (QNST). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MAX | QNST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.02 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.50 | -0.15 | +0.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.05 | -0.26 | +1.31 |
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Drawdowns
MAX vs. QNST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MAX drawdown since its inception was -91.64%, roughly equal to the maximum QNST drawdown of -89.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MAX and QNST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MAX | QNST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.64% | -89.10% | -2.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -47.70% | -38.32% | -9.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -67.70% | -58.05% | -9.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -82.34% | -63.69% | -18.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -72.05% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -80.69% | -38.42% | -42.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -73.11% | -51.30% | -21.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 22.56% | 21.06% | +1.50% |
Volatility
MAX vs. QNST - Volatility Comparison
MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) has a higher volatility of 14.70% compared to QuinStreet, Inc. (QNST) at 13.14%. This indicates that MAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QNST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MAX | QNST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 14.70% | 13.14% | +1.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 41.80% | 36.72% | +5.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 54.56% | 46.01% | +8.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 64.54% | 50.42% | +14.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 68.22% | 54.56% | +13.66% |
Dividends
MAX vs. QNST - Dividend Comparison
Neither MAX nor QNST has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
MAX vs. QNST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between MediaAlpha, Inc. and QuinStreet, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
MAX vs. QNST - Profitability Comparison
MAX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, MediaAlpha, Inc. reported a gross profit of 45.17M and revenue of 316.88M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 14.3%.
QNST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, QuinStreet, Inc. reported a gross profit of 41.34M and revenue of 346.14M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 11.9%.
MAX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, MediaAlpha, Inc. reported an operating income of 19.96M and revenue of 316.88M, resulting in an operating margin of 6.3%.
QNST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, QuinStreet, Inc. reported an operating income of 10.27M and revenue of 346.14M, resulting in an operating margin of 3.0%.
MAX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, MediaAlpha, Inc. reported a net income of 39.44M and revenue of 316.88M, resulting in a net margin of 12.5%.
QNST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, QuinStreet, Inc. reported a net income of -88.46M and revenue of 346.14M, resulting in a net margin of -25.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MAX and QNST have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MAX has higher volatility (14.70%) compared to QNST (13.14%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MAX dropped -91.64% vs QNST's -89.10%.
MAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.43 vs -0.12), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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