Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) vs Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CRM | 9.6% revenue growth vs BLKB's -2.3% |
| Value | BLKB | Lower P/E (9.3x vs 16.5x), PEG 0.13 vs 1.35 |
| Quality / Margins | CRM | 18.0% net margin vs BLKB's 10.2% |
| Stability / Safety | BLKB | Beta 0.62 vs CRM's 1.04 |
| Dividends | CRM | 0.9% yield; 2-year raise streak; BLKB pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | BLKB | -26.6% vs CRM's -34.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRM | 6.6% ROA vs BLKB's 4.8%, ROIC 10.9% vs 17.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Blackbaud provides cloud software solutions specifically designed for nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and social good entities. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its fundraising, marketing, and financial management software platforms — with additional income from professional services and payment processing. The company's key advantage is its deep specialization in the nonprofit sector, creating high switching costs through integrated ecosystems that handle everything from donor management to grant administration.
Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software company that helps businesses manage sales, service, marketing, and commerce operations. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its SaaS platform—with sales cloud (~30%), service cloud (~25%), and platform/other (~45%) being its main segments. Its competitive moat lies in its massive ecosystem of integrated applications, enterprise data architecture, and high switching costs for customers deeply embedded in its platform.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CRM leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). BLKB leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRM is the larger business by revenue, generating $41.5B annually — 36.8x BLKB's $1.1B. CRM is the more profitable business, keeping 18.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BLKB's 10.2%. On growth, CRM holds the edge at +12.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $41.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $258M | $11.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $115M | $7.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $243M | $14.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +58.8% | +77.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +16.9% | +21.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.2% | +18.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +21.5% | +34.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.3% | +12.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +111.4% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.5x trailing earnings, BLKB trades at a 18% valuation discount to CRM's 25.0x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), BLKB offers better value at 0.29x vs CRM's 2.04x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.3B | $187.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.6B | $186.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 20.48x | 24.97x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 9.33x | 16.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.29x | 2.04x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.48x | 20.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.01x | 4.51x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 27.66x | 3.15x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.79x | 13.01x |
Profitability & Efficiency
BLKB delivers a 135.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $135 in annual profit, vs $13 for CRM. CRM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BLKB's 13.16x.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +135.2% | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.8% | +6.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +17.6% | +10.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +15.6% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 13.16x | 0.11x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $360M | -$590M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $759M | $7.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.1B | $6.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.01x | 44.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRM five years ago would be worth $9,104 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,893 for BLKB. Over the past 12 months, BLKB leads with a -26.6% total return vs CRM's -34.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRM at 6.6% vs BLKB's -4.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.4% | -23.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -26.6% | -34.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -12.8% | +21.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.1% | -9.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.7% | +192.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -4.5% | +6.6% |
Risk & Volatility
BLKB is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRM's 1.04 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 1.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $74.88 | $303.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $45.71 | $174.57 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +64.8% | +64.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.8 | 47.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 347K | 8.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates BLKB as "Hold" and CRM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 53.5% upside for CRM (target: $299) vs 15.9% for BLKB (target: $56). CRM is the only dividend payer here at 0.85% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | BLKBBlackbaud, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $56.25 | $299.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 97 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.66 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +9.6% | +6.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) | 100 | 74.87 | -25.1% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 100 | 119.26 | +19.3% |
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) returned -9% over 5 years vs Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB)'s -31%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) | $788M | $1.1B | +43.1% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | $8.4B | $41.5B | +394.8% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s revenue grew from $8.4B (2017) to $41.5B (2026) — a 19.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) | 8.4% | 10.2% | +21.8% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 3.8% | 18.0% | +366.6% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s net margin went from 4% (2017) to 18% (2026).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) | 68.5 | 26.7 | -61.0% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 393.2 | 25 | -93.6% |
Blackbaud, Inc. has traded in a 27x–360x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. Salesforce, Inc. has traded in a 25x–393x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~25x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) | 1.38 | 2.37 | +71.7% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 0.26 | 7.8 | +2900.0% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.26 (2017) to $7.80 (2026) — a 46% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Blackbaud, Inc. generated $258M FCF in 2025 (+60% vs 2021). Salesforce, Inc. generated $14B FCF in 2026 (+252% vs 2021).
BLKB vs CRM: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BLKB or CRM a better buy right now?
Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) offers the better valuation at 20.5x trailing P/E (9.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) a "Buy" — based on 97 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — BLKB or CRM?
On trailing P/E, Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) is the cheapest at 20.5x versus Salesforce, Inc. at 25.0x. On forward P/E, Blackbaud, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Blackbaud, Inc. wins at 0.13x versus Salesforce, Inc.'s 1.35x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — BLKB or CRM?
Over the past 5 years, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) delivered a total return of -9.0%, compared to -31.1% for Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB). A $10,000 investment in CRM five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRM returned +192.3% versus BLKB's -10.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — BLKB or CRM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus Salesforce, Inc.'s 1.04β — meaning CRM is approximately 66% more volatile than BLKB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 13% for Blackbaud, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — BLKB or CRM?
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the more profitable company, earning 18.0% net margin versus 10.2% for Blackbaud, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CRM leads at 21.5% versus 16.9% for BLKB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRM leads at 77.7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is BLKB or CRM more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.13x versus Salesforce, Inc.'s 1.35x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB) trades at 9.3x forward P/E versus 16.5x for Salesforce, Inc. — 7.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRM: 53.5% to $299.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — BLKB or CRM?
In this comparison, CRM (0.9% yield) pays a dividend. BLKB does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is BLKB or CRM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.04), 0.9% yield, +192.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRM: +192.3%, BLKB: -10.7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between BLKB and CRM?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. CRM pays a dividend while BLKB does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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