Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) 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 | KC | 10.5% revenue growth vs CRM's 9.6% |
| Quality / Margins | CRM | 18.0% net margin vs KC's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | CRM | Beta 1.04 vs KC's 1.61, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CRM | 0.9% yield; 2-year raise streak; KC pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | KC | -17.5% vs CRM's -34.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRM | 6.6% ROA vs KC's -3.8%, ROIC 10.9% vs -17.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Kingsoft Cloud is a Chinese cloud service provider offering public cloud infrastructure and enterprise cloud solutions to businesses across various industries. It generates revenue primarily from public cloud services — including computing, storage, and content delivery — and enterprise cloud services for specific verticals like finance and healthcare. Its competitive advantage stems from its integration with the broader Kingsoft ecosystem — including gaming and office software — which creates cross-selling opportunities and customer stickiness.
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, Valuation Metrics). KC leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRM is the larger business by revenue, generating $41.5B annually — 4.6x KC's $9.0B. CRM is the more profitable business, keeping 18.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KC's -10.8%. On growth, KC holds the edge at +33.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $9.0B | $41.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.3B | $11.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$971M | $7.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$343M | $14.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.2% | +77.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -8.3% | +21.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -10.8% | +18.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.8% | +34.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +33.7% | +12.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +99.6% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $49.7B | $187.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $50.1B | $186.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -11.42x | 24.97x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 16.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 2.04x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 20.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 43.80x | 4.51x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.12x | 3.15x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 13.01x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRM delivers a 12.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $-14 for KC. CRM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KC's 0.94x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CRM scores 8/9 vs KC's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -13.7% | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.8% | +6.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -17.7% | +10.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -20.9% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.94x | 0.11x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | -$590M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.6B | $7.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.2B | $6.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.40x | 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 $2,210 for KC. Over the past 12 months, KC leads with a -17.5% total return vs CRM's -34.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KC at 51.8% vs CRM's 6.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.3% | -23.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -17.5% | -34.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +250.1% | +21.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.9% | -9.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -43.5% | +192.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +51.8% | +6.6% |
Risk & Volatility
CRM is the less volatile stock with a 1.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KC's 1.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. KC currently trades 68.9% from its 52-week high vs CRM's 64.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.61x | 1.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.57 | $303.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.29 | $174.57 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.9% | +64.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.8 | 47.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 8.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KC as "Buy" and CRM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 53.5% upside for CRM (target: $299) vs 35.8% for KC (target: $18). CRM is the only dividend payer here at 0.85% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $18.30 | $299.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 97 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.66 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +6.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | May 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | 100 | 57.17 | -42.8% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 100 | 119.53 | +19.5% |
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) returned -9% over 5 years vs Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC)'s -78%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | $2.3B | $7.8B | +237.8% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -45.4% | -25.3% | +44.3% |
| 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 — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 393.2 | 25 | -93.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -33.23 | -8.1 | +75.6% |
| 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
Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited generated $-3B FCF in 2024 (-112% vs 2021). Salesforce, Inc. generated $14B FCF in 2026 (+252% vs 2021).
KC vs CRM: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KC or CRM a better buy right now?
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) offers the better valuation at 25.0x trailing P/E (16.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) a "Buy" — based on 10 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 is the better long-term investment — KC or CRM?
Over the past 5 years, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) delivered a total return of -9.0%, compared to -77.9% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC). 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 KC's -43.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — KC or CRM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the lower-risk stock at 1.04β versus Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited's 1.61β — meaning KC is approximately 55% more volatile than CRM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 94% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — KC or CRM?
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the more profitable company, earning 18.0% net margin versus -25.3% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited — 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 -22.3% for KC. 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.
05Is KC or CRM more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRM: 53.5% to $299.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — KC or CRM?
In this comparison, CRM (0.9% yield) pays a dividend. KC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is KC 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). Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) carries a higher beta of 1.61 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRM: +192.3%, KC: -43.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between KC 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 KC 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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