Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) 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 PDFS's 8.2% |
| Value | CRM | Lower P/E (16.5x vs 30.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | CRM | 18.0% net margin vs PDFS's -0.0% |
| Stability / Safety | CRM | Beta 1.04 vs PDFS's 1.58 |
| Dividends | CRM | 0.9% yield; 2-year raise streak; PDFS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PDFS | +50.0% vs CRM's -34.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRM | 6.6% ROA vs PDFS's -0.0%, ROIC 10.9% vs -0.3% |
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
PDF Solutions provides proprietary software and hardware solutions for semiconductor design and manufacturing optimization. It generates revenue through software subscriptions—primarily its Exensio analytics platform—and sales of physical intellectual property products like characterization vehicles and test chips, with professional services contributing additional income. The company's moat lies in its deep integration across the semiconductor value chain—from design to manufacturing—and its proprietary data analytics that help chipmakers improve yield and reduce costs.
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 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). PDFS leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRM is the larger business by revenue, generating $41.5B annually — 200.9x PDFS's $207M. CRM is the more profitable business, keeping 18.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PDFS's -0.0%. On growth, PDFS holds the edge at +23.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $207M | $41.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $9M | $11.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$53,000 | $7.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$21M | $14.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +71.2% | +77.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.2% | +21.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -0.0% | +18.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.9% | +34.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.1% | +12.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -74.8% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 25.0x trailing earnings, CRM trades at a 93% valuation discount to PDFS's 337.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CRM's 20.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PDFS's 310.7x.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.3B | $187.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.2B | $186.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 337.80x | 24.97x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 30.30x | 16.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 2.04x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 310.73x | 20.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.44x | 4.51x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.36x | 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 $-0 for PDFS. PDFS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CRM's 0.11x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CRM scores 8/9 vs PDFS's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -0.0% | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.0% | +6.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.3% | +10.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -0.2% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 0.11x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$85M | -$590M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $91M | $7.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5M | $6.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.39x | 44.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PDFS five years ago would be worth $18,191 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,104 for CRM. Over the past 12 months, PDFS leads with a +50.0% total return vs CRM's -34.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRM at 6.6% vs PDFS's -3.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.3% | -23.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +50.0% | -34.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.8% | +21.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +81.9% | -9.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +197.4% | +192.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.4% | +6.6% |
Risk & Volatility
CRM is the less volatile stock with a 1.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PDFS's 1.58 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PDFS currently trades 91.3% from its 52-week high vs CRM's 64.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.58x | 1.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.99 | $303.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.91 | $174.57 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +91.3% | +64.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.2 | 47.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 250K | 8.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PDFS as "Buy" and CRM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 53.5% upside for CRM (target: $299) vs 12.5% for PDFS (target: $38). CRM is the only dividend payer here at 0.85% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PDFSPDF Solutions, In… | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $38.00 | $299.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 97 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.66 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | +6.7% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) | 100 | 213.9 | +113.9% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 100 | 119.26 | +19.3% |
PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) returned +82% over 5 years vs Salesforce, Inc. (CRM)'s -9%. A $10,000 investment in PDFS 5 years ago would be worth $18,191 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) | $102M | $179M | +76.2% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) | -1.3% | 2.3% | +272.2% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) | -0.04 | 0.1 | +339.8% |
| 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
PDF Solutions, Inc. generated $-7M FCF in 2024 (-4022% vs 2021). Salesforce, Inc. generated $14B FCF in 2026 (+252% vs 2021).
PDFS vs CRM: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PDFS 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 PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — PDFS or CRM?
On trailing P/E, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the cheapest at 25.0x versus PDF Solutions, Inc. at 337.8x. On forward P/E, Salesforce, Inc. is actually cheaper at 16.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PDFS or CRM?
Over the past 5 years, PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) delivered a total return of +81.9%, compared to -9.0% for Salesforce, Inc. (CRM). A $10,000 investment in PDFS five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PDFS returned +197.4% versus CRM's +192.3%. 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 — PDFS or CRM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the lower-risk stock at 1.04β versus PDF Solutions, Inc.'s 1.58β — meaning PDFS is approximately 53% more volatile than CRM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 11% for Salesforce, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PDFS or CRM?
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the more profitable company, earning 18.0% net margin versus 2.3% for PDF Solutions, 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 -0.3% for PDFS. 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 PDFS or CRM more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) trades at 16.5x forward P/E versus 30.3x for PDF Solutions, Inc. — 13.8x 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 — PDFS or CRM?
In this comparison, CRM (0.9% yield) pays a dividend. PDFS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PDFS 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). PDF Solutions, Inc. (PDFS) carries a higher beta of 1.58 — 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%, PDFS: +197.4%), 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 PDFS 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 PDFS 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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