Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | BSY | 11.0% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | BSY | Lower P/E (26.9x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs BSY's 18.5% |
| Stability / Safety | BSY | Beta 0.79 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BSY | 0.7% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs AAPL's 0.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AAPL | +9.7% vs BSY's -16.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs BSY's 7.8%, ROIC 64.5% vs 11.4% |
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
Bentley Systems provides infrastructure engineering software solutions for designing, constructing, and operating infrastructure assets like roads, bridges, and utilities. It generates revenue primarily through recurring subscription fees — accounting for over 90% of total revenue — with the remainder from perpetual licenses and professional services. The company's moat lies in its deep domain expertise and comprehensive software ecosystem that creates high switching costs for engineering professionals in specialized infrastructure sectors.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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
AAPL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). BSY leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 290.1x BSY's $1.5B. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BSY's 18.5%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $459M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $278M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $520M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.5% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +24.1% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +18.5% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +34.6% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.9% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +12.5% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 35.4x trailing earnings, AAPL trades at a 18% valuation discount to BSY's 43.0x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), AAPL offers better value at 1.98x vs BSY's 2.84x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $11.1B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.2B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 43.00x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 26.86x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.84x | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 33.68x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.36x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 10.23x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.24x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $23 for BSY. BSY carries lower financial leverage with a 1.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BSY scores 9/9 vs AAPL's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +23.4% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.8% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.4% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.0% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 9 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.08x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.2B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $123M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.3B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.01x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,429 for BSY. Over the past 12 months, AAPL leads with a +9.7% total return vs BSY's -16.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs BSY's -2.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -4.2% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.1% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.0% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -15.7% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.1% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -2.7% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
BSY is the less volatile stock with a 0.79 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AAPL currently trades 91.5% from its 52-week high vs BSY's 61.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.79x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $59.25 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $30.96 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +61.7% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.1 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.1M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates BSY as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 31.3% upside for BSY (target: $48) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). For income investors, BSY offers the higher dividend yield at 0.70% vs AAPL's 0.39%.
| Metric | BSYBentley Systems, … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $48.00 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.7% | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.26 | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.1% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 100 | 102.24 | +2.2% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 231.19 | +131.2% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs Bentley Systems, In… (BSY)'s -16%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $21,049 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | $692M | $1.5B | +117.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 20.5% | 18.5% | -9.9% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 96.5 | 44.9 | -53.5% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Bentley Systems, Incorporated has traded in a 45x–161x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~43x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 0.54 | 0.85 | +57.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Bentley Systems, Incorporated generated $520M FCF in 2025 (+92% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
BSY vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BSY or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — BSY or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the cheapest at 35.4x versus Bentley Systems, Incorporated at 43.0x. On forward P/E, Bentley Systems, Incorporated is actually cheaper at 26.9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Apple Inc. wins at 1.74x versus Bentley Systems, Incorporated's 1.77x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.
03Which is the better long-term investment — BSY or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to -15.7% for Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus BSY's +12.1%. 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 — BSY or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.79β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 61% more volatile than BSY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 108% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — BSY or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 18.5% for Bentley Systems, Incorporated — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 24.1% for BSY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BSY leads at 81.5%, 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 BSY or AAPL 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, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1.74x versus Bentley Systems, Incorporated's 1.77x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) trades at 26.9x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 4.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BSY: 31.3% to $48.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — BSY or AAPL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) offers the highest yield at 0.7%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).
08Is BSY or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.79), 0.7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BSY: +12.1%, AAPL: +1027%), 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 BSY and AAPL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. BSY pays a dividend while AAPL 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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