Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Calix, Inc. (CALX) vs Elastic N.V. (ESTC) 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 | CALX | 20.3% revenue growth vs ESTC's 17.0% |
| Value | ESTC | Lower P/E (21.0x vs 29.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | CALX | 1.8% net margin vs ESTC's -5.0% |
| Stability / Safety | CALX | Beta 1.18 vs ESTC's 1.39, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CALX | +39.8% vs ESTC's -55.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CALX | 1.7% ROA vs ESTC's -3.5%, ROIC 2.1% vs -5.2% |
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
Calix provides cloud and software platforms that enable broadband service providers to deliver and manage internet services to residential and business customers. The company generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its Calix Cloud platform — which includes marketing, support, and operations modules — and sales of its networking hardware systems like GigaSpire. Its competitive advantage lies in its integrated software-hardware ecosystem that creates switching costs for service providers who become dependent on Calix's unified platform for managing their entire broadband operations.
Elastic is a search and data analytics software company that provides the Elastic Stack platform for real-time search, observability, and security use cases. It generates revenue primarily through subscription-based software sales — about 90% from cloud and self-managed offerings — with the remainder from professional services. Its competitive advantage lies in its widely adopted open-source core (Elasticsearch) that creates a large developer ecosystem and network effects.
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
CALX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). ESTC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ESTC is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.7B annually — 1.7x CALX's $1.0B. CALX is the more profitable business, keeping 1.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ESTC's -5.0%. On growth, CALX holds the edge at +32.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.0B | $1.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $38M | -$27M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $18M | -$85M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $116M | $257M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +56.8% | +76.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.1% | -1.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.8% | -5.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.6% | +15.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +32.2% | +17.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +137.0% | +143.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.4B | $5.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.3B | $5.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 199.12x | -50.07x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.10x | 20.96x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 85.62x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.43x | 3.70x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.24x | 5.82x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 29.70x | 20.99x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CALX delivers a 2.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $2 in annual profit, vs $-11 for ESTC. CALX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ESTC's 0.64x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ESTC scores 7/9 vs CALX's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +2.1% | -10.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.7% | -3.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | -5.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.5% | -3.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.64x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$118M | -$133M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $143M | $728M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $26M | $595M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -2.17x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CALX five years ago would be worth $11,998 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,595 for ESTC. Over the past 12 months, CALX leads with a +39.8% total return vs ESTC's -55.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CALX at 0.4% vs ESTC's -4.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -3.4% | -28.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +39.8% | -55.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.2% | -11.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +20.0% | -64.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +644.9% | -25.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.4% | -4.1% |
Risk & Volatility
CALX is the less volatile stock with a 1.18 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ESTC's 1.39 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CALX currently trades 72.7% from its 52-week high vs ESTC's 44.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.18x | 1.39x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $71.22 | $117.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $28.61 | $49.90 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +72.7% | +44.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.6 | 47.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 951K | 1.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CALX as "Buy" and ESTC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 99.7% upside for ESTC (target: $104) vs 45.8% for CALX (target: $76).
| Metric | CALXCalix, Inc. | ESTCElastic N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $75.50 | $104.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 21 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.7% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | 100 | 526.95 | +426.9% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | 100 | 90.02 | -10.0% |
Calix, Inc. (CALX) returned +20% over 5 years vs Elastic N.V. (ESTC)'s -64%. A $10,000 investment in CALX 5 years ago would be worth $11,998 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | $459M | $1.0B | +118.0% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | $88M | $1.5B | +1582.2% |
Calix, Inc.'s revenue grew from $459M (2016) to $1.0B (2025) — a 9.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -6.0% | 1.8% | +129.9% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -58.9% | -7.3% | +87.6% |
Calix, Inc.'s net margin went from -6% (2016) to 2% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2020 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | 55.1 | 203.6 | +269.5% |
Calix, Inc. has traded in a 23x–204x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~199x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -0.56 | 0.26 | +146.4% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -0.84 | -1.04 | -23.8% |
Calix, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.56 (2016) to $0.26 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Calix, Inc. generated $116M FCF in 2025 (+149% vs 2021). Elastic N.V. generated $262M FCF in 2025 (+1329% vs 2021).
CALX vs ESTC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CALX or ESTC a better buy right now?
Calix, Inc. (CALX) offers the better valuation at 199.1x trailing P/E (29.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Calix, Inc. (CALX) a "Buy" — based on 21 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 — CALX or ESTC?
On forward P/E, Elastic N.V. is actually cheaper at 21.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CALX or ESTC?
Over the past 5 years, Calix, Inc. (CALX) delivered a total return of +20.0%, compared to -64.1% for Elastic N.V. (ESTC). A $10,000 investment in CALX five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CALX returned +644.9% versus ESTC's -25.6%. 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 — CALX or ESTC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Calix, Inc. (CALX) is the lower-risk stock at 1.18β versus Elastic N.V.'s 1.39β — meaning ESTC is approximately 18% more volatile than CALX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Calix, Inc. (CALX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 64% for Elastic N.V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CALX or ESTC?
Calix, Inc. (CALX) is the more profitable company, earning 1.8% net margin versus -7.3% for Elastic N.V. — meaning it keeps 1.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CALX leads at 2.1% versus -3.7% for ESTC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ESTC leads at 74.4%, 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 CALX or ESTC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Elastic N.V. (ESTC) trades at 21.0x forward P/E versus 29.1x for Calix, Inc. — 8.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ESTC: 99.7% to $104.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CALX or ESTC?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is CALX or ESTC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Calix, Inc. (CALX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.18), +644.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CALX: +644.9%, ESTC: -25.6%), 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 CALX and ESTC?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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