Software - Infrastructure
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CCSI vs QLYS
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Software - Infrastructure
CCSI vs QLYS — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Software - Infrastructure | Software - Infrastructure |
| Market Cap | $520M | $3.34B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $351M | $685M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $88M | $201M |
| Gross Margin | 80.2% | 83.1% |
| Operating Margin | 42.9% | 33.7% |
| Forward P/E | 5.0x | 12.9x |
| Total Debt | $580M | $97M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $75M | $250M |
CCSI vs QLYS — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Sep 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consensus Cloud Sol… (CCSI) | 100 | 79.4 | -20.6% |
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 100 | 85.3 | -14.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: CCSI vs QLYS
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
CCSI is the clearest fit if your priority is value and momentum.
- Lower P/E (5.0x vs 12.9x)
- +26.8% vs QLYS's -25.6%
QLYS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 0.53
- Rev growth 10.1%, EPS growth 17.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 11.0%
- 267.2% 10Y total return vs CCSI's -20.6%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 10.1% revenue growth vs CCSI's -0.2% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (5.0x vs 12.9x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 29.4% margin vs CCSI's 25.1% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.53 vs CCSI's 1.51, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +26.8% vs QLYS's -25.6% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 19.1% ROA vs CCSI's 13.2%, ROIC 47.5% vs 22.2% |
CCSI vs QLYS — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
CCSI vs QLYS — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
QLYS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
QLYS is the larger business by revenue, generating $685M annually — 2.0x CCSI's $351M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 29.4% (QLYS) to 25.1% (CCSI). On growth, QLYS holds the edge at +9.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $351M | $685M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $164M | $241M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $88M | $201M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $112M | $290M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.2% | +83.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +42.9% | +33.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +25.1% | +29.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.0% | +42.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +1.5% | +9.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.5% | +10.1% |
Valuation Metrics
CCSI leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 6.5x trailing earnings, CCSI trades at a 63% valuation discount to QLYS's 17.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CCSI's 6.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than QLYS's 13.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $520M | $3.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.0B | $3.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.50x | 17.45x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.99x | 12.87x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.90x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.07x | 13.49x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.49x | 5.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 39.95x | 6.17x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.92x | 10.98x |
Profitability & Efficiency
QLYS leads this category, winning 7 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
CCSI delivers a 52.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $53 in annual profit, vs $37 for QLYS. QLYS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.17x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CCSI's 42.14x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), QLYS scores 6/9 vs CCSI's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +52.9% | +37.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +13.2% | +19.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +22.2% | +47.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +26.8% | +37.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 42.14x | 0.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $506M | -$153M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $75M | $250M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $580M | $97M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.95x | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
QLYS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in QLYS five years ago would be worth $9,694 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,940 for CCSI. Over the past 12 months, CCSI leads with a +26.8% total return vs QLYS's -25.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors QLYS at -6.3% vs CCSI's -7.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +30.2% | -27.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +26.8% | -25.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.8% | -17.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.6% | -3.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -20.6% | +267.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.9% | -6.3% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — CCSI and QLYS each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
QLYS is the less volatile stock with a 0.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CCSI's 1.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CCSI currently trades 89.3% from its 52-week high vs QLYS's 61.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.51x | 0.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $31.66 | $155.47 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $19.24 | $74.51 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.3% | +61.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 54.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 123K | 773K |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CCSI as "Buy" and QLYS as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 41.5% upside for QLYS (target: $134) vs -11.6% for CCSI (target: $25).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $25.00 | $134.30 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 6 | 48 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.4% | +5.5% |
QLYS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). CCSI leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
CCSI vs QLYS: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CCSI or QLYS a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) is the stronger pick with 10. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 2% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI). Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI) offers the better valuation at 6. 5x trailing P/E (5. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI) a "Buy" — based on 6 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 — CCSI or QLYS?
On trailing P/E, Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
(CCSI) is the cheapest at 6. 5x versus Qualys, Inc. at 17. 5x. On forward P/E, Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CCSI or QLYS?
Over the past 5 years, Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) delivered a total return of -3. 1%, compared to -20. 6% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: QLYS returned +267. 2% versus CCSI's -20. 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 — CCSI or QLYS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 53β versus Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. 's 1. 51β — meaning CCSI is approximately 184% more volatile than QLYS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 17% versus 42% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — CCSI or QLYS?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) is pulling ahead at 10. 1% versus -0. 2% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Qualys, Inc. grew EPS 17. 0% year-over-year, compared to -5. 6% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, QLYS leads at 11. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — CCSI or QLYS?
Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) is the more profitable company, earning 29. 6% net margin versus 24. 2% for Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. — meaning it keeps 29. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CCSI leads at 43. 0% versus 33. 2% for QLYS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — QLYS leads at 82. 8%, 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.
07Is CCSI or QLYS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.
(CCSI) trades at 5. 0x forward P/E versus 12. 9x for Qualys, Inc. — 7. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for QLYS: 41. 5% to $134. 30.
08Which pays a better dividend — CCSI or QLYS?
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.
09Is CCSI or QLYS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Qualys, Inc.
(QLYS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 53), +267. 2% 10Y return). Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (CCSI) carries a higher beta of 1. 51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (QLYS: +267. 2%, CCSI: -20. 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.
10What are the main differences between CCSI and QLYS?
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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