Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) vs Samsara Inc. (IOT) 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 | IOT | 33.3% revenue growth vs CFLT's 21.1% |
| Value | IOT | Lower P/E (57.0x vs 61.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | IOT | -2.8% net margin vs CFLT's -25.3% |
| Stability / Safety | IOT | Beta 1.49 vs CFLT's 1.50, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CFLT | -3.4% vs IOT's -39.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | IOT | -1.8% ROA vs CFLT's -9.9%, ROIC -15.8% vs -15.8% |
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
Confluent is a data streaming platform company that helps organizations process and analyze real-time data streams. It generates revenue primarily through its Confluent Cloud managed service — a cloud-native platform — and Confluent Platform enterprise software, with additional income from training and professional services. The company's key advantage is its deep expertise with Apache Kafka — the open-source streaming standard — which it commercializes with enterprise-grade features, management tools, and cloud scalability.
Samsara is a technology company that provides an IoT platform connecting physical operations data to its Connected Operations Cloud. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its cloud platform — which includes video-based safety, vehicle telematics, equipment monitoring, and site visibility applications — with over 90% of revenue coming from subscriptions. The company's competitive advantage lies in its integrated hardware-software ecosystem that creates high switching costs and network effects as customers deploy more devices across their operations.
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
IOT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CFLT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
IOT and CFLT operate at a comparable scale, with $1.5B and $1.2B in trailing revenue. IOT is the more profitable business, keeping -2.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CFLT's -25.3%. On growth, IOT holds the edge at +29.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.2B | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$358M | -$37M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$295M | -$42M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $50M | $194M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +74.3% | +76.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -32.6% | -5.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -25.3% | -2.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.3% | +12.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +20.5% | +29.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +14.8% | -90.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $7.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $7.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -35.66x | -103.21x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 61.51x | 57.00x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.29x | 6.24x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.02x | 15.04x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 24.76x | 69.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
IOT delivers a -3.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-3 in annual profit, vs $-25 for CFLT. IOT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CFLT's 0.95x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IOT scores 7/9 vs CFLT's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -25.3% | -3.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -9.9% | -1.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -15.8% | -15.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -17.2% | -15.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.95x | 0.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $758M | -$147M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $347M | $228M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.1B | $80M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -262.57x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in IOT five years ago would be worth $11,700 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,813 for CFLT. Over the past 12 months, CFLT leads with a -3.4% total return vs IOT's -39.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IOT at 20.2% vs CFLT's 7.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.9% | -14.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -3.4% | -39.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +25.7% | +73.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.9% | +17.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.9% | +17.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.9% | +20.2% |
Risk & Volatility
IOT is the less volatile stock with a 1.49 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CFLT's 1.50 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CFLT currently trades 94.0% from its 52-week high vs IOT's 59.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.50x | 1.49x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.63 | $48.66 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.64 | $23.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.0% | +59.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 63.4 | 52.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11.6M | 6.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CFLT as "Hold" and IOT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 57.2% upside for IOT (target: $45) vs -3.2% for CFLT (target: $30).
| Metric | CFLTConfluent, Inc. | IOTSamsara Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $29.68 | $45.42 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 38 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 22 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) | 100 | 43.68 | -56.3% |
| Samsara Inc. (IOT) | 108.38 | 106.92 | -1.3% |
Samsara Inc. (IOT) returned +17% over 5 years vs Confluent, Inc. (CFLT)'s -32%. A $10,000 investment in IOT 5 years ago would be worth $11,700 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) | $150M | $1.2B | +678.8% |
| Samsara Inc. (IOT) | $120M | $1.2B | +942.2% |
Confluent, Inc.'s revenue grew from $150M (2019) to $1.2B (2025) — a 40.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) | -63.4% | -25.3% | +60.1% |
| Samsara Inc. (IOT) | -187.9% | -12.4% | +93.4% |
Confluent, Inc.'s net margin went from -63% (2019) to -25% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) | -0.38 | -0.86 | -126.3% |
| Samsara Inc. (IOT) | -0.45 | -0.28 | +37.8% |
Confluent, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.38 (2019) to $-0.86 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Confluent, Inc. generated $61M FCF in 2025 (+153% vs 2021). Samsara Inc. generated $111M FCF in 2025 (+155% vs 2021).
CFLT vs IOT: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CFLT or IOT a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Samsara Inc. (IOT) a "Buy" — based on 17 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 — CFLT or IOT?
Over the past 5 years, Samsara Inc. (IOT) delivered a total return of +17.0%, compared to -31.9% for Confluent, Inc. (CFLT). A $10,000 investment in IOT five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IOT returned +17.0% versus CFLT's -31.9%. 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 — CFLT or IOT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Samsara Inc. (IOT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.49β versus Confluent, Inc.'s 1.50β — meaning CFLT is approximately 1% more volatile than IOT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Samsara Inc. (IOT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 95% for Confluent, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CFLT or IOT?
Samsara Inc. (IOT) is the more profitable company, earning -12.4% net margin versus -25.3% for Confluent, Inc. — meaning it keeps -12.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IOT leads at -15.2% versus -32.6% for CFLT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IOT leads at 76.1%, 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 CFLT or IOT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Samsara Inc. (IOT) trades at 57.0x forward P/E versus 61.5x for Confluent, Inc. — 4.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IOT: 57.2% to $45.42.
06Which pays a better dividend — CFLT or IOT?
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.
07Is CFLT or IOT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Samsara Inc. (IOT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Confluent, Inc. (CFLT) carries a higher beta of 1.50 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IOT: +17.0%, CFLT: -31.9%), 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 CFLT and IOT?
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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