Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) 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 | CGNT | 11.9% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | CGNT | Lower P/E (29.6x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs CGNT's -1.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CGNT | Beta 0.93 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; CGNT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AAPL | +9.7% vs CGNT's -20.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs CGNT's -0.9%, ROIC 64.5% vs -2.5% |
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
Cognyte Software provides investigative analytics software to government agencies and enterprises for security and intelligence operations. It generates revenue primarily through software licenses and subscriptions — with government contracts forming the bulk of its business — supplemented by professional services like implementation and support. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized, open-architecture platform that integrates diverse data sources for complex investigations, creating high switching costs for security-focused customers.
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 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CGNT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 1156.8x CGNT's $377M. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CGNT's -1.2%.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $377M | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $16M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $11M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.9% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.2% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.0% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.5% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +173.6% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, AAPL's 27.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CGNT's 50.9x.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $511M | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $434M | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -41.71x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.64x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 50.87x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.46x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.34x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.21x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-2 for CGNT. CGNT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.16x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs CGNT's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.0% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.5% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.8% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.16x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$77M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $113M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $36M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 21.71x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,302 for CGNT. Over the past 12 months, AAPL leads with a +9.7% total return vs CGNT's -20.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CGNT at 24.2% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -20.3% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -20.6% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +91.6% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.0% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.7% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +24.2% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CGNT is the less volatile stock with a 0.93 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 CGNT's 60.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.93x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.66 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.29 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.8% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.5 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 289K | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CGNT as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 97.5% upside for CGNT (target: $14) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.00 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | 100 | 32.77 | -67.2% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 211.29 | +111.3% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT)'s -77%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | $56M | $351M | +522.6% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -1.6% | -3.4% | -119.2% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -0.01 | -0.17 | -1056.5% |
| 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
Cognyte Software Ltd. generated $34M FCF in 2025 (-35% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
CGNT vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CGNT 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 Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — CGNT or AAPL?
On forward P/E, Cognyte Software Ltd. is actually cheaper at 29.6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CGNT or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to -77.0% for Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT). 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 CGNT's -74.7%. 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 — CGNT or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.93β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 38% more volatile than CGNT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 16% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CGNT or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -3.4% for Cognyte Software Ltd. — 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 -1.5% for CGNT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CGNT leads at 70.4%, 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 CGNT or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) trades at 29.6x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 1.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CGNT: 97.5% to $14.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CGNT or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. CGNT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CGNT or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, CGNT: -74.7%), 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 CGNT 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. 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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