Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) vs MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | MDB | 19.2% revenue growth vs CGNT's 11.9% |
| Value | CGNT | Lower P/E (29.6x vs 68.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | CGNT | -1.2% net margin vs MDB's -3.1% |
| Stability / Safety | CGNT | Beta 0.93 vs MDB's 1.68 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MDB | +22.8% vs CGNT's -20.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CGNT | -0.9% ROA vs MDB's -2.0%, ROIC -2.5% vs -8.6% |
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.
MongoDB is a modern database platform company that offers a flexible, document-based database system as an alternative to traditional relational databases. It generates revenue primarily through its cloud-based MongoDB Atlas service — which accounts for over 60% of total revenue — along with its on-premise Enterprise Advanced licenses and professional services. The company's key advantage is its developer-friendly document model that enables faster application development and its first-mover position in the NoSQL database market.
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
CGNT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). MDB leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MDB is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.3B annually — 6.2x CGNT's $377M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -1.2% (CGNT) to -3.1% (MDB). On growth, MDB holds the edge at +18.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $377M | $2.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $16M | -$121M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | -$71M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $11M | $355M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.9% | +71.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | -6.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.2% | -3.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.0% | +15.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.5% | +18.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +173.6% | +81.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $511M | $26.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $434M | $26.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -41.71x | -189.87x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.64x | 68.24x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 50.87x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.46x | 13.32x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.34x | 8.80x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.21x | 221.51x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CGNT delivers a -2.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-2 in annual profit, vs $-2 for MDB. MDB carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CGNT's 0.16x.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.0% | -2.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | -2.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.5% | -8.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.8% | -8.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.16x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$77M | -$454M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $113M | $490M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $36M | $37M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 21.71x | -9.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MDB five years ago would be worth $8,315 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,302 for CGNT. Over the past 12 months, MDB leads with a +22.8% total return vs CGNT's -20.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CGNT at 24.2% vs MDB's 16.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -20.3% | -17.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -20.6% | +22.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +91.6% | +56.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.0% | -16.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.7% | +924.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +24.2% | +16.2% |
Risk & Volatility
CGNT is the less volatile stock with a 0.93 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MDB's 1.68 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MDB currently trades 73.9% 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 … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.93x | 1.68x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.66 | $444.72 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.29 | $140.78 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.8% | +73.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.5 | 43.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 289K | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CGNT as "Hold" and MDB as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 97.5% upside for CGNT (target: $14) vs 33.1% for MDB (target: $437).
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | MDBMongoDB, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.00 | $437.20 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 44 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | 100 | 32.77 | -67.2% |
| MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) | 100 | 94.34 | -5.7% |
MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) returned -17% over 5 years vs Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT)'s -77%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | $56M | $351M | +522.6% |
| MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) | $65M | $2.0B | +2974.0% |
MongoDB, Inc.'s revenue grew from $65M (2016) to $2.0B (2025) — a 46.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -1.6% | -3.4% | -119.2% |
| MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) | -112.6% | -6.4% | +94.3% |
MongoDB, Inc.'s net margin went from -113% (2016) to -6% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -0.01 | -0.17 | -1056.5% |
| MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) | -6.34 | -1.73 | +72.7% |
MongoDB, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-6.34 (2016) to $-1.73 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cognyte Software Ltd. generated $34M FCF in 2025 (-35% vs 2021). MongoDB, Inc. generated $121M FCF in 2025 (+322% vs 2021).
CGNT vs MDB: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CGNT or MDB a better buy right now?
Analysts rate MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) a "Buy" — based on 44 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 — CGNT or MDB?
Over the past 5 years, MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) delivered a total return of -16.9%, compared to -77.0% for Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT). A $10,000 investment in MDB five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MDB returned +924.2% 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.
03Which is safer — CGNT or MDB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.93β versus MongoDB, Inc.'s 1.68β — meaning MDB is approximately 81% more volatile than CGNT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 16% for Cognyte Software Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CGNT or MDB?
Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) is the more profitable company, earning -3.4% net margin versus -6.4% for MongoDB, Inc. — meaning it keeps -3.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CGNT leads at -1.5% versus -10.8% for MDB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MDB leads at 73.3%, 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 CGNT or MDB more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) trades at 29.6x forward P/E versus 68.2x for MongoDB, Inc. — 38.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CGNT: 97.5% to $14.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — CGNT or MDB?
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 CGNT or MDB better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.93)). MongoDB, Inc. (MDB) carries a higher beta of 1.68 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CGNT: -74.7%, MDB: +924.2%), 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 CGNT and MDB?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.