Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) vs NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) 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 | NVDA | 65.5% revenue growth vs CGNT's 11.9% |
| Value | NVDA | Lower P/E (21.9x vs 29.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | NVDA | 55.6% net margin vs CGNT's -1.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CGNT | Beta 0.93 vs NVDA's 1.73 |
| Dividends | NVDA | 0.0% yield; 2-year raise streak; CGNT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NVDA | +41.9% vs CGNT's -20.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NVDA | 58.1% ROA vs CGNT's -0.9%, ROIC 81.8% 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.
NVIDIA designs and sells graphics processing units (GPUs) and accelerated computing platforms that power artificial intelligence, gaming, and professional visualization applications. The company generates revenue primarily through its Data Center segment — which includes AI chips and systems — accounting for over 70% of sales, supplemented by its Gaming GPU business and professional visualization offerings. NVIDIA's competitive moat stems from its CUDA software ecosystem — which locks developers into its hardware architecture — and its years of architectural leadership in parallel processing for AI workloads.
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
NVDA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CGNT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NVDA is the larger business by revenue, generating $215.9B annually — 573.4x CGNT's $377M. NVDA is the more profitable business, keeping 55.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CGNT's -1.2%. On growth, NVDA holds the edge at +73.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $377M | $215.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $16M | $133.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | $120.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $11M | $96.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.9% | +71.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.9% | +60.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.2% | +55.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.0% | +44.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.5% | +73.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +173.6% | +97.8% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, NVDA's 32.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CGNT's 50.9x.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $511M | $4.31T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $434M | $4.31T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -41.71x | 36.16x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.64x | 21.88x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.38x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 50.87x | 32.33x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.46x | 19.94x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.34x | 27.52x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.21x | 44.54x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NVDA delivers a 76.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $76 in annual profit, vs $-2 for CGNT. NVDA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CGNT's 0.16x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CGNT scores 5/9 vs NVDA's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.0% | +76.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | +58.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.5% | +81.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.8% | +97.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.16x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$77M | $807M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $113M | $10.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $36M | $11.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 21.71x | 545.03x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NVDA five years ago would be worth $128,116 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,302 for CGNT. Over the past 12 months, NVDA leads with a +41.9% total return vs CGNT's -20.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NVDA at 96.9% vs CGNT's 24.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -20.3% | -6.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -20.6% | +41.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +91.6% | +663.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -77.0% | +1181.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.7% | +22525.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +24.2% | +96.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CGNT is the less volatile stock with a 0.93 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NVDA's 1.73 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NVDA currently trades 83.5% 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 … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.93x | 1.73x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.66 | $212.19 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.29 | $86.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.8% | +83.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.5 | 47.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 289K | 136.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CGNT as "Hold" and NVDA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 97.5% upside for CGNT (target: $14) vs 52.9% for NVDA (target: $271).
| Metric | CGNTCognyte Software … | NVDANVIDIA Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.00 | $271.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 79 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.04 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | +0.9% |
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% |
| NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) | 100 | 1,341.11 | +1241.1% |
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) returned +1.2K% over 5 years vs Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT)'s -77%. A $10,000 investment in NVDA 5 years ago would be worth $128,116 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | $56M | $351M | +522.6% |
| NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) | $6.9B | $215.9B | +3025.0% |
NVIDIA Corporation's revenue grew from $6.9B (2017) to $215.9B (2026) — a 46.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -1.6% | -3.4% | -119.2% |
| NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) | 24.1% | 55.6% | +130.6% |
NVIDIA Corporation's net margin went from 24% (2017) to 56% (2026).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) | 75.6 | 36.2 | -52.1% |
NVIDIA Corporation has traded in a 28x–291x P/E range over 10 years; current trailing P/E is ~36x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognyte Software Lt… (CGNT) | -0.01 | -0.17 | -1056.5% |
| NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) | 0.06 | 4.9 | +7556.3% |
NVIDIA Corporation's EPS grew from $0.06 (2017) to $4.90 (2026) — a 62% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cognyte Software Ltd. generated $34M FCF in 2025 (-35% vs 2021). NVIDIA Corporation generated $97B FCF in 2026 (+1960% vs 2021).
CGNT vs NVDA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CGNT or NVDA a better buy right now?
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) offers the better valuation at 36.2x trailing P/E (21.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) a "Buy" — based on 79 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 NVDA?
On forward P/E, NVIDIA Corporation is actually cheaper at 21.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CGNT or NVDA?
Over the past 5 years, NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) delivered a total return of +1181%, compared to -77.0% for Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT). A $10,000 investment in NVDA five years ago would be worth approximately $128K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NVDA returned +225.3% 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 NVDA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.93β versus NVIDIA Corporation's 1.73β — meaning NVDA is approximately 87% more volatile than CGNT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 16% for Cognyte Software Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CGNT or NVDA?
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is the more profitable company, earning 55.6% net margin versus -3.4% for Cognyte Software Ltd. — meaning it keeps 55.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NVDA leads at 60.4% versus -1.5% for CGNT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NVDA leads at 71.1%, 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.
06Is CGNT or NVDA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) trades at 21.9x forward P/E versus 29.6x for Cognyte Software Ltd. — 7.8x 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 NVDA?
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 CGNT or NVDA 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)). NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) carries a higher beta of 1.73 — 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%, NVDA: +225.3%), 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 NVDA?
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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