Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) vs Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) vs CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) vs Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) vs Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CYBR | 36.0% revenue growth vs FTNT's 14.2% |
| Value | FTNT | Lower P/E (26.6x vs 36.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | FTNT | 27.3% net margin vs CYBR's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | CYBR | Beta 1.05 vs CRWD's 1.49 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CYBR | +12.4% vs FTNT's -26.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | FTNT | 17.8% ROA vs CRWD's -3.2% |
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
CyberArk is a cybersecurity company specializing in privileged access management — protecting organizations' most critical accounts and credentials from cyberattacks. It generates revenue primarily through software license sales and subscription services — including SaaS offerings — with maintenance and professional services contributing additional recurring income. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep specialization in the privileged access security niche, where it has established market leadership and a comprehensive platform that's difficult for competitors to replicate.
Palo Alto Networks is a cybersecurity company that provides a comprehensive platform of security products and services to protect organizations from cyber threats. It generates revenue primarily through subscription services — which account for over 80% of total revenue — along with product sales and support contracts. The company's key advantage is its integrated security platform approach, which creates switching costs and network effects as customers adopt more of its ecosystem.
CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity company that provides cloud-native endpoint protection and threat intelligence through its Falcon platform. It generates revenue primarily from subscription fees for its security software modules — with cloud security, identity protection, and threat intelligence being key offerings — and managed security services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its AI-powered threat graph that analyzes trillions of security events weekly, creating a powerful network effect where each customer improves protection for all others.
Fortinet is a cybersecurity company that provides integrated network security solutions through hardware appliances, software, and cloud services. It generates revenue primarily from selling security hardware like firewalls (~60% of product revenue) and software subscriptions/services (~40% of total revenue) including support, cloud security, and software-as-a-service offerings. The company's key advantage is its Security Fabric architecture—a unified platform approach that integrates various security functions across networks, endpoints, and clouds, creating switching costs and operational efficiencies for customers.
Zscaler is a cloud-native security platform that provides secure internet and private application access without traditional network hardware. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its Zero Trust Exchange platform — with its core Zscaler Internet Access and Zscaler Private Access solutions driving most of its business. The company's key advantage is its massive, globally distributed cloud architecture that processes over 300 billion daily transactions, creating significant scale and data advantages that competitors cannot easily replicate.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
FTNT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CYBR leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PANW is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.9B annually — 7.3x CYBR's $1.4B. FTNT is the more profitable business, keeping 27.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CYBR's -10.8%. On growth, ZS holds the edge at +25.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.4B | $9.9B | $4.6B | $6.8B | $3.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $23M | $1.9B | -$150M | $2.2B | -$52M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$147M | $1.3B | -$314M | $1.9B | -$68M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $259M | $4.1B | $1.2B | $2.2B | $944M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +74.3% | +73.5% | +74.3% | +80.8% | +76.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -7.7% | +14.4% | -7.9% | +30.6% | -4.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -10.8% | +13.0% | -6.9% | +27.3% | -2.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +19.0% | +41.1% | +25.3% | +32.7% | +31.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +18.5% | +14.9% | +22.2% | +14.8% | +25.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +83.2% | +57.9% | -100.0% | 0.0% | -3.2% |
Valuation Metrics
At 32.5x trailing earnings, FTNT trades at a 65% valuation discount to PANW's 93.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, FTNT's 25.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRWD's 964.8x.
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $20.6B | $104.7B | $93.8B | $58.8B | $23.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $21.2B | $102.8B | $90.2B | $57.3B | $23.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -139.54x | 93.08x | -4726.56x | 32.52x | -544.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 81.87x | 40.06x | 100.16x | 26.56x | 36.83x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | 0.98x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 908.21x | 64.78x | 964.80x | 25.64x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 15.16x | 11.35x | 23.72x | 8.64x | 8.83x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 8.54x | 13.50x | 27.43x | 47.77x | 12.61x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 79.60x | 30.17x | 87.81x | 26.40x | 32.48x |
Profitability & Efficiency
FTNT delivers a 149.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $150 in annual profit, vs $-8 for CRWD. PANW carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ZS's 1.00x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), FTNT scores 7/9 vs CRWD's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -6.1% | +13.6% | -7.7% | +149.8% | -3.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.0% | +5.1% | -3.2% | +17.8% | -1.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -3.2% | +17.1% | — | — | -8.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.3% | +8.9% | -2.6% | +37.7% | -4.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.51x | 0.04x | 0.24x | 0.81x | 1.00x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $599M | -$1.9B | -$3.5B | -$1.5B | -$592M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $623M | $2.3B | $4.3B | $2.5B | $2.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.2B | $338M | $789M | $996M | $1.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 1559.00x | -7.52x | 112.99x | 8.97x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CYBR five years ago would be worth $26,916 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,994 for ZS. Over the past 12 months, CYBR leads with a +12.4% total return vs FTNT's -26.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRWD at 45.5% vs ZS's 3.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.1% | -17.0% | -18.0% | +1.5% | -33.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +12.4% | -21.8% | -4.5% | -26.8% | -25.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +182.4% | +58.1% | +208.2% | +33.0% | +12.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +169.2% | +143.2% | +66.5% | +128.1% | -30.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +991.1% | +517.2% | +541.3% | +1291.4% | +345.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +41.3% | +16.5% | +45.5% | +10.0% | +3.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CYBR is the less volatile stock with a 1.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRWD's 1.49 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CYBR currently trades 77.7% from its 52-week high vs ZS's 43.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.05x | 1.16x | 1.49x | 1.23x | 1.27x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $526.19 | $223.61 | $566.90 | $110.67 | $336.99 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $288.63 | $139.57 | $298.00 | $70.12 | $140.56 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +77.7% | +66.6% | +65.6% | +71.4% | +43.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 38.9 | 35.4 | 40.2 | 47.1 | 41.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 810K | 7.9M | 2.3M | 5.6M | 1.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: CYBR as "Buy", PANW as "Buy", CRWD as "Buy", FTNT as "Hold", ZS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 96.5% upside for ZS (target: $289) vs 8.5% for FTNT (target: $86).
| Metric | CYBRCyberArk Software… | PANWPalo Alto Network… | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… | FTNTFortinet, Inc. | ZSZscaler, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $466.17 | $211.29 | $531.69 | $85.71 | $288.85 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 49 | 85 | 63 | 67 | 52 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | +3.9% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 100 | 399.88 | +299.9% |
| Palo Alto Networks,… (PANW) | 100 | 556.01 | +456.0% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | 100 | 742.18 | +642.2% |
| Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) | 100 | 369.16 | +269.2% |
| Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) | 100 | 380.09 | +280.1% |
CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) returned +169% over 5 years vs Zscaler, Inc. (ZS)'s -30%. A $10,000 investment in CYBR 5 years ago would be worth $26,916 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | $217M | $1.4B | +528.4% |
| Palo Alto Networks,… (PANW) | $1.4B | $9.2B | +569.0% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | $53M | $4.0B | +7395.7% |
| Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) | $1.3B | $6.8B | +433.1% |
| Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) | $80M | $2.7B | +3227.9% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s revenue grew from $217M (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a 22.7% CAGR. Palo Alto Networks, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.4B (2016) to $9.2B (2025) — a 23.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 13.0% | -10.8% | -183.1% |
| Palo Alto Networks,… (PANW) | -16.4% | 12.3% | +175.0% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -173.2% | -0.5% | +99.7% |
| Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) | 2.5% | 27.3% | +979.6% |
| Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) | -34.2% | -1.6% | +95.5% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s net margin went from 13% (2016) to -11% (2025). Palo Alto Networks, Inc.'s net margin went from -16% (2016) to 12% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 94.1 | 72 | -23.5% |
| Palo Alto Networks,… (PANW) | 230.4 | 115.1 | -50.0% |
| Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) | 242.8 | 32.7 | -86.5% |
CyberArk Software Ltd. has traded in a 58x–94x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-140x. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. has traded in a 50x–230x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~93x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 0.78 | -2.93 | -475.6% |
| Palo Alto Networks,… (PANW) | -0.43 | 1.6 | +472.1% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -0.53 | -0.08 | +85.2% |
| Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) | 0.04 | 2.43 | +6650.0% |
| Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) | -0.98 | -0.27 | +72.4% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s EPS grew from $0.78 (2016) to $-2.93 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Palo Alto Networks, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.43 (2016) to $1.60 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CyberArk Software Ltd. generated $259M FCF in 2025 (+294% vs 2021). Palo Alto Networks, Inc. generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+150% vs 2021).
CYBR vs PANW vs CRWD vs FTNT vs ZS: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS a better buy right now?
Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) offers the better valuation at 32.5x trailing P/E (26.6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) a "Buy" — based on 49 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 — CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS?
On trailing P/E, Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) is the cheapest at 32.5x versus Palo Alto Networks, Inc. at 93.1x. On forward P/E, Fortinet, Inc. is actually cheaper at 26.6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS?
Over the past 5 years, CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) delivered a total return of +169.2%, compared to -30.1% for Zscaler, Inc. (ZS). A $10,000 investment in CYBR five years ago would be worth approximately $27K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FTNT returned +1291% versus ZS's +345.4%. 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 — CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) is the lower-risk stock at 1.05β versus CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.'s 1.49β — meaning CRWD is approximately 42% more volatile than CYBR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 100% for Zscaler, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS?
Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) is the more profitable company, earning 27.3% net margin versus -10.8% for CyberArk Software Ltd. — meaning it keeps 27.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FTNT leads at 30.6% versus -7.7% for CYBR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FTNT leads at 80.8%, 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.
06Is CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) trades at 26.6x forward P/E versus 100.2x for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — 73.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ZS: 96.5% to $288.85.
07Which pays a better dividend — CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS?
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 CYBR or PANW or CRWD or FTNT or ZS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.23), +1291% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FTNT: +1291%, CRWD: +541.3%), 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 CYBR and PANW and CRWD and FTNT and ZS?
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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