Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) vs CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) 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 | CRWD | 29.4% revenue growth vs GEN's 3.6% |
| Value | GEN | Lower P/E (8.9x vs 100.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | GEN | 12.8% net margin vs CRWD's -6.9% |
| Stability / Safety | GEN | Beta 0.96 vs CRWD's 1.49 |
| Dividends | GEN | 2.2% yield; CRWD pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRWD | -4.5% vs GEN's -15.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GEN | 3.8% 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
Gen Digital is a consumer cybersecurity company that provides antivirus, identity theft protection, and online privacy solutions through brands like Norton and LifeLock. It generates revenue primarily from subscription services — with consumer cybersecurity subscriptions accounting for over 90% of sales — while also offering some direct-to-consumer hardware products. The company benefits from strong brand recognition in consumer security, cross-selling opportunities across its portfolio, and network effects as its threat intelligence improves with more users.
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.
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
GEN leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CRWD leads in 1 (Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GEN and CRWD operate at a comparable scale, with $4.7B and $4.6B in trailing revenue. GEN is the more profitable business, keeping 12.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CRWD's -6.9%. On growth, GEN holds the edge at +25.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.7B | $4.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.2B | -$150M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $603M | -$314M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.5B | $1.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +77.7% | +74.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.9% | -7.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.8% | -6.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.1% | +25.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +25.8% | +22.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +19.2% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, GEN's 10.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRWD's 964.8x.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $13.9B | $93.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $21.2B | $90.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.91x | -4726.56x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.86x | 100.16x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 8.01x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.47x | 964.80x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.54x | 23.72x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.21x | 27.43x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 11.55x | 87.81x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GEN delivers a 25.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $26 in annual profit, vs $-8 for CRWD. CRWD carries lower financial leverage with a 0.24x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GEN's 3.66x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GEN scores 8/9 vs CRWD's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +25.9% | -7.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.8% | -3.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.4% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.5% | -2.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.66x | 0.24x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.3B | -$3.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.0B | $4.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8.3B | $789M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.97x | -7.52x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRWD five years ago would be worth $16,651 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,752 for GEN. Over the past 12 months, CRWD leads with a -4.5% total return vs GEN's -15.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRWD at 45.5% vs GEN's 7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -12.9% | -18.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.6% | -4.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.4% | +208.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.5% | +66.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +122.0% | +541.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.3% | +45.5% |
Risk & Volatility
GEN is the less volatile stock with a 0.96 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. GEN currently trades 70.0% from its 52-week high vs CRWD's 65.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.96x | 1.49x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.22 | $566.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $21.33 | $298.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +70.0% | +65.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.3 | 40.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.7M | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GEN as "Buy" and CRWD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 42.9% upside for CRWD (target: $532) vs 40.3% for GEN (target: $32). GEN is the only dividend payer here at 2.22% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.67 | $531.69 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 21 | 63 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.2% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.50 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 100 | 119.37 | +19.4% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | 100 | 742.18 | +642.2% |
CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) returned +67% over 5 years vs Gen Digital Inc. (GEN)'s +28%. A $10,000 investment in CRWD 5 years ago would be worth $16,651 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | $3.6B | $3.9B | +9.3% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | $53M | $4.0B | +7395.7% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.6B (2016) to $3.9B (2025) — a 1.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 69.1% | 16.3% | -76.4% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -173.2% | -0.5% | +99.7% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s net margin went from 69% (2016) to 16% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 10.9 | 26.4 | +142.2% |
Gen Digital Inc. has traded in a 11x–29x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 3.71 | 1.03 | -72.2% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -0.53 | -0.08 | +85.2% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.71 (2016) to $1.03 (2025) — a -13% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Gen Digital Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+72% vs 2021). CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+265% vs 2021).
GEN vs CRWD: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GEN or CRWD a better buy right now?
Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) offers the better valuation at 21.9x trailing P/E (8.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) a "Buy" — based on 21 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 — GEN or CRWD?
On forward P/E, Gen Digital Inc. is actually cheaper at 8.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GEN or CRWD?
Over the past 5 years, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) delivered a total return of +66.5%, compared to +27.5% for Gen Digital Inc. (GEN). A $10,000 investment in CRWD five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRWD returned +541.3% versus GEN's +122.0%. 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 — GEN or CRWD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.96β versus CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.'s 1.49β — meaning CRWD is approximately 55% more volatile than GEN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 4% for Gen Digital Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — GEN or CRWD?
Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the more profitable company, earning 16.3% net margin versus -0.5% for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 16.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GEN leads at 40.9% versus -3.0% for CRWD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GEN leads at 80.3%, 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.
06Is GEN or CRWD more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) trades at 8.9x forward P/E versus 100.2x for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — 91.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRWD: 42.9% to $531.69.
07Which pays a better dividend — GEN or CRWD?
In this comparison, GEN (2.2% yield) pays a dividend. CRWD does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is GEN or CRWD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.96), 2.2% yield, +122.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GEN: +122.0%, 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 GEN and CRWD?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. GEN pays a dividend while CRWD does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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