Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) vs Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) 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 | CRM | 9.6% revenue growth vs MKTW's -8.8% |
| Value | MKTW | Lower P/E (3.9x vs 16.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | CRM | 18.0% net margin vs MKTW's 1.7% |
| Stability / Safety | MKTW | Beta 0.70 vs CRM's 1.04 |
| Dividends | MKTW | 5.5% yield, vs CRM's 0.9% |
| Momentum (1Y) | MKTW | +25.8% vs CRM's -34.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRM | 6.6% ROA vs MKTW's 2.9% |
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
MarketWise operates a multi-brand subscription platform that provides financial research, software, and educational tools for individual investors. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its various investment research services and analytical software tools. The company's competitive advantage lies in its portfolio of established financial research brands and its large subscriber base of nearly 1 million paid users.
Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software company that helps businesses manage sales, service, marketing, and commerce operations. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its SaaS platform—with sales cloud (~30%), service cloud (~25%), and platform/other (~45%) being its main segments. Its competitive moat lies in its massive ecosystem of integrated applications, enterprise data architecture, and high switching costs for customers deeply embedded in its platform.
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
CRM leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). MKTW leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRM is the larger business by revenue, generating $41.5B annually — 121.3x MKTW's $342M. CRM is the more profitable business, keeping 18.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MKTW's 1.7%. On growth, CRM holds the edge at +12.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $342M | $41.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $76M | $11.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6M | $7.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $27M | $14.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +87.0% | +77.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.5% | +21.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +18.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.0% | +34.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -16.4% | +12.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -33.3% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 3.9x trailing earnings, MKTW trades at a 84% valuation discount to CRM's 25.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, MKTW's 1.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRM's 20.9x.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $191M | $187.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $97M | $186.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 3.93x | 24.97x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 16.54x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 2.04x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.06x | 20.95x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.47x | 4.51x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 3.15x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 13.01x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CRM scores 8/9 vs MKTW's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.9% | +6.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +10.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.1% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.11x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$94M | -$590M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $98M | $7.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4M | $6.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 44.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRM five years ago would be worth $9,104 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $959 for MKTW. Over the past 12 months, MKTW leads with a +25.8% total return vs CRM's -34.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRM at 6.6% vs MKTW's -19.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.8% | -23.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +25.8% | -34.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -48.4% | +21.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -90.4% | -9.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -89.7% | +192.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -19.8% | +6.6% |
Risk & Volatility
MKTW is the less volatile stock with a 0.70 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRM's 1.04 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.70x | 1.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $21.74 | $303.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $9.07 | $174.57 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +64.5% | +64.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.5 | 47.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11K | 8.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MKTW as "Hold" and CRM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 53.5% upside for CRM (target: $299) vs -75.0% for MKTW (target: $4). For income investors, MKTW offers the higher dividend yield at 5.45% vs CRM's 0.85%.
| Metric | MKTWMarketWise, Inc. | CRMSalesforce, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $3.50 | $299.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 97 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.5% | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.76 | $1.66 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.7% | +6.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) | 100 | 8.41 | -91.6% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 100 | 83.18 | -16.8% |
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) returned -9% over 5 years vs MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW)'s -90%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) | $272M | $409M | +50.1% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | $8.4B | $41.5B | +394.8% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s revenue grew from $8.4B (2017) to $41.5B (2026) — a 19.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) | 10.3% | 1.7% | -83.2% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 3.8% | 18.0% | +366.6% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s net margin went from 4% (2017) to 18% (2026).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) | 2.3 | 3.2 | +39.1% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 393.2 | 25 | -93.6% |
MarketWise, Inc. has traded in a 2x–55x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~4x. Salesforce, Inc. has traded in a 25x–393x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~25x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) | 10.8 | 3.57 | -66.9% |
| Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) | 0.26 | 7.8 | +2900.0% |
Salesforce, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.26 (2017) to $7.80 (2026) — a 46% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
MarketWise, Inc. generated $-23M FCF in 2024 (-137% vs 2021). Salesforce, Inc. generated $14B FCF in 2026 (+252% vs 2021).
MKTW vs CRM: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MKTW or CRM a better buy right now?
MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) offers the better valuation at 3.9x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) a "Buy" — based on 97 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 — MKTW or CRM?
On trailing P/E, MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) is the cheapest at 3.9x versus Salesforce, Inc. at 25.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MKTW or CRM?
Over the past 5 years, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) delivered a total return of -9.0%, compared to -90.4% for MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW). A $10,000 investment in CRM five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRM returned +192.3% versus MKTW's -89.7%. 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 — MKTW or CRM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) is the lower-risk stock at 0.70β versus Salesforce, Inc.'s 1.04β — meaning CRM is approximately 47% more volatile than MKTW relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — MKTW or CRM?
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) is the more profitable company, earning 18.0% net margin versus 1.7% for MarketWise, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MKTW leads at 21.8% versus 21.5% for CRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MKTW leads at 87.6%, 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 MKTW or CRM more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRM: 53.5% to $299.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — MKTW or CRM?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) offers the highest yield at 5.5%, versus 0.9% for Salesforce, Inc. (CRM).
08Is MKTW or CRM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.70), 5.5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MKTW: -89.7%, CRM: +192.3%), 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 MKTW and CRM?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: MKTW is a small-cap deep-value stock; CRM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. 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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