Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) vs CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) 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 | CRWD | 29.4% revenue growth vs QLYS's 9.6% |
| Value | QLYS | Lower P/E (12.5x vs 100.2x) |
| Quality / Margins | QLYS | 29.0% net margin vs CRWD's -6.9% |
| Stability / Safety | QLYS | Beta 0.81 vs CRWD's 1.49, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRWD | -4.5% vs QLYS's -29.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | QLYS | 18.3% 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
Qualys is a cloud-based cybersecurity platform that provides vulnerability management, compliance, and threat protection solutions. It generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its Qualys Cloud Platform — which includes vulnerability scanning, compliance monitoring, and web application security services — with over 90% of revenue coming from subscriptions. The company's key advantage is its cloud-native architecture that enables continuous, real-time security assessments across global IT environments without requiring customer-deployed hardware.
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
QLYS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CRWD leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRWD is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.6B annually — 7.0x QLYS's $653M. QLYS is the more profitable business, keeping 29.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CRWD's -6.9%. On growth, CRWD holds the edge at +22.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $653M | $4.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $228M | -$150M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $189M | -$314M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $271M | $1.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +82.4% | +74.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +32.5% | -7.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +29.0% | -6.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +41.6% | +25.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.4% | +22.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +12.1% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, QLYS's 15.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRWD's 964.8x.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.3B | $93.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.1B | $90.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.89x | -4726.56x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.54x | 100.16x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.88x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.24x | 964.80x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.47x | 23.72x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.24x | 27.43x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.33x | 87.81x |
Profitability & Efficiency
QLYS delivers a 35.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $36 in annual profit, vs $-8 for CRWD. QLYS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.10x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CRWD's 0.24x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), QLYS scores 5/9 vs CRWD's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +35.7% | -7.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +18.3% | -3.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +57.8% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +38.7% | -2.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.10x | 0.24x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$185M | -$3.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $232M | $4.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $47M | $789M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -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 $9,270 for QLYS. Over the past 12 months, CRWD leads with a -4.5% total return vs QLYS's -29.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRWD at 45.5% vs QLYS's -7.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -29.4% | -18.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -29.7% | -4.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.7% | +208.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -7.3% | +66.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +270.3% | +541.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.8% | +45.5% |
Risk & Volatility
QLYS is the less volatile stock with a 0.81 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. CRWD currently trades 65.6% from its 52-week high vs QLYS's 59.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.81x | 1.49x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $155.47 | $566.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $85.14 | $298.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +59.5% | +65.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 28.4 | 40.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 453K | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates QLYS as "Hold" and CRWD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 49.0% upside for QLYS (target: $138) vs 42.9% for CRWD (target: $532).
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CRWDCrowdStrike Holdi… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $137.80 | $531.69 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 48 | 63 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.2% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 100 | 164.57 | +64.6% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | 100 | 742.18 | +642.2% |
CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) returned +67% over 5 years vs Qualys, Inc. (QLYS)'s -7%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | $198M | $608M | +207.0% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | $53M | $4.0B | +7395.7% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 9.7% | 28.6% | +194.3% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -173.2% | -0.5% | +99.7% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 58.8 | 30.2 | -48.6% |
Qualys, Inc. has traded in a 30x–78x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 0.5 | 4.65 | +830.0% |
| CrowdStrike Holding… (CRWD) | -0.53 | -0.08 | +85.2% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Qualys, Inc. generated $232M FCF in 2024 (+32% vs 2021). CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+265% vs 2021).
QLYS vs CRWD: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is QLYS or CRWD a better buy right now?
Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) offers the better valuation at 19.9x trailing P/E (12.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) a "Buy" — based on 63 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 — QLYS or CRWD?
On forward P/E, Qualys, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — QLYS or CRWD?
Over the past 5 years, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) delivered a total return of +66.5%, compared to -7.3% for Qualys, Inc. (QLYS). 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 QLYS's +270.3%. 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 — QLYS or CRWD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.81β versus CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.'s 1.49β — meaning CRWD is approximately 82% more volatile than QLYS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 24% for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — QLYS or CRWD?
Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) is the more profitable company, earning 28.6% net margin versus -0.5% for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 28.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: QLYS leads at 30.8% versus -3.0% for CRWD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — QLYS leads at 81.7%, 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 QLYS or CRWD more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) trades at 12.5x forward P/E versus 100.2x for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. — 87.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for QLYS: 49.0% to $137.80.
07Which pays a better dividend — QLYS or CRWD?
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 QLYS or CRWD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.81), +270.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (QLYS: +270.3%, 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 QLYS 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. 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.