Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) vs CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) 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 | CYBR | 36.0% revenue growth vs QLYS's 9.6% |
| Value | QLYS | Lower P/E (12.5x vs 81.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | QLYS | 29.0% net margin vs CYBR's -10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | QLYS | Beta 0.81 vs CYBR's 1.05, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CYBR | +12.4% vs QLYS's -29.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | QLYS | 18.3% ROA vs CYBR's -3.0%, ROIC 57.8% vs -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.
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.
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). CYBR leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CYBR is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.4B annually — 2.1x QLYS's $653M. QLYS is the more profitable business, keeping 29.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CYBR's -10.8%. On growth, CYBR holds the edge at +18.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $653M | $1.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $228M | $23M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $189M | -$147M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $271M | $259M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +82.4% | +74.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +32.5% | -7.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +29.0% | -10.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +41.6% | +19.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.4% | +18.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +12.1% | +83.2% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, QLYS's 15.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CYBR's 908.2x.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.3B | $20.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.1B | $21.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.89x | -139.54x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.54x | 81.87x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.88x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.24x | 908.21x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.47x | 15.16x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.24x | 8.54x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.33x | 79.60x |
Profitability & Efficiency
QLYS delivers a 35.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $36 in annual profit, vs $-6 for CYBR. QLYS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.10x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CYBR's 0.51x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), QLYS scores 5/9 vs CYBR's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +35.7% | -6.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +18.3% | -3.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +57.8% | -3.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +38.7% | -3.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.10x | 0.51x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$185M | $599M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $232M | $623M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $47M | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CYBR five years ago would be worth $26,916 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,270 for QLYS. Over the past 12 months, CYBR leads with a +12.4% total return vs QLYS's -29.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CYBR at 41.3% vs QLYS's -7.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -29.4% | -6.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -29.7% | +12.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.7% | +182.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -7.3% | +169.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +270.3% | +991.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -7.8% | +41.3% |
Risk & Volatility
QLYS is the less volatile stock with a 0.81 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CYBR's 1.05 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 QLYS's 59.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.81x | 1.05x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $155.47 | $526.19 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $85.14 | $288.63 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +59.5% | +77.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 28.4 | 38.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 453K | 810K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates QLYS as "Hold" and CYBR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 49.0% upside for QLYS (target: $138) vs 14.0% for CYBR (target: $466).
| Metric | QLYSQualys, Inc. | CYBRCyberArk Software… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $137.80 | $466.17 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 48 | 49 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.2% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 100 | 164.57 | +64.6% |
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 100 | 399.88 | +299.9% |
CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) returned +169% over 5 years vs Qualys, Inc. (QLYS)'s -7%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | $198M | $608M | +207.0% |
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | $217M | $1.4B | +528.4% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s revenue grew from $217M (2016) to $1.4B (2025) — a 22.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 9.7% | 28.6% | +194.3% |
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 13.0% | -10.8% | -183.1% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s net margin went from 13% (2016) to -11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 58.8 | 30.2 | -48.6% |
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 94.1 | 72 | -23.5% |
Qualys, Inc. has traded in a 30x–78x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. CyberArk Software Ltd. has traded in a 58x–94x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-140x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) | 0.5 | 4.65 | +830.0% |
| CyberArk Software L… (CYBR) | 0.78 | -2.93 | -475.6% |
CyberArk Software Ltd.'s EPS grew from $0.78 (2016) to $-2.93 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Qualys, Inc. generated $232M FCF in 2024 (+32% vs 2021). CyberArk Software Ltd. generated $259M FCF in 2025 (+294% vs 2021).
QLYS vs CYBR: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is QLYS or CYBR 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 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 — QLYS or CYBR?
On forward P/E, Qualys, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — QLYS or CYBR?
Over the past 5 years, CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) delivered a total return of +169.2%, compared to -7.3% for Qualys, Inc. (QLYS). 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: CYBR returned +991.1% 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 CYBR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.81β versus CyberArk Software Ltd.'s 1.05β — meaning CYBR is approximately 29% 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 51% for CyberArk Software Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — QLYS or CYBR?
Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) is the more profitable company, earning 28.6% net margin versus -10.8% for CyberArk Software Ltd. — 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 -7.7% for CYBR. 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 CYBR more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Qualys, Inc. (QLYS) trades at 12.5x forward P/E versus 81.9x for CyberArk Software Ltd. — 69.3x 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 CYBR?
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 CYBR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.05), +991.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CYBR: +991.1%, QLYS: +270.3%), 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 CYBR?
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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