Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC) vs Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) vs Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) vs Elastic N.V. (ESTC) vs Calix, Inc. (CALX) 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 | SNOW | 29.2% revenue growth vs STRC's -6.6% |
| Value | STRC | Lower P/E (1.4x vs 29.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | STRC | 16.7% net margin vs SNOW's -28.4% |
| Stability / Safety | STRC | Beta 0.57 vs KC's 1.61, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CALX | +39.8% vs ESTC's -55.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | STRC | 10.8% ROA vs SNOW's -14.6%, ROIC -9.3% vs -43.1% |
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
MicroStrategy is an enterprise analytics and mobility software company that provides business intelligence platforms to help organizations analyze and visualize their data. It generates revenue primarily through software licensing (~60%) and cloud-based subscription services (~40%), supplemented by related consulting and support services. The company's key advantage is its long-standing expertise in enterprise analytics — particularly its HyperIntelligence platform — and its strategic pivot to become a major corporate holder of Bitcoin, which has created significant brand recognition and financial optionality.
Snowflake provides a cloud-native data platform that enables organizations to store, process, and analyze data across multiple cloud providers. It generates revenue primarily through consumption-based pricing for compute, storage, and data transfer services — with compute typically representing the largest portion. Its key advantage is a unique architecture that separates storage and compute, allowing customers to scale each independently while avoiding vendor lock-in through multi-cloud compatibility.
Kingsoft Cloud is a Chinese cloud service provider offering public cloud infrastructure and enterprise cloud solutions to businesses across various industries. It generates revenue primarily from public cloud services — including computing, storage, and content delivery — and enterprise cloud services for specific verticals like finance and healthcare. Its competitive advantage stems from its integration with the broader Kingsoft ecosystem — including gaming and office software — which creates cross-selling opportunities and customer stickiness.
Elastic is a search and data analytics software company that provides the Elastic Stack platform for real-time search, observability, and security use cases. It generates revenue primarily through subscription-based software sales — about 90% from cloud and self-managed offerings — with the remainder from professional services. Its competitive advantage lies in its widely adopted open-source core (Elasticsearch) that creates a large developer ecosystem and network effects.
Calix provides cloud and software platforms that enable broadband service providers to deliver and manage internet services to residential and business customers. The company generates revenue primarily through subscription fees for its Calix Cloud platform — which includes marketing, support, and operations modules — and sales of its networking hardware systems like GigaSpire. Its competitive advantage lies in its integrated software-hardware ecosystem that creates switching costs for service providers who become dependent on Calix's unified platform for managing their entire broadband operations.
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
STRC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). CALX leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
KC is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.0B annually — 19.0x STRC's $475M. STRC is the more profitable business, keeping 16.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SNOW's -28.4%. On growth, KC holds the edge at +33.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $475M | $4.7B | $9.0B | $1.7B | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $11.0B | -$1.3B | $1.3B | -$27M | $38M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.9B | -$1.3B | -$971M | -$85M | $18M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$18.1B | $1.1B | -$343M | $257M | $116M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.1% | +67.2% | +16.2% | +76.0% | +56.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.1% | -30.6% | -8.3% | -1.7% | +2.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | -28.4% | -10.8% | -5.0% | +1.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -38.2% | +23.9% | -3.8% | +15.3% | +11.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.9% | +30.1% | +33.7% | +17.7% | +32.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.9% | +9.1% | +99.6% | +143.8% | +137.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.4B | $57.7B | $49.7B | $5.5B | $3.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.6B | $57.6B | $50.1B | $5.4B | $3.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -16.50x | -42.64x | -11.42x | -50.07x | 199.12x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 1.38x | 95.01x | — | 20.96x | 29.10x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — | — | — | 85.62x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.31x | 12.31x | 43.80x | 3.70x | 3.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.06x | 28.15x | 4.12x | 5.82x | 4.24x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 51.48x | — | 20.99x | 29.70x |
Profitability & Efficiency
STRC delivers a 13.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $14 in annual profit, vs $-66 for SNOW. CALX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SNOW's 1.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ESTC scores 7/9 vs STRC's 2/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.6% | -65.9% | -13.7% | -10.7% | +2.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.8% | -14.6% | -3.8% | -3.5% | +1.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -9.3% | -43.1% | -17.7% | -5.2% | +2.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -12.4% | -27.5% | -20.9% | -3.7% | +2.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 1.36x | 0.94x | 0.64x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.2B | -$87M | $2.5B | -$133M | -$118M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $38M | $2.8B | $2.6B | $728M | $143M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.3B | $2.7B | $5.2B | $595M | $26M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 156.03x | -115.44x | -1.40x | -2.17x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CALX five years ago would be worth $11,998 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,210 for KC. Over the past 12 months, CALX leads with a +39.8% total return vs ESTC's -55.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KC at 51.8% vs ESTC's -4.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.2% | -22.3% | +23.3% | -28.2% | -3.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +19.8% | -4.9% | -17.5% | -55.3% | +39.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.8% | +9.1% | +250.1% | -11.8% | +1.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.8% | -38.1% | -77.9% | -64.1% | +20.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.8% | -33.7% | -43.5% | -25.6% | +644.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.2% | +2.9% | +51.8% | -4.1% | +0.4% |
Risk & Volatility
STRC is the less volatile stock with a 0.57 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KC's 1.61 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. STRC currently trades 99.6% from its 52-week high vs ESTC's 44.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.57x | 1.49x | 1.61x | 1.39x | 1.18x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $100.42 | $280.67 | $19.57 | $117.49 | $71.22 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $88.00 | $120.10 | $10.29 | $49.90 | $28.61 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.6% | +60.0% | +68.9% | +44.3% | +72.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 55.2 | 43.8 | 45.8 | 47.0 | 45.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 971K | 4.4M | 1.1M | 1.3M | 951K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: STRC as "Hold", SNOW as "Buy", KC as "Buy", ESTC as "Buy", CALX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 152.0% upside for STRC (target: $252) vs 35.8% for KC (target: $18).
| Metric | STRCMicroStrategy Inc… | SNOWSnowflake Inc. | KCKingsoft Cloud Ho… | ESTCElastic N.V. | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $252.00 | $251.60 | $18.30 | $104.00 | $75.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 49 | 10 | 34 | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | +2.7% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) | 100 | 75.09 | -24.9% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | 100 | 45.69 | -54.3% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | 100 | 58.55 | -41.4% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | 100 | 260.29 | +160.3% |
Calix, Inc. (CALX) returned +20% over 5 years vs Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC)'s -78%. A $10,000 investment in CALX 5 years ago would be worth $11,998 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRC) | $504M | $463M | -8.0% |
| Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) | $97M | $4.7B | +4745.5% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | $2.3B | $7.8B | +237.8% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | $88M | $1.5B | +1582.2% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | $510M | $1.0B | +95.9% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRC) | 3.6% | -2.5% | -169.7% |
| Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) | -184.2% | -28.4% | +84.6% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -45.4% | -25.3% | +44.3% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -58.9% | -7.3% | +87.6% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -16.3% | 1.8% | +111.0% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2020 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | 55.1 | 203.6 | +269.5% |
Calix, Inc. has traded in a 23x–204x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~199x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRC) | 0.16 | -6.06 | -3887.5% |
| Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) | -0.75 | -3.95 | -426.7% |
| Kingsoft Cloud Hold… (KC) | -33.23 | -8.1 | +75.6% |
| Elastic N.V. (ESTC) | -0.84 | -1.04 | -23.8% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -1.66 | 0.26 | +115.7% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock generated $-22B FCF in 2024 (-773% vs 2021). Snowflake Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2026 (+1407% vs 2021).
STRC vs SNOW vs KC vs ESTC vs CALX: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX a better buy right now?
Calix, Inc. (CALX) offers the better valuation at 199.1x trailing P/E (29.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) 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 — STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX?
On forward P/E, MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock is actually cheaper at 1.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX?
Over the past 5 years, Calix, Inc. (CALX) delivered a total return of +20.0%, compared to -77.9% for Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC). A $10,000 investment in CALX five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CALX returned +644.9% versus KC's -43.5%. 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 — STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.57β versus Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited's 1.61β — meaning KC is approximately 184% more volatile than STRC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Calix, Inc. (CALX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 136% for Snowflake Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX?
Calix, Inc. (CALX) is the more profitable company, earning 1.8% net margin versus -251.7% for MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock — meaning it keeps 1.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CALX leads at 2.1% versus -399.8% for STRC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ESTC leads at 74.4%, 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 STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC) trades at 1.4x forward P/E versus 95.0x for Snowflake Inc. — 93.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for STRC: 152.0% to $252.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX?
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 STRC or SNOW or KC or ESTC or CALX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, MicroStrategy Incorporated Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.57)). Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (KC) carries a higher beta of 1.61 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (STRC: +19.8%, KC: -43.5%), 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 STRC and SNOW and KC and ESTC and CALX?
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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