Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) 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 | CALX | 20.3% revenue growth vs STRK's -6.6% |
| Quality / Margins | STRK | 16.7% net margin vs CALX's 1.8% |
| Stability / Safety | STRK | Beta 0.62 vs CALX's 1.18 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CALX | +39.8% vs STRK's -7.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | STRK | 10.8% ROA vs CALX's 1.7%, ROIC -9.3% vs 2.1% |
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 software company that provides AI-powered business intelligence platforms for data analysis and decision-making. It generates revenue primarily from software licenses and subscription services (~70%) along with consulting and support services (~30%), while also holding a substantial bitcoin treasury as a strategic asset. The company's key advantage lies in its sophisticated semantic graph technology—which provides unified data access across complex enterprise systems—and its first-mover position in corporate bitcoin adoption.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CALX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). STRK leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CALX is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.0B annually — 2.1x STRK's $475M. STRK is the more profitable business, keeping 16.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CALX's 1.8%. On growth, CALX holds the edge at +32.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $475M | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $11.0B | $38M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.9B | $18M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$18.1B | $116M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.1% | +56.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.1% | +2.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | +1.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -38.2% | +11.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.9% | +32.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.9% | +137.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | — | $3.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | — | $3.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -12.93x | 199.12x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 29.10x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 85.62x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 3.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.83x | 4.24x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 29.70x |
Profitability & Efficiency
STRK delivers a 13.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $14 in annual profit, vs $2 for CALX. CALX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to STRK's 0.40x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CALX scores 6/9 vs STRK's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.6% | +2.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.8% | +1.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -9.3% | +2.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -12.4% | +2.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.2B | -$118M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $38M | $143M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7.3B | $26M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 156.03x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CALX five years ago would be worth $11,998 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,566 for STRK. Over the past 12 months, CALX leads with a +39.8% total return vs STRK's -7.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors STRK at 1.9% vs CALX's 0.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -6.1% | -3.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -7.4% | +39.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | +1.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | +20.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | +644.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.9% | +0.4% |
Risk & Volatility
STRK is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CALX's 1.18 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CALX currently trades 72.7% from its 52-week high vs STRK's 60.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 1.18x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $129.48 | $71.22 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $71.40 | $28.61 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.5% | +72.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 45.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 168K | 951K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | STRKMicroStrategy Inc… | CALXCalix, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $75.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | — | +2.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 25 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 100 | 100.12 | +0.1% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | 100 | 119.56 | +19.6% |
Calix, Inc. (CALX) returned +20% over 5 years vs MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK)'s +6%. A $10,000 investment in CALX 5 years ago would be worth $11,998 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | $514M | $463M | -9.8% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | $459M | $1.0B | +118.0% |
Calix, Inc.'s revenue grew from $459M (2016) to $1.0B (2025) — a 9.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 18.0% | -2.5% | -114.0% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -6.0% | 1.8% | +129.9% |
Calix, Inc.'s net margin went from -6% (2016) to 2% (2025).
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 | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStrategy Incor… (STRK) | 0.8 | -6.06 | -857.5% |
| Calix, Inc. (CALX) | -0.56 | 0.26 | +146.4% |
Calix, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.56 (2016) to $0.26 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
MicroStrategy Incorporated generated $-22B FCF in 2024 (-773% vs 2021). Calix, Inc. generated $116M FCF in 2025 (+149% vs 2021).
STRK vs CALX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is STRK 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 Calix, Inc. (CALX) 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 is the better long-term investment — STRK or CALX?
Over the past 5 years, Calix, Inc. (CALX) delivered a total return of +20.0%, compared to +5.7% for MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK). 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 STRK's +5.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — STRK or CALX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus Calix, Inc.'s 1.18β — meaning CALX is approximately 90% more volatile than STRK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Calix, Inc. (CALX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 40% for MicroStrategy Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — STRK or CALX?
Calix, Inc. (CALX) is the more profitable company, earning 1.8% net margin versus -251.7% for MicroStrategy Incorporated — 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 STRK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STRK leads at 72.1%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — STRK 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.
06Is STRK or CALX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, MicroStrategy Incorporated (STRK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.62)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (STRK: +5.7%, CALX: +644.9%), 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.
07What are the main differences between STRK 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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