CRM vs PANW: Which Is the Better Buy?

Side-by-side comparison of Salesforce, Inc. and Palo Alto Networks, Inc. โ€” fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals. Updated 2026-07-08.
Salesforce, Inc. ยท Technology
$169.52
+45.0% upside to fair value
Grade A High Quality
VS
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ยท Technology
$287.78
+2.9% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
CRM has more upside to fair value (+45.0%). CRM trades at a lower forward P/E (19.6x). These are model outputs โ€” not personalized investment advice. See all research โ†’
Valuation & Fundamentals
Metric CRM PANW
Current Price $169.52 $287.78
Fair Value Estimate $245.80 $296.19
Upside to Fair Value +45.0% +2.9%
Market Cap $138.8B $196.1B
Forward P/E 19.6x 248.9x
EV / EBITDA 12.3x 85.9x
Price / Sales 3.2x 18.5x
Price / FCF 9.5x 45.7x
Revenue Growth YoY +13.3% +31.1%
Gross Margin 77.6% 71.9%
Operating Margin 21.9% 9.6%
Return on Equity 14.9% 6.3%
Dividend Yield 0% 0%
FCF Yield 10.56% 2.19%
Analyst Consensus Buy Strong Buy
Investment Thesis
CRM โ€” Salesforce, Inc.
Salesforce, Inc. is a leading provider of cloud-based software applications primarily focused on customer relationship management (CRM). The company exhibits high business quality with a durable competitive moat supported by strong gross margins of 77.6%, solid operating margin of 21.9%, and a robust return on equity of 14.9%. Recent quarterly revenue growth of 13.3% and earnings growth of 36.7% โ€ฆ
PANW โ€” Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
Palo Alto Networks is a leading cybersecurity company specializing in next-generation security platforms with a strong subscription and support revenue base comprising approximately 81% of total revenue. The company benefits from a wide and expanding competitive moat driven by its AI- and platform-driven cybersecurity solutions, led by a seasoned management team. Despite strong revenue growth of โ€ฆ
Accumulation Zones
Metric CRM PANW
Zone Low $184.35 $222.14
Zone High $208.93 $251.76
In Buy Zone? Yes No
โ† CRM Research    PANW Research โ†’    All Research