PANW vs SMCI: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. and Super Micro Computer, Inc. — fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-06-20.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. · Technology
$287.78
+2.9% upside to fair value
Grade B
High Quality
VS
Super Micro Computer, Inc. · Technology
$30.66
+45.0% upside to fair value
Grade B
QuantHub Verdict
SMCI has more upside to fair value
(+45.0%).
SMCI trades at a lower forward P/E
(14.7x).
These are model outputs — not personalized investment advice.
See all research →
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
PANW |
SMCI |
| Current Price |
$287.78 |
$30.66 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$296.19 |
$44.46 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
+2.9%
|
+45.0%
|
| Market Cap |
$196.1B |
$18.4B |
| Forward P/E |
248.9x
|
14.7x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
85.9x
|
13.6x
|
| Price / Sales |
18.5x
|
0.6x
|
| Price / FCF |
45.7x
|
-2.7x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+31.1%
|
+122.7%
|
| Gross Margin |
71.9%
|
8.4%
|
| Operating Margin |
9.6%
|
4.5%
|
| Return on Equity |
6.3%
|
18.2%
|
| Dividend Yield |
0% |
0% |
| FCF Yield |
2.19%
|
—
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Strong Buy
|
Hold
|
Investment Thesis
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 …
Super Micro Computer, Inc. is a technology company specializing in server and storage systems, with a strong focus on AI infrastructure. The business quality is medium due to its founder-led management with over 30 years of tenure, a widening moat driven by systems engineering and close partnerships with Nvidia, and rapid revenue growth of 122.7% in the most recent quarter. However, the company f…
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
PANW |
SMCI |
| Zone Low |
$222.14 |
$33.34 |
| Zone High |
$251.76 |
$37.79 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
Yes
|