AKAM vs. CRCL: Akamai vs. Circle Internet Stock Comparison
How do Akamai (AKAM) and Circle Internet (CRCL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Akamai (AKAM) and Circle Internet (CRCL) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but AKAM is classified in IT Services while CRCL is classified in Software.
Akamai (AKAM) carries decades of public-market history since October 29, 1999, while Circle Internet (CRCL) listed on June 5, 2025 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the AKAM side.
| Profile Item | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Circle Internet Group, Inc. Class A |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | IT Services | Software |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Internet Services & Infrastructure | Application Software |
| Market Capitalization | 11.94 billion USD | 17.41 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 29, 1999 | June 5, 2025 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -2.77% | -33.88% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -9.48% | -- |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -5.72% | -- |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 62.11% | 96.01% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.69 | 0.84 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -51.69% | -80.93% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 4.75M | 12.74M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.11 | -0.40 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.17 | -0.61 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Akamai (AKAM) at 7.85% and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 13.44% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
7.85%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- AKAM
- 7.85%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
13.44%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- CRCL
- 13.44%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Akamai (AKAM) at 8.84% and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 15.28% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
8.84%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- AKAM
- 8.84%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
15.28%
- Max
- 41.17%
- CRCL
- 15.28%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 24.09% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Akamai (AKAM) at 9.88%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
9.88%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- AKAM
- 9.88%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
24.09%
- Max
- 46.89%
- CRCL
- 24.09%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 7.85% | 13.44% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.18% | 0.28% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 8.84% | 15.28% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 9.88% | 24.09% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 56.39% | 26.58% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 63.86% delivers above-range revenue growth, while Akamai (AKAM) at 5.44% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Akamai (AKAM) at -6.12% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Circle Internet (CRCL) at -640.54% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.44% | 63.86% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 5.18% | 52.66% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -6.12% | -640.54% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -1.98% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Akamai (AKAM) at 2.13 and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 1.04 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
2.13
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- AKAM
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
1.04
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- CRCL
- 1.04
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 0.00 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Akamai (AKAM) at 1.84 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
1.84
- Max
- 2.52
- AKAM
- 1.84
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- CRCL
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.13 | 1.04 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.84 | 0.00 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 5.78 | -4.68 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Akamai (AKAM) nor Circle Internet (CRCL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- AKAM
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- CRCL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Akamai (AKAM) nor Circle Internet (CRCL) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- AKAM
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- CRCL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Akamai (AKAM) at 32.33 and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 40.89 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
32.33
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- AKAM
- 32.33
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
40.89
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- CRCL
- 40.89
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Akamai (AKAM) at 2.72 and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 5.75 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
2.72
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- AKAM
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
5.75
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- CRCL
- 5.75
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Akamai (AKAM) at 2.32 and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 4.50 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
AKAM
Software & Services industry group
2.32
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- AKAM
- 2.32
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
4.50
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- CRCL
- 4.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AKAM | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 32.33 | 40.89 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 2.72 | 5.75 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.32 | 4.50 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.51% | 1.43% |