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AKAM vs. CRM: Akamai vs. Salesforce Stock Comparison

How do Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM) 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 Salesforce (CRM) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but AKAM is classified in IT Services while CRM is classified in Software.

Company profile comparison for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
Profile ItemAKAMCRM
NameAkamai Technologies, Inc.Salesforce, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryInternet Services & InfrastructureApplication Software
Market Capitalization11.94 billion USD175.83 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateOctober 29, 1999June 23, 2004
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AKAM
CRM
GSPC
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Total Return (1Y)-2.77%-9.04%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-9.48%1.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.72%-6.57%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AKAM
CRM
GSPC
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)62.11%47.53%
Beta (5Y)0.691.24
Max Drawdown (5Y)-51.69%-58.67%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.75M11.36M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AKAM and CRM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.11-0.28
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.17-0.45

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 19.38% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Akamai (AKAM) at 7.85% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CRM.

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%

CRM

Software & Services industry group

19.38%

Max
53.85%
CRM
19.38%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 21.99% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Akamai (AKAM) at 8.84%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

CRM

Software & Services industry group

21.99%

Max
41.17%
CRM
21.99%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 21.38% 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%

CRM

Software & Services industry group

21.38%

Max
46.89%
CRM
21.38%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
ROE (TTM)7.85%19.38%
ROA (TTM)2.18%5.70%
Net Margin (TTM)8.84%21.99%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.88%21.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)56.39%77.28%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Salesforce (CRM) at 9.58% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Akamai (AKAM) at 5.44% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Akamai (AKAM) at -6.12% and Salesforce (CRM) at 22.64% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.44%9.58%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.18%9.82%
EPS Growth (YoY)-6.12%22.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.98%233.65%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Akamai (AKAM) at 2.13 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Salesforce (CRM) at 0.84 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CRM.

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

CRM

Software & Services industry group

0.84

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
CRM
0.84
Min
0.03
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Salesforce (CRM) at 1.10 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Akamai (AKAM) at 1.84 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

CRM

Software & Services industry group

1.10

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
CRM
1.10
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.130.84
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.841.10
Net Debt / EBITDA5.782.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Akamai (AKAM) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Salesforce (CRM) reports a yield of 0.77%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

CRM

Software & Services industry group

0.77%

CRM
0.77%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Akamai (AKAM) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Salesforce (CRM) reports a payout of 15.66%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

CRM

Software & Services industry group

15.66%

CRM
15.66%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.77%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%15.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Akamai (AKAM) at 32.33 and Salesforce (CRM) at 19.55 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

CRM

Software & Services industry group

19.55

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
CRM
19.55
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Akamai (AKAM) at 2.72 and Salesforce (CRM) at 4.00 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

CRM

Software & Services industry group

4.00

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
CRM
4.00
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Akamai (AKAM) at 2.32 and Salesforce (CRM) at 4.58 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

CRM

Software & Services industry group

4.58

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
CRM
4.58
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Akamai (AKAM) vs. Salesforce (CRM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Akamai (AKAM) and Salesforce (CRM)
MetricAKAMCRM
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.3319.55
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.724.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.324.58
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.51%10.08%