ALAB vs. PANW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALAB and PANW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
PANW’s market capitalization of 134.57 billion USD is significantly greater than ALAB’s 14.97 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 1.40 for ALAB and 0.97 for PANW, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ALAB | PANW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Astera Labs, Inc. Common Stock | Palo Alto Networks, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Software - Infrastructure |
| CEO | Jitendra Mohan | Nikesh Arora |
| Price | 90.8 USD | 201.82 USD |
| Market Cap | 14.97 billion USD | 134.57 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.40 | 0.97 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | March 20, 2024 | July 20, 2012 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALAB and PANW by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALAB
4.43%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 41.84%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 6.31%
- Q1
- -5.54%
- Min
- -30.12%
ALAB’s Return on Equity of 4.43% is on par with the norm for the Semiconductors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
PANW
20.06%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 80.61%
- Q3
- 29.97%
- Median
- 2.84%
- Q1
- -8.35%
- Min
- -56.26%
PANW’s Return on Equity of 20.06% is on par with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ALAB
-4.25%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 30.91%
- Q3
- 11.34%
- Median
- 4.08%
- Q1
- -2.17%
- Min
- -19.59%
ALAB has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -4.25%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
PANW
6.24%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 39.31%
- Q3
- 11.97%
- Median
- 1.67%
- Q1
- -7.10%
- Min
- -34.29%
PANW’s Return on Invested Capital of 6.24% is in line with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ALAB
8.44%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 51.69%
- Q3
- 19.67%
- Median
- 8.56%
- Q1
- -5.44%
- Min
- -38.60%
ALAB’s Net Profit Margin of 8.44% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Semiconductors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
PANW
13.95%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 46.46%
- Q3
- 14.65%
- Median
- 2.66%
- Q1
- -7.70%
- Min
- -35.45%
PANW’s Net Profit Margin of 13.95% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Software - Infrastructure industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ALAB
-4.45%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 58.03%
- Q3
- 22.12%
- Median
- 8.40%
- Q1
- -3.73%
- Min
- -36.14%
ALAB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -4.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
PANW
11.09%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.51%
- Q3
- 16.56%
- Median
- 4.48%
- Q1
- -6.43%
- Min
- -40.18%
PANW’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.09% is around the midpoint for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | PANW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 4.43% | 20.06% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.69% | 5.63% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -4.25% | 6.24% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.44% | 13.95% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -4.45% | 11.09% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 75.76% | 73.56% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALAB
13.92
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 9.10
- Q3
- 5.23
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 1.02
ALAB’s Current Ratio of 13.92 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
PANW
0.90
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 3.80
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.51
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.23
PANW’s Current Ratio of 0.90 falls into the lower quartile for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALAB
--
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 0.97
- Q3
- 0.46
- Median
- 0.21
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
Debt-to-Equity Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.
PANW
0.11
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 2.56
- Q3
- 1.12
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
PANW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.11 is typical for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALAB
--
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 36.25
- Q3
- 29.12
- Median
- 7.01
- Q1
- -1.22
- Min
- -18.18
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.
PANW
378.50
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 32.21
- Q3
- 5.24
- Median
- 0.95
- Q1
- -17.99
- Min
- -50.82
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 378.50, PANW demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | PANW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 13.92 | 0.90 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 13.26 | 0.90 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.11 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.04 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 4.76 | -0.95 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | 378.50 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALAB and PANW. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALAB
0.00%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 6.48%
- Q3
- 0.93%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALAB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
PANW
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 4.07%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PANW currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALAB
0.00%
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 204.29%
- Q3
- 31.85%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALAB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
PANW
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.68%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PANW has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | PANW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALAB
357.98
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 86.15
- Q3
- 47.38
- Median
- 27.87
- Q1
- 18.89
- Min
- 4.73
At 357.98, ALAB’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Semiconductors industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
PANW
108.44
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 107.77
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 28.10
- Q1
- 18.03
- Min
- 5.32
At 108.44, PANW’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALAB
10.80
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 4.73
- Q3
- 2.80
- Median
- 1.11
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.01
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Semiconductors industry.
PANW
-1.08
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 8.12
- Q3
- 3.94
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.01
PANW has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -1.08. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALAB
30.53
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 21.96
- Q3
- 10.21
- Median
- 4.45
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.48
With a P/S Ratio of 30.53, ALAB trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Semiconductors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
PANW
15.16
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 18.25
- Q3
- 9.05
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.11
PANW’s P/S Ratio of 15.16 is in the upper echelon for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALAB
14.23
Semiconductors Industry
- Max
- 13.12
- Q3
- 6.49
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.23
At 14.23, ALAB’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Semiconductors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
PANW
18.56
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 19.94
- Q3
- 10.91
- Median
- 6.33
- Q1
- 2.95
- Min
- 0.51
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Infrastructure industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALAB | PANW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 357.98 | 108.44 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 10.80 | -1.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 30.53 | 15.16 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 14.23 | 18.56 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 138.44 | 55.15 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -820.32 | 80.07 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 30.35 | 14.99 |