BSY vs. MSTR: Bentley Systems vs. Strategy Stock Comparison
How do Bentley Systems (BSY) and Strategy (MSTR) 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
Bentley Systems (BSY) and Strategy (MSTR) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Strategy (MSTR) has more than two decades of public-market history since June 11, 1998, whereas Bentley Systems (BSY) listed on September 23, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Bentley Systems, Incorporated Class B Common Stock | Strategy Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Software | Software |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Application Software | Application Software |
| Market Capitalization | 13.50 billion USD | 54.57 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | September 23, 2020 | June 11, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -2.57% | -48.13% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -3.01% | 36.44% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -5.13% | 7.87% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Strategy (MSTR) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.60, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Bentley Systems (BSY) is closer to market-like at 0.92 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 41.49% | 82.34% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.92 | 3.60 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -53.94% | -84.09% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.67M | 22.35M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.17 | -0.64 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.25 | -0.97 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Strategy (MSTR) reports a negative ROE of -21.59%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Bentley Systems (BSY) reports 26.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
26.03%
- Max
- 53.85%
- BSY
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
-21.59%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- MSTR
- -21.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Bentley Systems (BSY) at 19.57% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Strategy (MSTR) at 0.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
19.57%
- Max
- 41.17%
- BSY
- 19.57%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- MSTR
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Strategy (MSTR) reports a negative operating margin of -2.07%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile Bentley Systems (BSY) reports 29.81%, ranking against industry peers normally.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
29.81%
- Max
- 46.89%
- BSY
- 29.81%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
-2.07%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- MSTR
- -2.07%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 26.03% | -21.59% |
| ROA (TTM) | 7.73% | -4.52% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 19.57% | 0.00% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 29.81% | -2.07% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 82.37% | 67.84% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Bentley Systems (BSY) at 10.99% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Strategy (MSTR) at 2.97% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Bentley Systems (BSY) reports EPS growth of 18.06%, ranked against its industry; Strategy (MSTR) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 10.99% | 2.97% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 10.97% | -1.49% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 18.06% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 15.62% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Strategy (MSTR) at 4.04 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Bentley Systems (BSY) at 0.65 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
0.65
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- BSY
- 0.65
- Min
- 0.03
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
4.04
- Max
- 5.11
- MSTR
- 4.04
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Bentley Systems (BSY) at 0.94 and Strategy (MSTR) at 0.10 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
0.94
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- BSY
- 0.94
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
0.10
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- MSTR
- 0.10
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.65 | 4.04 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.94 | 0.10 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.12 | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Strategy (MSTR) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Bentley Systems (BSY) reports a yield of 0.62%, ranking against industry peers normally.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
0.62%
- BSY
- 0.62%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- MSTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Strategy (MSTR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Bentley Systems (BSY) reports a payout of 27.72%, ranking against industry peers normally.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
27.72%
- BSY
- 27.72%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- MSTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.62% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 27.72% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Bentley Systems (BSY) trades at 44.21 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Strategy (MSTR) has no P/E ratio this period.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
44.21
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- BSY
- 44.21
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
- MSTR
- --
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Bentley Systems (BSY) at 8.19 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Strategy (MSTR) at 110.23 clears its benchmark range — MSTR looks notably rich on sales.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
8.19
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- BSY
- 8.19
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
110.23
- MSTR
- 110.23
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Strategy (MSTR) at 0.98 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Bentley Systems (BSY) at 10.79 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.
BSY
Software & Services industry group
10.79
- Max
- 16.63
- BSY
- 10.79
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
MSTR
Software & Services industry group
0.98
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- MSTR
- 0.98
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BSY | MSTR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 44.21 | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 8.19 | 110.23 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 10.79 | 0.98 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 2.74% | -5.94% |