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CDW vs. FFIV: CDW vs. F5 Stock Comparison

How do CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV) 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

CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but CDW is classified in Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components while FFIV is classified in Communications Equipment.

Company profile comparison for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
Profile ItemCDWFFIV
NameCDW CorporationF5, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryElectronic Equipment, Instruments & ComponentsCommunications Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology DistributorsCommunications Equipment
Market Capitalization19.60 billion USD17.66 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 27, 2013June 4, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CDW
FFIV
GSPC
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV), 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 CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Total Return (1Y)16.85%30.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-6.46%27.03%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.35%7.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CDW
FFIV
GSPC
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV), 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 CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.60%40.81%
Beta (5Y)0.901.09
Max Drawdown (5Y)-60.37%-47.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.60M692.80K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CDW and FFIV 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 CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.260.63
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.370.84

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 42.47% sits in the top ROE quartile, while F5 (FFIV) at 19.01% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CDW.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

42.47%

CDW
42.47%
Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

19.01%

Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
FFIV
19.01%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) at 21.14% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of CDW (CDW) at 4.48%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

4.48%

Max
27.60%
Q3
11.66%
CDW
4.48%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

21.14%

Max
27.60%
FFIV
21.14%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) at 23.99% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of CDW (CDW) at 8.14%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

8.14%

Max
36.27%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
CDW
8.14%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

23.99%

Max
36.27%
FFIV
23.99%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
ROE (TTM)42.47%19.01%
ROA (TTM)6.47%7.74%
Net Margin (TTM)4.48%21.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)8.14%23.99%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.00%81.98%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: CDW (CDW) reports revenue growth of 6.79%, ranked against its industry; F5 (FFIV) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.38% and F5 (FFIV) at 6.10% 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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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.79%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.89%--
EPS Growth (YoY)1.38%6.10%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.21%24.10%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

F5 (FFIV) at 1.73 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while CDW (CDW) at 1.27 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CDW.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.27

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
CDW
1.27
Min
0.17

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.73

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
FFIV
1.73
Q1
1.32
Min
0.17
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

F5 (FFIV) at 0.05 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while CDW (CDW) at 2.98 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

2.98

CDW
2.98
Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.05

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
FFIV
0.05
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.271.73
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.980.05
Net Debt / EBITDA3.01-1.49

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CDW (CDW) reports a yield of 1.59%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.59%

CDW
1.59%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
FFIV
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CDW (CDW) reports a payout of 29.40%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

29.40%

Max
32.27%
CDW
29.40%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
FFIV
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.59%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)29.40%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 18.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while F5 (FFIV) at 24.83 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CDW, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

18.32

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
CDW
18.32
Min
6.07

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

24.83

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
FFIV
24.83
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 0.80 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while F5 (FFIV) at 5.17 prices around its industry’s middle — CDW costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.80

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
CDW
0.80
Min
0.00

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

5.17

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
FFIV
5.17
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

F5 (FFIV) at 4.41 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while CDW (CDW) at 7.45 carries an above-peer premium to book — CDW is pricier on assets.

CDW

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

7.45

Max
10.75
CDW
7.45
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

4.41

Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
FFIV
4.41
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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CDW (CDW) vs. F5 (FFIV): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CDW (CDW) and F5 (FFIV)
MetricCDWFFIV
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.3224.83
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.805.17
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.454.41
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.43%3.63%