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CDW vs. MSI: CDW vs. Motorola Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
Profile ItemCDWMSI
NameCDW CorporationMotorola Solutions, 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 USD85.07 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJune 27, 2013January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CDW
MSI
GSPC
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI), 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 Motorola (MSI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Total Return (1Y)16.85%35.63%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-6.46%20.55%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.35%17.37%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.60%25.11%
Beta (5Y)0.900.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)-60.37%-27.23%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.60M973.41K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CDW and MSI 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 Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.261.25
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.371.90

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Motorola (MSI) at 76.98% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; CDW (CDW) at 42.47% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

76.98%

MSI
76.98%
Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Motorola (MSI) at 16.54% 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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

16.54%

Max
27.60%
MSI
16.54%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Motorola (MSI) at 24.62% 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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

24.62%

Max
36.27%
MSI
24.62%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
ROE (TTM)42.47%76.98%
ROA (TTM)6.47%9.64%
Net Margin (TTM)4.48%16.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)8.14%24.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.00%51.75%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CDW (CDW) at 6.79% and Motorola (MSI) at 8.00% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.38% and Motorola (MSI) at 38.14% 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. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.79%8.00%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.89%8.63%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.38%38.14%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.21%17.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.27 and Motorola (MSI) at 1.10 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.10

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
MSI
1.10
Min
0.17
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Debt sits unusually high against shareholders’ equity for both CDW (CDW) at 2.98 and Motorola (MSI) at 3.46 — each debt-to-equity ratio is above its industry benchmark range.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

3.46

MSI
3.46
Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): 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 Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.271.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.983.46
Net Debt / EBITDA3.012.70

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CDW (CDW) at 1.59% and Motorola (MSI) at 0.94% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.94%

MSI
0.94%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both pay out more than their industries’ typical bands, and MSI more so: CDW (CDW) at 29.40% sits above the band, while Motorola (MSI) at 38.94% exceeds every peer in its group.

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%

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

38.94%

MSI
38.94%
Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.59%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)29.40%38.94%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 18.32 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Motorola (MSI) at 41.39 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

41.39

Max
69.48
MSI
41.39
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CDW (CDW) at 0.80 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Motorola (MSI) at 6.75 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

6.75

Max
11.30
MSI
6.75
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: CDW (CDW) at 7.45 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Motorola (MSI) at 27.75 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

MSI

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.75

MSI
27.75
Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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CDW (CDW) vs. Motorola (MSI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CDW (CDW) and Motorola (MSI)
MetricCDWMSI
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.3241.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.806.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.4527.75
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.43%2.24%