Seek Returns

CRM vs. GWRE: Salesforce vs. Guidewire Software Stock Comparison

How do Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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

Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
Profile ItemCRMGWRE
NameSalesforce, Inc.Guidewire Software Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareApplication Software
Market Capitalization175.83 billion USD13.34 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 23, 2004January 25, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CRM
GWRE
GSPC
Loading price history…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Total Return (1Y)-9.04%-25.97%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.64%21.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-6.57%4.78%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CRM
GWRE
GSPC
Loading price history…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)47.53%62.03%
Beta (5Y)1.240.99
Max Drawdown (5Y)-58.67%-60.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.36M1.29M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
CRM and GWRE 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 Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.28-0.49
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.45-0.68

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 19.38% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 10.51% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CRM.

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%

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

10.51%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
GWRE
10.51%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 9.44%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

9.44%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
GWRE
9.44%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 15.16%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

15.16%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
GWRE
15.16%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
ROE (TTM)19.38%10.51%
ROA (TTM)5.70%3.54%
Net Margin (TTM)21.99%9.44%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.38%15.16%
Gross Margin (TTM)77.28%64.21%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 9.58% and Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 22.70% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 101.23% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Salesforce (CRM) at 22.64% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GWRE.

Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.58%22.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.82%17.68%
EPS Growth (YoY)22.64%101.23%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)233.65%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 1.79 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.

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

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

1.79

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
GWRE
1.79
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 1.10 and Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 0.60 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.60

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
GWRE
0.60
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.841.79
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.100.60
Net Debt / EBITDA2.40-0.38

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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.

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%

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

GWRE
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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.

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%

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

GWRE
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.77%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)15.66%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 19.55 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 99.02 sits in the richer quartile — GWRE needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

99.02

Max
112.94
GWRE
99.02
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 4.00 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 9.04 sits in the pricier quartile — GWRE costs more per dollar of sales.

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

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

9.04

Max
17.91
GWRE
9.04
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Salesforce (CRM) at 4.58 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 11.09 carries an above-peer premium to book — GWRE is pricier on assets.

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

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

11.09

Max
16.63
GWRE
11.09
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
Loading chart…
Salesforce (CRM) vs. Guidewire Software (GWRE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Guidewire Software (GWRE)
MetricCRMGWRE
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.5599.02
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.009.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.5811.09
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.08%2.57%