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CRM vs. SAP: Salesforce vs. SAP Stock Comparison

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

Salesforce (CRM) trades as ordinary local shares, while SAP (SAP) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
Profile ItemCRMSAP
NameSalesforce, Inc.SAP SE Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesGermany
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareApplication Software
Market Capitalization175.83 billion USD269.45 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 23, 2004September 18, 1995
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CRM
SAP
GSPC
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP), 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 Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Total Return (1Y)-9.04%-3.87%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.64%20.21%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-6.57%11.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CRM
SAP
GSPC
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP), 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 Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)47.53%39.05%
Beta (5Y)1.241.09
Max Drawdown (5Y)-58.67%-52.26%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.36M2.27M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CRM and SAP 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 SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.28-0.21
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.45-0.29

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 19.38% and SAP (SAP) at 18.18% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

SAP

Software & Services industry group

18.18%

Max
53.85%
SAP
18.18%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Salesforce (CRM) at 21.99% and SAP (SAP) at 20.41% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

SAP

Software & Services industry group

20.41%

Max
41.17%
SAP
20.41%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 21.38% and SAP (SAP) at 29.50% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

SAP

Software & Services industry group

29.50%

Max
46.89%
SAP
29.50%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
ROE (TTM)19.38%18.18%
ROA (TTM)5.70%9.91%
Net Margin (TTM)21.99%20.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.38%29.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)77.28%73.58%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 9.58% and SAP (SAP) at 7.68% 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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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

SAP (SAP) at 130.19% 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 SAP.

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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.58%7.68%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.82%7.63%
EPS Growth (YoY)22.64%130.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)233.65%46.25%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

SAP (SAP) at 1.16 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

SAP

Software & Services industry group

1.16

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
SAP
1.16
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 1.10 and SAP (SAP) at 0.23 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

SAP

Software & Services industry group

0.23

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
SAP
0.23
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): 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 SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.841.16
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.100.23
Net Debt / EBITDA2.40-0.03

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 0.77% and SAP (SAP) at 1.03% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

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%

SAP

Software & Services industry group

1.03%

SAP
1.03%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 15.66% and SAP (SAP) at 36.45% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

SAP

Software & Services industry group

36.45%

SAP
36.45%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.77%1.03%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)15.66%36.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 19.55 and SAP (SAP) at 29.07 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

SAP

Software & Services industry group

29.07

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
SAP
29.07
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Salesforce (CRM) at 4.00 and SAP (SAP) at 6.84 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

SAP

Software & Services industry group

6.84

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
SAP
6.84
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Salesforce (CRM) at 4.58 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while SAP (SAP) at 73.25 prices above its benchmark range — SAP looks rich relative to book.

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

SAP

Software & Services industry group

73.25

SAP
73.25
Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. SAP (SAP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and SAP (SAP)
MetricCRMSAP
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.5529.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.006.84
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.5873.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.08%3.73%