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CRM vs. WDAY: Salesforce vs. Workday Stock Comparison

How do Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY) 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 Workday (WDAY) 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 Workday (WDAY)
Profile ItemCRMWDAY
NameSalesforce, Inc.Workday Inc Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareApplication Software
Market Capitalization175.83 billion USD46.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJune 23, 2004October 12, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CRM
WDAY
GSPC
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY), 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 Workday (WDAY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Total Return (1Y)-9.04%-14.74%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.64%-5.22%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-6.57%-8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)47.53%54.35%
Beta (5Y)1.241.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-58.67%-63.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.36M3.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CRM and WDAY 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 Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.28-0.35
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.45-0.54

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Salesforce (CRM) at 19.38% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Workday (WDAY) at 16.01% 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

16.01%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
WDAY
16.01%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY) at 12.32%, 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

12.32%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
WDAY
12.32%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY) at 11.82%, 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

11.82%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
WDAY
11.82%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
ROE (TTM)19.38%16.01%
ROA (TTM)5.70%4.51%
Net Margin (TTM)21.99%12.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.38%11.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)77.28%75.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 9.58% and Workday (WDAY) at 13.10% 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. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 22.64% and Workday (WDAY) at 32.82% 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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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.58%13.10%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.82%15.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)22.64%32.82%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)233.65%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 0.84 and Workday (WDAY) at 0.91 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.91

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
WDAY
0.91
Min
0.03
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 1.10 and Workday (WDAY) at 0.58 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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.58

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
WDAY
0.58
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.840.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.100.58
Net Debt / EBITDA2.400.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) 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%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.77%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)15.66%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Salesforce (CRM) at 19.55 and Workday (WDAY) at 39.29 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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

39.29

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
WDAY
39.29
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): 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 Workday (WDAY) at 4.58 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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

4.58

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
WDAY
4.58
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Salesforce (CRM) at 4.58 and Workday (WDAY) at 7.20 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

7.20

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
WDAY
7.20
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Salesforce (CRM) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricCRMWDAY
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.5539.29
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.004.58
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.587.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.08%6.55%