CRM vs. ZM: Salesforce vs. Zoom Communications Stock Comparison
How do Salesforce (CRM) and Zoom Communications (ZM) 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 Zoom Communications (ZM) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Salesforce, Inc. | Zoom Communications, Inc. Class A Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Software | Software |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Application Software | Application Software |
| Market Capitalization | 175.83 billion USD | 26.23 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 23, 2004 | April 18, 2019 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -9.04% | 12.58% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.64% | 14.89% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -6.57% | -18.67% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 47.53% | 45.03% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.24 | 0.99 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -58.67% | -79.08% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 11.36M | 2.88M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.28 | 0.18 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.45 | 0.28 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Salesforce (CRM) at 19.38% and Zoom Communications (ZM) at 32.14% 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%
ZM
Software & Services industry group
32.14%
- Max
- 53.85%
- ZM
- 32.14%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Zoom Communications (ZM) at 65.19% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Salesforce (CRM) at 21.99% also retains a top-quartile 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%
ZM
Software & Services industry group
65.19%
- ZM
- 65.19%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Salesforce (CRM) at 21.38% and Zoom Communications (ZM) at 24.61% 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%
ZM
Software & Services industry group
24.61%
- Max
- 46.89%
- ZM
- 24.61%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 19.38% | 32.14% |
| ROA (TTM) | 5.70% | 6.11% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.99% | 65.19% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 21.38% | 24.61% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 77.28% | 77.66% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Salesforce (CRM) at 9.58% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Zoom Communications (ZM) at 4.36% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Zoom Communications (ZM) at 92.52% 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 ZM.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 9.58% | 4.36% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.82% | 3.49% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 22.64% | 92.52% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 233.65% | 162.93% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Zoom Communications (ZM) at 3.83 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Salesforce (CRM) at 0.84 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
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
ZM
Software & Services industry group
3.83
- Max
- 5.11
- ZM
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Zoom Communications (ZM) at 0.01 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Salesforce (CRM) at 1.10 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.
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
ZM
Software & Services industry group
0.01
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- ZM
- 0.01
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.84 | 3.83 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.10 | 0.01 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 2.40 | -5.39 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Zoom Communications (ZM) 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%
ZM
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- ZM
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Zoom Communications (ZM) 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%
ZM
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- ZM
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.77% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 15.66% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Zoom Communications (ZM) at 8.34 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Salesforce (CRM) at 19.55 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for ZM, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
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
ZM
Software & Services industry group
8.34
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- ZM
- 8.34
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Salesforce (CRM) at 4.00 and Zoom Communications (ZM) at 5.25 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
ZM
Software & Services industry group
5.25
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- ZM
- 5.25
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Salesforce (CRM) at 4.58 and Zoom Communications (ZM) at 2.32 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
ZM
Software & Services industry group
2.32
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- ZM
- 2.32
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRM | ZM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 19.55 | 8.34 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.00 | 5.25 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 4.58 | 2.32 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 10.08% | 7.53% |