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CTSH vs. GEN: Cognizant vs. Gen Digital Stock Comparison

How do Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN) 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

Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but CTSH is classified in IT Services while GEN is classified in Software.

Company profile comparison for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
Profile ItemCTSHGEN
NameCognizant Technology Solutions Corp. Class A Common StockGen Digital Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryIT Consulting & Other ServicesSystems Software
Market Capitalization28.93 billion USD17.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 19, 1998June 23, 1989
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CTSH
GEN
GSPC
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN), 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Total Return (1Y)-10.80%18.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.40%18.57%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.88%5.70%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CTSH
GEN
GSPC
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN), 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.62%43.30%
Beta (5Y)0.831.23
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.08%-48.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.65M8.39M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CTSH and GEN 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.350.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.500.50

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Gen Digital (GEN) at 46.40% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Cognizant (CTSH) at 17.37% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for GEN.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

17.37%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
CTSH
17.37%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

46.40%

Max
53.85%
GEN
46.40%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Gen Digital (GEN) at 23.07% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Cognizant (CTSH) at 11.75%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

11.75%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
CTSH
11.75%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

23.07%

Max
41.17%
GEN
23.07%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Gen Digital (GEN) at 37.40% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Cognizant (CTSH) at 16.30%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

16.30%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
CTSH
16.30%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

37.40%

Max
46.89%
GEN
37.40%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
ROE (TTM)17.37%46.40%
ROA (TTM)10.78%8.94%
Net Margin (TTM)11.75%23.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.30%37.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.42%77.41%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Gen Digital (GEN) at 27.06% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Cognizant (CTSH) at 6.95% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Gen Digital (GEN) at 52.43% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.11% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GEN.

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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.95%27.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.80%14.66%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.11%52.43%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.12%-10.09%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 2.22 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Gen Digital (GEN) at 0.37 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for GEN.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

2.22

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
CTSH
2.22
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

GEN

Software & Services industry group

0.37

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
GEN
0.37
Min
0.03
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 0.14 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while Gen Digital (GEN) at 2.96 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

0.14

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
CTSH
0.14
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

GEN

Software & Services industry group

2.96

GEN
2.96
Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.220.37
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.142.96
Net Debt / EBITDA0.143.02

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.98% and Gen Digital (GEN) at 1.63% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.98%

CTSH
1.98%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

1.63%

GEN
1.63%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 23.72% and Gen Digital (GEN) at 25.38% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

23.72%

CTSH
23.72%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEN

Software & Services industry group

25.38%

GEN
25.38%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.98%1.63%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)23.72%25.38%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 11.81 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 15.12 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

11.81

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
CTSH
11.81
Min
6.69

GEN

Software & Services industry group

15.12

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
GEN
15.12
Min
6.69
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.32 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Gen Digital (GEN) at 3.38 prices around its industry’s middle — CTSH costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.32

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
CTSH
1.32
Min
0.02

GEN

Software & Services industry group

3.38

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
GEN
3.38
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.97 and Gen Digital (GEN) at 6.45 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.97

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
CTSH
1.97
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

GEN

Software & Services industry group

6.45

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
GEN
6.45
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. Gen Digital (GEN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and Gen Digital (GEN)
MetricCTSHGEN
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.8115.12
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.323.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.976.45
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)7.19%10.25%