CTSH vs. TWLO: Cognizant vs. Twilio Stock Comparison
How do Cognizant (CTSH) and Twilio (TWLO) 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 Twilio (TWLO) both belong to the IT Services industry, though CTSH is classified under IT Consulting & Other Services while TWLO falls under Internet Services & Infrastructure.
| Profile Item | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. Class A Common Stock | Twilio 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 | IT Services | IT Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | IT Consulting & Other Services | Internet Services & Infrastructure |
| Market Capitalization | 28.93 billion USD | 31.26 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 19, 1998 | June 23, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -10.80% | 61.15% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.40% | 54.31% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -2.88% | -7.91% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 43.62% | 63.75% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.83 | 1.48 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -56.08% | -86.25% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 6.65M | 3.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.35 | 0.89 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.50 | 1.49 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 17.37% and Twilio (TWLO) at 14.92% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
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%
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
14.92%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- TWLO
- 14.92%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Twilio (TWLO) at 21.82% 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%
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
21.82%
- Max
- 41.17%
- TWLO
- 21.82%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 16.30% and Twilio (TWLO) at 9.53% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.
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%
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
9.53%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- TWLO
- 9.53%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 17.37% | 14.92% |
| ROA (TTM) | 10.78% | 2.69% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 11.75% | 21.82% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 16.30% | 9.53% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 33.42% | 48.61% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Twilio (TWLO) at 13.66% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Cognizant (CTSH) at 6.95% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Cognizant (CTSH) reports EPS growth of 1.11%, ranked against its industry; Twilio (TWLO) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 6.95% | 13.66% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 2.80% | 9.82% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 1.11% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 1.12% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Cognizant (CTSH) at 2.22 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Twilio (TWLO) at 4.47 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.
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
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
4.47
- Max
- 5.11
- TWLO
- 4.47
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 0.14 and Twilio (TWLO) at 0.12 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
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
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
0.12
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- TWLO
- 0.12
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.22 | 4.47 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.14 | 0.12 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.14 | -3.13 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Twilio (TWLO) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Cognizant (CTSH) reports a yield of 1.98%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- TWLO
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Twilio (TWLO) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Cognizant (CTSH) reports a payout of 23.72%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- TWLO
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.98% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 23.72% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Cognizant (CTSH) at 11.81 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Twilio (TWLO) at 25.38 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CTSH, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
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
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
25.38
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- TWLO
- 25.38
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.32 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Twilio (TWLO) at 5.36 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
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
5.36
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- TWLO
- 5.36
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.97 and Twilio (TWLO) at 3.41 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
TWLO
Software & Services industry group
3.41
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- TWLO
- 3.41
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CTSH | TWLO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 11.81 | 25.38 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 1.32 | 5.36 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.97 | 3.41 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 7.19% | 3.45% |