FFIV vs. NTES: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on October 14, 2025

Here’s a clear look at FFIV and NTES, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

FFIV is a standard domestic listing, while NTES trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
Company Name	F5, Inc.	NetEase, Inc.
Country	United States	China
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Communication Services
GICS Industry	Communications Equipment	Entertainment
Market Capitalization	19.68 billion USD	100.28 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	June 4, 1999	June 30, 2000
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of FFIV and NTES by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

FFIV vs. NTES: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
5-Day Price Return	4.71%	0.46%
13-Week Price Return	13.33%	18.18%
26-Week Price Return	36.50%	46.68%
52-Week Price Return	56.98%	54.63%
Month-to-Date Return	6.00%	1.28%
Year-to-Date Return	36.23%	72.55%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.46M	0.55M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.47M	0.75M
3-Month Volatility	24.25%	30.00%
Beta	1.02	0.69

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

FFIV

20.29%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 32.30%
Q3: 20.90%
Median: 9.10%
Q1: 4.29%
Min: -13.50%

FFIV’s Return on Equity of 20.29% is on par with the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

NTES

24.25%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 42.50%
Q3: 24.06%
Median: 13.69%
Q1: 5.35%
Min: -17.95%

In the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry, NTES’s Return on Equity of 24.25% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

FFIV

22.06%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 23.65%
Q3: 12.56%
Median: 5.62%
Q1: 2.50%
Min: -3.09%

A Net Profit Margin of 22.06% places FFIV in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

NTES

31.19%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 45.33%
Q3: 24.40%
Median: 13.94%
Q1: 4.28%
Min: -23.67%

A Net Profit Margin of 31.19% places NTES in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

FFIV

24.84%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 25.23%
Q3: 13.72%
Median: 6.44%
Q1: 3.00%
Min: -10.95%

An Operating Profit Margin of 24.84% places FFIV in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

NTES

31.43%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 41.77%
Q3: 28.26%
Median: 16.13%
Q1: 8.03%
Min: -3.93%

An Operating Profit Margin of 31.43% places NTES in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
Return on Equity (TTM)	20.29%	24.25%
Return on Assets (TTM)	11.34%	17.31%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	22.06%	31.19%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	24.84%	31.43%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	81.03%	63.17%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

FFIV

1.60

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 3.33
Q3: 2.13
Median: 1.55
Q1: 1.15
Min: 0.91

FFIV’s Current Ratio of 1.60 aligns with the median group of the Communications Equipment industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

NTES

3.23

Entertainment Industry

Max: 6.76
Q3: 4.02
Median: 1.55
Q1: 0.86
Min: 0.38

NTES’s Current Ratio of 3.23 aligns with the median group of the Entertainment industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

FFIV

0.00

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 1.44
Q3: 0.86
Median: 0.53
Q1: 0.22
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, FFIV’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

NTES

0.08

Entertainment Industry

Max: 1.54
Q3: 0.77
Median: 0.16
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

NTES’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.08 is typical for the Entertainment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

FFIV

55.49

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 55.49
Q3: 34.19
Median: 7.59
Q1: 3.73
Min: -9.94

FFIV’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 55.49 is in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

NTES

161.13

Entertainment Industry

Max: 87.17
Q3: 35.59
Median: 7.06
Q1: 1.13
Min: -44.74

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 161.13, NTES demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Entertainment industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.60	3.23
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.50	3.10
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.00	0.08
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	55.49	161.13

Growth

Revenue Growth

FFIV vs. NTES: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

FFIV vs. NTES: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

FFIV

0.00%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 8.13%
Q3: 3.29%
Median: 0.94%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

FFIV currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

NTES

1.93%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 2.90%
Q3: 1.29%
Median: 0.59%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 1.93%, NTES offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Entertainment industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

FFIV

0.00%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 111.16%
Q3: 70.91%
Median: 30.78%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

FFIV has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

NTES

36.90%

Entertainment Industry

Max: 82.30%
Q3: 38.45%
Median: 29.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NTES’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.90% is within the typical range for the Entertainment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	1.93%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	36.90%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

FFIV

28.85

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 103.74
Q3: 61.65
Median: 26.20
Q1: 18.12
Min: 4.19

FFIV’s P/E Ratio of 28.85 is within the middle range for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

NTES

19.11

Entertainment Industry

Max: 92.09
Q3: 54.51
Median: 28.92
Q1: 19.75
Min: 2.96

In the lower quartile for the Entertainment industry, NTES’s P/E Ratio of 19.11 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

FFIV

6.36

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 6.86
Q3: 6.24
Median: 2.44
Q1: 1.02
Min: 0.48

FFIV’s P/S Ratio of 6.36 is in the upper echelon for the Communications Equipment industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

NTES

5.96

Entertainment Industry

Max: 12.34
Q3: 7.67
Median: 5.06
Q1: 2.72
Min: 0.67

NTES’s P/S Ratio of 5.96 aligns with the market consensus for the Entertainment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

FFIV

4.87

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 6.28
Q3: 5.73
Median: 3.32
Q1: 2.02
Min: 0.42

FFIV’s P/B Ratio of 4.87 is within the conventional range for the Communications Equipment industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

NTES

4.06

Entertainment Industry

Max: 22.84
Q3: 10.54
Median: 6.60
Q1: 2.30
Min: 0.65

NTES’s P/B Ratio of 4.06 is within the conventional range for the Entertainment industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

FFIV vs. NTES: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Entertainment industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	FFIV	NTES
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	28.85	19.11
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	6.36	5.96
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	4.87	4.06
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	20.16	14.77