IT vs. MSFT: Gartner vs. Microsoft Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT) 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

Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but IT is classified in IT Services while MSFT is classified in Software.

Company profile comparison for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Profile Item	IT	MSFT
Name	Gartner Inc.	Microsoft Corporation 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	Software
GICS Sub-Industry	IT Consulting & Other Services	Systems Software
Market Capitalization	11.99 billion USD	3,940.41 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	October 5, 1993	March 13, 1986
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MSFT

GSPC

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), 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

Loading price history…

Trailing total returns for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…

Calendar-year total returns for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Total Return (1Y)	-17.60%	10.30%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	-22.07%	15.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-10.95%	11.01%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MSFT

GSPC

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), 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

Loading price history…

Distribution of monthly total returns for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	58.29%	33.91%
Beta (5Y)	0.95	1.03
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-77.21%	-37.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.14M	22.95M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

IT and MSFT 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 Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.38	0.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.54	0.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Gartner (IT) at 365.76% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Microsoft (MSFT) at 34.22% also sits in the top quartile.

IT

Software & Services industry group

365.76%

IT: 365.76%
Max: 53.85%
Q3: 17.90%
Median: 6.59%
Q1: -9.59%
Min: -50.52%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

34.22%

Max: 53.85%
MSFT: 34.22%
Q3: 17.90%
Median: 6.59%
Q1: -9.59%
Min: -50.52%

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 41.17% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Gartner (IT) at 14.81%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

IT

Software & Services industry group

14.81%

Max: 41.17%
Q3: 15.28%
IT: 14.81%
Median: 4.63%
Q1: -5.42%
Min: -33.17%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

41.17%

MSFT: 41.17%
Max: 41.17%
Q3: 15.28%
Median: 4.63%
Q1: -5.42%
Min: -33.17%

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 49.76% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Gartner (IT) at 18.58% also operates in the top quartile.

IT

Software & Services industry group

18.58%

Max: 46.89%
IT: 18.58%
Q3: 17.64%
Median: 8.73%
Q1: -2.13%
Min: -30.45%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

49.76%

MSFT: 49.76%
Max: 46.89%
Q3: 17.64%
Median: 8.73%
Q1: -2.13%
Min: -30.45%

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
ROE (TTM)	365.76%	34.22%
ROA (TTM)	11.33%	14.41%
Net Margin (TTM)	14.81%	41.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)	18.58%	49.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)	70.18%	67.66%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Microsoft (MSFT) at 17.79% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Gartner (IT) at 3.67% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Microsoft (MSFT) at 31.60% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Gartner (IT) at -39.69% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Revenue Growth (YoY)	3.67%	17.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.87%	16.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-39.69%	31.60%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-1.05%	22.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 1.23 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Gartner (IT) at 0.91 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for IT.

IT

Software & Services industry group

0.91

Max: 5.11
Q3: 2.77
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.01
IT: 0.91
Min: 0.03

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

1.23

Max: 5.11
Q3: 2.77
Median: 1.67
MSFT: 1.23
Q1: 1.01
Min: 0.03

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Microsoft (MSFT) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28 against its industry range, while Gartner (IT) reports no figure this period.

IT

Software & Services industry group

Max: 2.52
Q3: 1.13
Median: 0.40
Q1: 0.07
Min: 0.00
IT: --

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.28

Max: 2.52
Q3: 1.13
Median: 0.40
MSFT: 0.28
Q1: 0.07
Min: 0.00

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): IT does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; MSFT is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.91	1.23
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	0.28
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.18	0.34

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Gartner (IT) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Microsoft (MSFT) reports a yield of 0.69%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IT

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

IT: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.69%

MSFT: 0.69%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Gartner (IT) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Microsoft (MSFT) reports a payout of 19.00%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IT

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

IT: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

19.00%

MSFT: 19.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	19.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Gartner (IT) at 13.62 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 27.69 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for IT, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

IT

Software & Services industry group

13.62

Max: 112.94
Q3: 60.32
Median: 32.91
Q1: 18.77
IT: 13.62
Min: 6.69

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

27.69

Max: 112.94
Q3: 60.32
Median: 32.91
MSFT: 27.69
Q1: 18.77
Min: 6.69

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Gartner (IT) at 1.86 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 11.37 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

IT

Software & Services industry group

1.86

Max: 17.91
Q3: 8.78
Median: 4.25
Q1: 2.23
IT: 1.86
Min: 0.02

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

11.37

Max: 17.91
MSFT: 11.37
Q3: 8.78
Median: 4.25
Q1: 2.23
Min: 0.02

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Gartner (IT) reports a negative P/B ratio of -348.81, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Microsoft (MSFT) reports 8.38, ranking against industry peers normally.

IT

Software & Services industry group

-348.81

Max: 16.63
Q3: 8.50
Median: 4.30
Q1: 1.92
Min: -3.90
IT: -348.81

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

8.38

Max: 16.63
Q3: 8.50
MSFT: 8.38
Median: 4.30
Q1: 1.92
Min: -3.90

Gartner (IT) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Gartner (IT) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Metric	IT	MSFT
P/E Ratio (TTM)	13.62	27.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.86	11.37
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	-348.81	8.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	8.90%	0.08%