PANW vs. ZS: Palo Alto Networks vs. Zscaler Stock Comparison
How do Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Zscaler (ZS) 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
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and Zscaler (ZS) are both classified in the Systems Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | Zscaler Inc. |
| 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 | Systems Software | Systems Software |
| Market Capitalization | 256.86 billion USD | 32.23 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | July 20, 2012 | March 16, 2018 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 53.99% | -37.61% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 39.16% | 5.36% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 30.80% | -10.75% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 51.34% | 68.66% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.00 | 0.88 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -36.01% | -76.41% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 6.03M | 2.92M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.97 | -0.61 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.49 | -0.79 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Zscaler (ZS) reports a negative ROE of -2.87%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports 1.74%, ranking against industry peers normally.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
1.74%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- PANW
- 1.74%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
ZS
Software & Services industry group
-2.87%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- ZS
- -2.87%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Zscaler (ZS) reports a negative net margin of -1.89%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports 2.67%, ranking against industry peers normally.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
2.67%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- PANW
- 2.67%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
ZS
Software & Services industry group
-1.89%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- ZS
- -1.89%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Zscaler (ZS) reports a negative operating margin of -1.01%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports 5.40%, ranking against industry peers normally.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
5.40%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- PANW
- 5.40%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
ZS
Software & Services industry group
-1.01%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- ZS
- -1.01%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 1.74% | -2.87% |
| ROA (TTM) | 1.40% | -1.03% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 2.67% | -1.89% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 5.40% | -1.01% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 70.38% | 76.87% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 24.50% and Zscaler (ZS) at 25.42% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports EPS growth of -75.00%, ranked against its industry; Zscaler (ZS) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 24.50% | 25.42% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 18.54% | 27.51% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -75.00% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -14.50% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Zscaler (ZS) at 1.70 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 0.87 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for PANW.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
0.87
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- PANW
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.03
ZS
Software & Services industry group
1.70
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- ZS
- 1.70
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 0.09 and Zscaler (ZS) at 0.72 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
0.09
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- PANW
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
ZS
Software & Services industry group
0.72
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- ZS
- 0.72
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.87 | 1.70 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.09 | 0.72 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.32 | -36.63 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Palo Alto Networks (PANW) nor Zscaler (ZS) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- PANW
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZS
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- ZS
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Palo Alto Networks (PANW) nor Zscaler (ZS) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- PANW
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZS
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- ZS
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) trades at 784.60 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Zscaler (ZS) has no P/E ratio this period.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
784.60
- PANW
- 784.60
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
ZS
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
- ZS
- --
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Both look expensive on sales: Zscaler (ZS) at 9.61 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 22.37 prices even higher, above its industry range.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
22.37
- PANW
- 22.37
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
ZS
Software & Services industry group
9.61
- Max
- 17.91
- ZS
- 9.61
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 9.30 and Zscaler (ZS) at 12.40 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.
PANW
Software & Services industry group
9.30
- Max
- 16.63
- PANW
- 9.30
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
ZS
Software & Services industry group
12.40
- Max
- 16.63
- ZS
- 12.40
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PANW | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 784.60 | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 22.37 | 9.61 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 9.30 | 12.40 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.65% | 3.34% |