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SAP vs. WDAY: SAP vs. Workday Stock Comparison

How do SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY) 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

SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Workday (WDAY) trades as ordinary local shares, while SAP (SAP) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
Profile ItemSAPWDAY
NameSAP SE Sponsored ADRWorkday Inc Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionGermanyUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareApplication Software
Market Capitalization269.45 billion USD46.49 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateSeptember 18, 1995October 12, 2012
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SAP
WDAY
GSPC
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY), 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 SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Total Return (1Y)-3.87%-14.74%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.21%-5.22%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)11.79%-8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SAP
WDAY
GSPC
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY), 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 SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)39.05%54.35%
Beta (5Y)1.091.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-52.26%-63.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.27M3.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SAP and WDAY 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 SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.21-0.35
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.29-0.54

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

SAP (SAP) at 18.18% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Workday (WDAY) at 16.01% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for SAP.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

18.18%

Max
53.85%
SAP
18.18%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

16.01%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
WDAY
16.01%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

SAP (SAP) at 20.41% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Workday (WDAY) at 12.32%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

20.41%

Max
41.17%
SAP
20.41%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

12.32%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
WDAY
12.32%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

SAP (SAP) at 29.50% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Workday (WDAY) at 11.82%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

29.50%

Max
46.89%
SAP
29.50%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

11.82%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
WDAY
11.82%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
ROE (TTM)18.18%16.01%
ROA (TTM)9.91%4.51%
Net Margin (TTM)20.41%12.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)29.50%11.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.58%75.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both SAP (SAP) at 7.68% and Workday (WDAY) at 13.10% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

SAP (SAP) at 130.19% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Workday (WDAY) at 32.82% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for SAP.

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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.68%13.10%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.63%15.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)130.19%32.82%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)46.25%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

SAP (SAP) at 1.16 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Workday (WDAY) at 0.91 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WDAY.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

1.16

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
SAP
1.16
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.91

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
WDAY
0.91
Min
0.03
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both SAP (SAP) at 0.23 and Workday (WDAY) at 0.58 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

0.23

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
SAP
0.23
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.58

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
WDAY
0.58
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.160.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.230.58
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.030.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile SAP (SAP) reports a yield of 1.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

1.03%

SAP
1.03%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

WDAY
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Workday (WDAY) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile SAP (SAP) reports a payout of 36.45%, ranking against industry peers normally.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

36.45%

SAP
36.45%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

WDAY
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.03%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)36.45%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both SAP (SAP) at 29.07 and Workday (WDAY) at 39.29 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

29.07

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
SAP
29.07
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

39.29

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
WDAY
39.29
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both SAP (SAP) at 6.84 and Workday (WDAY) at 4.58 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

6.84

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
SAP
6.84
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

4.58

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
WDAY
4.58
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Workday (WDAY) at 7.20 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while SAP (SAP) at 73.25 prices above its benchmark range — SAP looks rich relative to book.

SAP

Software & Services industry group

73.25

SAP
73.25
Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

WDAY

Software & Services industry group

7.20

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
WDAY
7.20
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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SAP (SAP) vs. Workday (WDAY): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for SAP (SAP) and Workday (WDAY)
MetricSAPWDAY
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.0739.29
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.844.58
P/B Ratio (MRQ)73.257.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.73%6.55%