TWLO vs. ZS: Twilio vs. Zscaler Stock Comparison
How do Twilio (TWLO) 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
Twilio (TWLO) and Zscaler (ZS) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but TWLO is classified in IT Services while ZS is classified in Software.
| Profile Item | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Twilio Inc. Class A Common Stock | Zscaler Inc. |
| 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 | Internet Services & Infrastructure | Systems Software |
| Market Capitalization | 31.26 billion USD | 32.23 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 23, 2016 | March 16, 2018 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 61.15% | -37.61% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 54.31% | 5.36% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -7.91% | -10.75% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 63.75% | 68.66% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.48 | 0.88 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -86.25% | -76.41% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.05M | 2.92M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.89 | -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 Twilio (TWLO) reports 14.92%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
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 Twilio (TWLO) reports 21.82%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
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 Twilio (TWLO) reports 9.53%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
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 | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 14.92% | -2.87% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.69% | -1.03% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 21.82% | -1.89% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 9.53% | -1.01% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 48.61% | 76.87% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Twilio (TWLO) at 13.66% 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
Neither Twilio (TWLO) nor Zscaler (ZS) reports a EPS growth value for this period, so a direct comparison isn't possible.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 13.66% | 25.42% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.82% | 27.51% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Zscaler (ZS) at 1.70 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.
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
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 Twilio (TWLO) at 0.12 and Zscaler (ZS) at 0.72 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
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
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 | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 4.47 | 1.70 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.12 | 0.72 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -3.13 | -36.63 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Twilio (TWLO) nor Zscaler (ZS) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
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 Twilio (TWLO) nor Zscaler (ZS) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
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 | TWLO | 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: Twilio (TWLO) trades at 25.38 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Zscaler (ZS) has no P/E ratio this period.
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
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)
Twilio (TWLO) at 5.36 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Zscaler (ZS) at 9.61 sits in the pricier quartile — ZS costs more per dollar of sales.
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
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)
Twilio (TWLO) at 3.41 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Zscaler (ZS) at 12.40 carries an above-peer premium to book — ZS is pricier on assets.
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
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 | TWLO | ZS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 25.38 | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 5.36 | 9.61 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 3.41 | 12.40 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 3.45% | 3.34% |