Quick verdict: ADI vs CRWD in 2026

Analog Devices (ADI) demonstrates a stronger fundamental position with superior profitability and more reasonable valuation metrics, while CrowdStrike (CRWD) leads with higher revenue growth and significant analyst price target upside. Overall, ADI appears to have the edge on financial stability and current profitability, making it a compelling choice for investors prioritizing established strength. CRWD, however, offers a higher growth trajectory. This is not investment advice.

ADI vs CRWD: key metrics side by side

Full side-by-side comparison of ADI and CRWD across valuation, profitability, growth and analyst sentiment. Data updated 2026-05-07.

ADI vs CRWD valuation comparison

When considering ADI vs CRWD valuation, investors face a stark contrast between a mature, profitable semiconductor giant and a high-growth, yet currently unprofitable, cybersecurity innovator. Analog Devices (ADI) trades at a P/E ratio of 75.07x. While this is a high multiple, it reflects the company’s established profitability with a net margin of 23.02%. Its Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio stands at 6.01x, indicating that the market values ADI significantly above its book value, but this is a common characteristic for successful technology companies with strong intellectual property and brand value. The discounted cash flow (DCF) model suggests ADI is overvalued by 50.1%, trading at $415.63 against a DCF estimate of $207.5.

CrowdStrike (CRWD), on the other hand, presents a different valuation picture altogether. Its P/E ratio is an outlier at -645.34x due to its current negative net margin of -3.81%, signifying unprofitability on a GAAP basis. For high-growth companies like CRWD, P/E is often not the most relevant metric, with investors focusing more on revenue growth and future profitability. However, its P/B ratio is considerably higher at 26.7x, reflecting market optimism about its future earnings potential in the rapidly expanding cybersecurity sector. The DCF model for CRWD shows an even more significant overvaluation, with a current price of $468.07 against a DCF estimate of just $18.28, implying a severe -96.1% downside according to this model. Despite the negative P/E winning for CRWD in the scorecard, which suggests it is cheaper for being unprofitable, ADI appears “less” expensive based on a positive P/E, a lower P/B, and a less severe DCF overvaluation. Investors seeking more traditional valuation signals might find ADI’s metrics more palatable, even if both appear richly valued.

ADI vs CRWD growth comparison

In an ADI vs CRWD growth comparison, CrowdStrike (CRWD) clearly demonstrates stronger top-line momentum, aligning with its profile as a leading cybersecurity growth stock. CRWD reported a robust revenue growth of +21.7% year-over-year, significantly outpacing Analog Devices (ADI) which grew its revenue by +16.9% over the same period. This higher growth rate for CRWD reflects the urgent and expanding demand for its cloud-native security platform amidst increasing cyber threats, positioning it favorably within its industry. Its smaller revenue base of $4.81 billion compared to ADI’s $11.02 billion also provides more room for percentage growth acceleration.

While CRWD leads in revenue growth, ADI still showcases respectable growth for a more established company in the semiconductor sector. ADI’s +16.9% revenue growth indicates strong demand for its analog, mixed-signal, and DSP integrated circuits across various end markets, including industrial, automotive, communications, and consumer. However, a crucial distinction emerges when considering profitability alongside growth. Despite CRWD’s higher revenue growth, its net margin is -3.81% and EBITDA margin is only 2.32%. In contrast, ADI’s lower, yet still substantial, revenue growth is accompanied by highly impressive profitability metrics, including a net margin of 23.02% and an EBITDA margin of 46.99%. This indicates that while CRWD is expanding its top-line faster, ADI is achieving more profitable growth, making it an appealing option for investors who prioritize both growth and strong financial health. Based purely on top-line expansion, CRWD has stronger momentum, but ADI’s growth is much more efficient.

ADI vs CRWD profitability

The ADI vs CRWD profitability analysis reveals a significant advantage for Analog Devices (ADI), reflecting its mature business model and efficient operations within the semiconductor industry. ADI boasts an impressive net margin of 23.02%, indicating its ability to convert a substantial portion of its revenue into profit. This is further supported by an outstanding EBITDA margin of 46.99%, highlighting excellent operational efficiency before accounting for non-operating expenses. ADI also demonstrates a stronger Free Cash Flow (FCF) yield of 2.25%, signifying its robust cash generation capabilities. While its Return on Equity (ROE) is currently N/A%, its overall profitability metrics paint a picture of a financially sound and well-managed company.

Conversely, CrowdStrike (CRWD), despite its rapid growth, is currently operating at a loss on a GAAP basis, with a net margin of -3.81%. Its EBITDA margin of 2.32% is positive but significantly lower than ADI’s, suggesting that while the company is generating positive operating cash flow, it is still incurring substantial expenses related to sales, marketing, and R&D typical for a high-growth technology firm aggressively expanding its market share. CRWD’s FCF yield stands at 1.04%, which is positive but less than half of ADI’s, indicating lower cash conversion efficiency. Like ADI, CRWD’s ROE is also N/A%. For investors prioritizing current earnings and financial stability, ADI clearly generates more cash and is the far more profitable entity at this stage of its business lifecycle. CRWD’s profitability is a future prospect, contingent on scaling and achieving economies of scale.

Analyst ratings: ADI vs CRWD

Examining the analyst ratings for ADI vs CRWD provides valuable insights into market sentiment and future expectations for both companies. Analog Devices (ADI) has garnered significant confidence from the analyst community, with 54 analysts covering the stock. A substantial 79.6% of these analysts recommend a “Buy” rating, reflecting strong positive sentiment. The consensus rating for ADI is a “Buy.” However, the average price target set by analysts is $378.56, which implies a potential downside of -8.9% from its current price of $415.63. This suggests that while analysts are generally positive on the long-term prospects of ADI, they see the current valuation as somewhat stretched relative to their models.

CrowdStrike (CRWD) also enjoys a strong “Buy” consensus from analysts, with a slightly larger pool of 65 analysts providing coverage. Of these, 75.4% have issued a “Buy” recommendation, which is marginally lower than ADI’s buy percentage but still indicates widespread confidence. Crucially, the analyst consensus price target for CRWD is $523.58, representing an attractive upside of +11.9% from its current price of $468.07. This implies that analysts see more immediate appreciation potential for CRWD’s stock despite its current unprofitability and high valuation metrics. Therefore, while ADI has a higher percentage of “Buy” ratings, analysts see more near-term price target upside in CRWD.

Should I buy ADI or CRWD stock in 2026?

The decision of whether you should buy ADI or CRWD stock in 2026 largely depends on your investment philosophy and risk tolerance. For growth investors seeking high top-line expansion, CrowdStrike (CRWD) presents a compelling case. With a revenue growth rate of +21.7% year-over-year, significantly higher than ADI’s 16.9%, CRWD is riding the powerful tailwinds of the expanding cybersecurity market. Its innovation in cloud-native security positions it well for continued market share gains. However, this growth comes at the expense of current profitability, as evidenced by its negative net margin and high valuation multiples. Investors prioritizing aggressive growth and market disruption may find CRWD more appealing, accepting the higher risk for potentially higher rewards.

For value investors, or those who prioritize established profitability and more robust financial metrics, Analog Devices (ADI) might be the better choice. ADI’s P/B ratio of 6.01x is considerably lower than CRWD’s 26.7x, and its DCF estimate shows a less severe overvaluation (-50.1% vs -96.1%). While its P/E of 75.07x is still elevated, it reflects actual earnings and a strong net margin of 23.02%. ADI offers a more grounded investment in a critical technology sector, demonstrating consistent profitability and strong free cash flow generation. Its more conservative valuation compared to CRWD, coupled with its consistent performance, makes it a potentially more stable option for those less inclined towards speculative growth.

Regarding income, ADI is the clear winner as it provides a dividend, albeit a very modest one, with a yield of 0.01%. CrowdStrike (CRWD) currently does not offer a dividend (0% yield), as is typical for high-growth companies that reinvest all their earnings back into the business for expansion. Therefore, for investors looking for even a minimal income stream alongside potential capital appreciation, ADI is the only option between these two. Ultimately, your choice between ADI and CRWD in 2026 will be a balance between CRWD’s high growth potential and ADI’s established profitability and more conservative valuation. This is not investment advice; always conduct thorough personal research.

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