PALO ALTO NETWORKS, INC vs Seagate Technology Holdings plc, two Computer Hardware stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Negative 6.1 is the figure that defines this pair: Palo Alto's operating margin, a loss-making line priced at 248.9 times trailing earnings, against Seagate's positive 32.1% priced at 85.1 times. The inversion is deliberate; the market reads Palo Alto's losses as land-grab spending inside a 67.6% gross margin security franchise, and Seagate's profits as a drive cycle at its crest. Seagate's 217% return on equity divides 3.5 turns of leverage into a sliver of equity, so the 26.7% return on assets carries the truth. Palo Alto's returns are simply small, 1.8% on assets, awaiting the harvest. A buyer here chooses between paying peak prices for peak earnings and paying more still for earnings that are mostly plans.
Comparison updated 2026-07-10.
| Metric | PANW | STX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $303.60 | $896.74 |
| Market cap | $243.2B | $205.4B |
| Sector | Computer Hardware | Computer Hardware |
| Stage | Growth | Growth |
| P/E | 248.8 | 85.1 |
| P/B | 8.79 | 187.54 |
| P/S | 22.93 | 18.65 |
| EV/EBITDA | 217.2 | 65.5 |
| Revenue growth | +19.4% | +29.1% |
| Gross margin | 67.5% | — |
| Operating margin | -6.1% | 32.1% |
| Net margin | 8.0% | 21.6% |
| Return on equity | 3.0% | 217.2% |
| Return on assets | 1.8% | 26.7% |
| Return on invested capital | 2.9% | 54.2% |
| FCF yield | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Dividend yield | — | 0.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.00 | 3.53 |
| Current ratio | 0.86 | 1.33 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 6.28 | 6.66 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 4 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.