WallStSmart

Crown Castle (CCI)vsFortinet Inc (FTNT)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Fortinet Inc generates 69% more annual revenue ($7.11B vs $4.21B). FTNT leads profitability with a 27.5% profit margin vs 25.1%. CCI appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.50. FTNT earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 67/100 (B-).

CCI

Hold

49

out of 100

Grade: D+

Growth: 3.3Profit: 7.0Value: 4.0Quality: 4.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: -0.67

FTNT

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 8.0Profit: 9.5Value: 4.7Quality: 5.5
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 1.50
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

CCISignificantly Overvalued (-29.8%)

Margin of Safety

-29.8%

Fair Value

$66.29

Current Price

$94.49

$28.20 premium

UndervaluedFair: $66.29Overvalued
FTNTUndervalued (+45.4%)

Margin of Safety

+45.4%

Fair Value

$265.15

Current Price

$149.67

$115.48 discount

UndervaluedFair: $265.15Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CCI3 strengths · Avg: 9.7/10
Operating MarginProfitability
47.7%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 47.7%

Debt/EquityHealth
-12.8610/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Profit MarginProfitability
25.1%9/10

Keeps 25 of every $100 in revenue as profit

FTNT6 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Return on EquityProfitability
197.5%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 197 in profit

Operating MarginProfitability
31.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 31.3%

Market CapQuality
$109.06B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Profit MarginProfitability
27.5%9/10

Keeps 28 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Revenue GrowthGrowth
20.1%8/10

Revenue surging 20.1% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
28.6%8/10

Earnings expanding 28.6% YoY

Areas to Watch

CCI4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
P/E RatioValuation
38.9x4/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

Return on EquityProfitability
-206.7%2/10

ROE of -206.7% — below average capital efficiency

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-4.8%2/10

Revenue declined 4.8%

FTNT4 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.504/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

PEG RatioValuation
3.322/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
57.7x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
110.9x2/10

Trading at 110.9x book value

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CCI

The strongest argument for CCI centers on Operating Margin, Debt/Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 25.1% and operating margin at 47.7%.

Bull Case : FTNT

The strongest argument for FTNT centers on Return on Equity, Operating Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 27.5% and operating margin at 31.3%. Revenue growth of 20.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : CCI

The primary concerns for CCI are P/E Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, Return on Equity.

Bear Case : FTNT

The primary concerns for FTNT are Altman Z-Score, PEG Ratio, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 57.7x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

CCI profiles as a declining stock while FTNT is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

CCI carries more volatility with a beta of 0.95 — expect wider price swings.

FTNT is growing revenue faster at 20.1% — sustainability is the question.

FTNT generates stronger free cash flow (1.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

FTNT scores higher overall (67/100 vs 49/100), backed by strong 27.5% margins and 20.1% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Hold" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Crown Castle

REAL ESTATE · REIT - SPECIALTY · USA

Crown Castle is a real estate investment trust and provider of shared communications infrastructure in the United States. Its network includes over 40,000 cell towers and nearly 80,000 route miles of fiber supporting small cells and fiber solutions. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company has 100 offices nationwide.

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Fortinet Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SOFTWARE - INFRASTRUCTURE · USA

Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. It develops and sells cybersecurity solutions, including but not limited to physical products such as firewalls, plus software and services such as anti-virus protection, intrusion prevention systems and endpoint security components.

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