WallStSmart

CME Group Inc (CME)vsPalo Alto Networks Inc (PANW)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Palo Alto Networks Inc generates 52% more annual revenue ($9.89B vs $6.51B). CME leads profitability with a 62.6% profit margin vs 13.0%. PANW appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.96. CME earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 63/100 (C+).

CME

Buy

63

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 7.3Profit: 7.5Value: 7.3Quality: 5.5
Piotroski: 1/9

PANW

Buy

58

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 8.0Profit: 7.0Value: 2.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 1/9Altman Z: 1.02
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

CMEUndervalued (+43.8%)

Margin of Safety

+43.8%

Fair Value

$522.76

Current Price

$293.93

$228.83 discount

UndervaluedFair: $522.76Overvalued
PANWSignificantly Overvalued (-81.9%)

Margin of Safety

-81.9%

Fair Value

$84.24

Current Price

$153.22

$68.98 premium

UndervaluedFair: $84.24Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CME6 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Profit MarginProfitability
62.6%10/10

Keeps 63 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
63.8%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 63.8%

Market CapQuality
$105.67B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Debt/EquityHealth
0.129/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

EPS GrowthGrowth
35.0%8/10

Earnings expanding 35.0% YoY

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.10B8/10

Generating 1.1B in free cash flow

PANW3 strengths · Avg: 9.7/10
EPS GrowthGrowth
60.5%10/10

Earnings expanding 60.5% YoY

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0410/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Market CapQuality
$128.28B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Areas to Watch

CME3 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
P/E RatioValuation
26.3x4/10

Moderate valuation

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
1/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
5.842/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

PANW4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
Price/BookValuation
11.5x4/10

Trading at 11.5x book value

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
1/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
2.962/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
87.3x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CME

The strongest argument for CME centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 62.6% and operating margin at 63.8%.

Bull Case : PANW

The strongest argument for PANW centers on EPS Growth, Debt/Equity, Market Cap. Revenue growth of 14.9% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : CME

The primary concerns for CME are P/E Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio.

Bear Case : PANW

The primary concerns for PANW are Price/Book, Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio. A P/E of 87.3x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

CME profiles as a mature stock while PANW is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.

PANW carries more volatility with a beta of 0.82 — expect wider price swings.

PANW is growing revenue faster at 14.9% — sustainability is the question.

CME generates stronger free cash flow (1.1B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

CME scores higher overall (63/100 vs 58/100), backed by strong 62.6% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

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

CME Group Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · FINANCIAL DATA & STOCK EXCHANGES · USA

CME Group Inc. (Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, New York Mercantile Exchange, The Commodity Exchange) is an American global markets company. It is the world's largest financial derivatives exchange, and trades in asset classes that include agricultural products, currencies, energy, interest rates, metals, stock indexes and cryptocurrencies futures.

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Palo Alto Networks Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SOFTWARE - INFRASTRUCTURE · USA

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. provides cybersecurity platform solutions globally. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

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