WallStSmart

Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (CRWD)vsPhotronics Inc (PLAB)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Crowdstrike Holdings Inc generates 523% more annual revenue ($5.40B vs $866.82M). PLAB leads profitability with a 19.1% profit margin vs 0.8%. PLAB appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.64. PLAB earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 66/100 (B-).

CRWD

Hold

43

out of 100

Grade: D

Growth: 9.3Profit: 3.0Value: 3.0Quality: 6.0
Piotroski: 2/9Altman Z: 1.00

PLAB

Strong Buy

66

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 5.3Profit: 7.0Value: 5.7Quality: 8.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 6.58

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CRWD4 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$211.69B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

EPS GrowthGrowth
533.0%10/10

Earnings expanding 533.0% YoY

Debt/EquityHealth
0.169/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Revenue GrowthGrowth
25.8%8/10

Revenue surging 25.8% year-over-year

PLAB6 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
P/E RatioValuation
10.4x10/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Price/BookValuation
1.3x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0010/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
6.5810/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Operating MarginProfitability
21.1%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 21.1%

EPS GrowthGrowth
25.6%8/10

Earnings expanding 25.6% YoY

Areas to Watch

CRWD4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
Return on EquityProfitability
1.1%3/10

ROE of 1.1% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
0.8%3/10

0.8% margin — thin

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
6.682/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

PLAB4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
2.7%4/10

2.7% revenue growth

Market CapQuality
$1.67B3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
2.642/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CRWD

The strongest argument for CRWD centers on Market Cap, EPS Growth, Debt/Equity. Revenue growth of 25.8% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : PLAB

The strongest argument for PLAB centers on P/E Ratio, Price/Book, Debt/Equity. Profitability is solid with margins at 19.1% and operating margin at 21.1%.

Bear Case : CRWD

The primary concerns for CRWD are Return on Equity, Profit Margin, Piotroski F-Score. A P/E of 5168.5x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 0.8% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Bear Case : PLAB

The primary concerns for PLAB are Revenue Growth, Market Cap, Piotroski F-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

CRWD profiles as a growth stock while PLAB is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.

PLAB carries more volatility with a beta of 1.35 — expect wider price swings.

CRWD is growing revenue faster at 25.8% — sustainability is the question.

CRWD generates stronger free cash flow (406M), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

PLAB scores higher overall (66/100 vs 43/100), backed by strong 19.1% margins. 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.

Crowdstrike Holdings Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SOFTWARE - INFRASTRUCTURE · USA

CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. provides cloud solutions for endpoint and cloud workload protection in the United States, Australia, Germany, India, Israel, Romania, and the United Kingdom. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

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Photronics Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS · USA

Photronics, Inc. manufactures and sells photomask products and services in the United States, Taiwan, Korea, Europe, China, and internationally. The company is headquartered in Brookfield, Connecticut.

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