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Arista Networks vs Fortinet: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Arista Networks leads structurally, with profitability as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. Fortinet still has the edge on growth, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Profitability still does most of the heavy lifting in this comparison. The overall score gap is 12 points in favour of Arista Networks, Inc..

Trajectory Similarity
0.71
Similar
Peer-set rank: #11
within Arista Networks, Inc.'s functional peer set

These two companies are linked by measured long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

A solid similarity means the pair shares a clearly comparable long-term financial profile, even if individual dimensions still differ.

The clearest structural overlap shows up in margin trend and capital structure.

Similarity drivers
margin trendcapital structure
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
ANET
Arista Networks, Inc.
61
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
FTNT
Fortinet, Inc.
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: ANET vs FTNT Profitability 93 40 Stability 44 50 Valuation 39 40 Growth 65 77 ANET FTNT
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +53
#2 Growth +12
#3 Stability +6
#4 Valuation +1
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ANET and FTNT Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ANETFTNT Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup stays mixed because structure and the price setup do not align cleanly in one direction.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where ANET and FTNT each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ANET Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 4 pct gap FTNT Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 95th 99th
ANET (95th percentile) and FTNT (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Both profiles are strong on profitability, but Arista Networks, Inc. leads clearly.
Growth
The same pattern holds on growth: both sit in the stronger range, with Arista Networks, Inc. still higher.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
ANET
93
FTNT
40
Gap+53in favour of ANET

The profitability lead is mainly driven by a 11.5-point operating margin advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Stability is the one area where Fortinet, Inc. still pushes back materially — it is the steadier name on this dimension, which keeps the result from reading as one-way.

What this means for the comparison

The profitability lead is clear, but pricing and growth still pull in the other direction — the result holds, but not without friction.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ANET vs FTNT comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

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Similar profitability-driven comparisons

Explore how ANET and FTNT each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.