Home Compare FFIV vs NTAP
Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Software - Infrastructure

F5 vs NetApp: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

NetApp holds the cleaner structural position, with profitability as the main driver and valuation adding further support. F5 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

The clearest score difference appears in profitability. NetApp, Inc. leads by 13 points on the overall comparison score.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Software - Infrastructure

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. FFIV and NTAP share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how F5 and NetApp each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
FFIV
F5, Inc.
54
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
NTAP
NetApp, Inc.
67
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

Score differences across key dimensions.

Dimension spread: FFIV vs NTAP Profitability 57 84 Stability 63 62 Valuation 58 81 Growth 35 21 FFIV NTAP
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +27
#2 Valuation +23
#3 Growth +14
#4 Stability +1
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for FFIV and NTAP Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer FFIVNTAP Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against F5, Inc..

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

Entry today — historical context

Where FFIV and NTAP each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY FFIV Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 6 pct gap NTAP Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 94th
FFIV (99th percentile) and NTAP (94th 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 NetApp, Inc. leads clearly.
Valuation
On valuation, the edge is clear — both rank well, but NetApp, Inc. sits noticeably higher.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
FFIV
57
NTAP
84
Gap+27in favour of NTAP

Capital efficiency adds support, with a 113-point ROIC advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Growth still leans toward F5, Inc., so the lead is real without reading as one-way.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver of the lead, with valuation adding further support — though growth still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the FFIV vs NTAP comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-and-valuation comparisons

Explore how FFIV and NTAP 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.