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Stocks/Information Technology/Communications Equipment

F5FFIV

Communications Equipment · Seattle, Washington · In the S&P 500
Solid business
$338.34−6.91%After hours: $338.80 (+0.14%)At the close, 30 Oct · Prices from CNBC, may be delayed
▲ 30.8% over 1 year
F5 over 1 yearDaily close, $, to 30 Oct 2026
$300$400Nov2026MarMayJulSep$338.34$300$400NovMarJul$338.34
Source: Nasdaq daily closes
Market value$19.22B
Price to earnings27.0x
Forward P/E19.6x
Dividend yield–
Year to date+32.5%
One year+30.8%
Next earningsNot scheduled
SectorInformation Technology
52-week range (closes)
$223.99$479.83

Quality and valuation

How F5 compares with other information technology stocks. A description, not a recommendation.

F5 and 5 communications equipment peers. Across: valuation (P/E) against the sector. Up: business quality against the sector. Hover or tap a logo for its numbers.

Business quality: about averageValuation: in line with its sector

An average business among information technology companies, priced about in line with them.

F5 trades at 19.6 times the next 12 months of expected earnings, against a median of 22.2x for the 99 information technology stocks we cover. The quality score blends where it ranks on revenue growth, gross margin, operating margin and free-cash-flow margin (net margin for banks and insurers) over the last 12 months, from SEC filings.

  • Revenue grew slower than the sector median: +9.4% vs +20.6%
  • Keeps more of each sale (gross margin): 81.9% vs 61.5%
  • More profitable (operating margin): 24.5% vs 17.0%
  • Turns more of its sales into cash: 29.3% vs 21.7%
FFIV trades at 19.6x forward earnings, below the sector medianForward p/e, Communications Equipment peers
FFIV19.6xCSCO20.4xMSI27.1xCIEN30.8xANET36.4xLITE38.6xSector median 22.2xFFIV19.6xCSCO20.4xMSI27.1xCIEN30.8xANET36.4xLITE38.6xSector median 22.2x
Source: CNBC quotes; Mostly Markets
At 26.9x earnings, FFIV is cheaper than its average since Aug 2024Price over the last 12 months of reported (GAAP) diluted EPS
P/EUsual range (±1 s.d.)
20x25x30x35xAverage 27.1x2025202626.9x20x30xAverage 27.1x2025202626.9x
Source: Nasdaq prices; SEC filings

Financials

From F5's SEC filings, through the quarter ending 30 Jun 2026. Hover or tap a bar for its value.

Revenue grew 10.9% from a year earlierQuarterly revenue, $m, latest Q3 ’26
$0m$250m$500m$750mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$865mQ3 ’26$0m$500mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$865mQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Growth slowed to +10.9% last quarterRevenue growth, year on year, %
0%5%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2510.9%Q3 ’260%5%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2510.9%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Operating margin was 24.7% last quarterOperating income as a share of revenue, %
0%10%20%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2524.7%Q3 ’260%10%20%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2524.7%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Free cash flow was $970 million over 12 monthsQuarterly free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capex), $m
$0m$100m$200m$300mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$281mQ3 ’26$0m$200mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$281mQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Last 12 monthsFFIVSector median
Revenue growth+9.4%+20.6%
Gross margin81.9%61.5%
Operating margin24.5%17.0%
Free cash flow margin29.3%21.7%
Price to earnings27.0x33.1x

Stories on F5

Friday, 30 October
Big movers

Stocks Making the Biggest Moves This Week: Reddit, ServiceNow, F5, Fortinet and Intel

Reddit plunged 36.4% this week on a soft forecast, and ServiceNow, F5, Fortinet, and Intel each lost about a quarter or more of their value after their own disappointing outlooks.

RDDT▼ 29.2%
Five dominoes toppling across a rooftop
Thursday, 29 October
Big movers

Stocks Making the Biggest Moves Yesterday: F5, Vertiv, Oracle, Alphabet and Sandisk

F5 plunged 20.4% on its forecast, Vertiv soared 16.5% and Oracle 10.7% on Wednesday, and Alphabet plunged 10.8% after hours, as of 5:53 p.m. ET, after its search revenue missed.

FFIV▼ 0.6%
Screens of market charts
Wednesday, 28 October
Why it moved

F5 (FFIV) Shares Plunge After a Soft Forecast and a Piper Sandler Downgrade

F5 plunged 20.4% on Wednesday, the worst S&P 500 stock of the day, after forecasting 8% to 9% growth and lower margins, and Piper Sandler cut it to Neutral.

FFIV▼ 20.4%
A software office at night

Similar companies

Communications Equipment, by market value.

CompanyPriceTodayYTDValue
CSCOCisco$104.51−3.76%+35.7%$412B
ANETArista Networks$168.86−8.34%+28.9%$213B
MSIMotorola Solutions$491.53−0.11%+28.2%$81.34B
LITELumentum$840.70−8.57%+128.1%$76.15B
CIENCiena$320.72−8.22%+37.1%$45.48B