Qualys (QLYS)
Market Price (11/13/2025): $150.09 | Market Cap: $5.4 BilSector: Information Technology | Industry: Systems Software
Qualys (QLYS)
Market Price (11/13/2025): $150.09Market Cap: $5.4 BilSector: Information TechnologyIndustry: Systems Software
Investment Highlights
Why It Matters
Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?
1. Generates cash flow
The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.
2. Riding a trend
Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow
| Attractive operating marginsOp Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 33% | Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -67%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -44% | |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 43%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 42% | Meaningful short interestShort Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 10.76 | |
| Attractive yieldFCF Yield is 5.0% | ||
| Low stock price volatilityVol 12M is 35% | ||
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing. Themes include Software Security, Cloud Security, Show more. |
| Attractive operating marginsOp Mgn LTMOperating Margin = Operating Income / Revenue Reflects profitability before taxes and before impact of capital structure (interest payments). is 33% |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 43%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 42% |
| Attractive yieldFCF Yield is 5.0% |
| Low stock price volatilityVol 12M is 35% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Cybersecurity, and Cloud Computing. Themes include Software Security, Cloud Security, Show more. |
| Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -67%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -44% |
| Meaningful short interestShort Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 10.76 |
Market Valuation & Key Metrics
QLYS Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
Here are five key points explaining Qualys' (QLYS) stock movement of 12.8% from July 31, 2025, to November 13, 2025:
1. Strong Q3 2025 Earnings Beat and Raised Guidance: On November 4, 2025, Qualys announced its third-quarter 2025 financial results, significantly exceeding Wall Street's expectations. The company reported revenues of $169.9 million, an increase of 10.4% year-over-year, surpassing analyst estimates of $166.3 million. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.86, beating the consensus estimate of $1.56. Following these strong results, Qualys also raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance, signaling confidence in its continued performance.
2. Solid Q2 2025 Financial Performance: Earlier in the period, on August 5, 2025, Qualys reported its second-quarter 2025 financial results, showing a 10% year-over-year revenue increase to $164.1 million. The company also raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to a range of $656 million to $662 million. These positive results at the outset of the period likely established a strong baseline for investor confidence.
Stock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| QLYS Return | 46% | 13% | -18% | 75% | -29% | 7% | 80% |
| Peers Return | 27% | -1% | -43% | 16% | 54% | -4% | 22% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 112% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| QLYS Win Rate | 58% | 67% | 25% | 83% | 33% | 30% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 25% | 57% | 22% | 55% | 53% | 52% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 70% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| QLYS Max Drawdown | -18% | -25% | -20% | -9% | -39% | -18% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -13% | -12% | -49% | -23% | -39% | -28% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: GWRE, INFA, TENB, ARQQ, ATGL. See QLYS Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 11/12/2025 (YTD)
How Low Can It Go
| Event | QLYS | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Inflation Shock | ||
| % Loss | -36.9% | -25.4% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 58.4% | 34.1% |
| Time to Breakeven | 406 days | 464 days |
| 2020 Covid Pandemic | ||
| % Loss | -29.2% | -33.9% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 41.3% | 51.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 49 days | 148 days |
| 2018 Correction | ||
| % Loss | -30.1% | -19.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 43.0% | 24.7% |
| Time to Breakeven | 475 days | 120 days |
Compare to GWRE, INFA, TENB, ARQQ, ATGL
In The Past
Qualys's stock fell -36.9% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 1/27/2021. A -36.9% loss requires a 58.4% gain to breakeven.
Preserve Wealth
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
| Title | |
|---|---|
| ARTICLES |
Trade Ideas
Select past ideas related to QLYS. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10312025 | ZBRA | Zebra Technologies | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | -5.0% | -5.0% | -5.2% |
| 10312025 | ACN | Accenture | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -1.4% | -1.4% | -3.5% |
| 10312025 | ADBE | Adobe | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -1.0% | -1.0% | -3.9% |
| 10312025 | TXN | Texas Instruments | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 1.0% | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 10242025 | MRVL | Marvell Technology | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 6.2% | 6.2% | 0.0% |
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10312025 | ZBRA | Zebra Technologies | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | -5.0% | -5.0% | -5.2% |
| 10312025 | ACN | Accenture | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -1.4% | -1.4% | -3.5% |
| 10312025 | ADBE | Adobe | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -1.0% | -1.0% | -3.9% |
| 10312025 | TXN | Texas Instruments | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 1.0% | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 10242025 | MRVL | Marvell Technology | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 6.2% | 6.2% | 0.0% |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons for Qualys
Financials
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Price | 28.91 |
| Mkt Cap | 6.5 |
| Rev LTM | 1,089 |
| Op Inc LTM | 102 |
| FCF LTM | 276 |
| FCF 3Y Avg | 212 |
| CFO LTM | 291 |
| CFO 3Y Avg | 225 |
Growth & Margins
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Rev Chg LTM | 10.6% |
| Rev Chg 3Y Avg | 12.9% |
| Rev Chg Q | 10.8% |
| QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM | 2.6% |
| Op Mgn LTM | 6.6% |
| Op Mgn 3Y Avg | 1.9% |
| QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM | 1.2% |
| CFO/Rev LTM | 27.7% |
| CFO/Rev 3Y Avg | 21.8% |
| FCF/Rev LTM | 26.6% |
| FCF/Rev 3Y Avg | 20.8% |
Valuation
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Cap | 6.5 |
| P/S | 6.4 |
| P/EBIT | 167.5 |
| P/E | 147.8 |
| P/CFO | 17.6 |
| Total Yield | 0.3% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.0% |
| FCF Yield 3Y Avg | 4.6% |
| D/E | 0.1 |
| Net D/E | -0.0 |
Returns
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| 1M Rtn | -7.6% |
| 3M Rtn | -4.9% |
| 6M Rtn | 6.8% |
| 12M Rtn | 8.0% |
| 3Y Rtn | 18.6% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | -10.0% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | -8.4% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | -9.5% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | -7.9% |
| 3Y Excs Rtn | -44.2% |
Returns Analyses
Earnings Returns History
Expand for More| Forward Returns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Date | 1D Returns | 5D Returns | 21D Returns |
| 11/4/2025 | 20.6% | ||
| 8/5/2025 | -0.2% | -0.9% | 2.8% |
| 5/6/2025 | 0.6% | 7.8% | 10.2% |
| 2/6/2025 | -3.7% | 0.3% | -11.0% |
| 11/5/2024 | 24.2% | 20.5% | 22.3% |
| 8/6/2024 | -8.6% | -8.8% | -9.8% |
| 5/7/2024 | -9.8% | -9.8% | -18.6% |
| 2/7/2024 | -4.2% | -3.7% | -4.8% |
| ... | |||
| SUMMARY STATS | |||
| # Positive | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| # Negative | 14 | 13 | 14 |
| Median Positive | 8.6% | 6.7% | 12.4% |
| Median Negative | -5.9% | -8.0% | -8.9% |
| Max Positive | 24.2% | 20.8% | 22.9% |
| Max Negative | -16.0% | -18.8% | -21.6% |
SEC Filings
Expand for More| Report Date | Filing Date | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| 9302025 | 11042025 | 10-Q 9/30/2025 |
| 6302025 | 8052025 | 10-Q 6/30/2025 |
| 3312025 | 5062025 | 10-Q 3/31/2025 |
| 12312024 | 2212025 | 10-K 12/31/2024 |
| 9302024 | 11052024 | 10-Q 9/30/2024 |
| 6302024 | 8062024 | 10-Q 6/30/2024 |
| 3312024 | 5072024 | 10-Q 3/31/2024 |
| 12312023 | 2222024 | 10-K 12/31/2023 |
| 9302023 | 11022023 | 10-Q 9/30/2023 |
| 6302023 | 8032023 | 10-Q 6/30/2023 |
| 3312023 | 5042023 | 10-Q 3/31/2023 |
| 12312022 | 2232023 | 10-K 12/31/2022 |
| 9302022 | 11022022 | 10-Q 9/30/2022 |
| 6302022 | 8082022 | 10-Q 6/30/2022 |
| 3312022 | 5042022 | 10-Q 3/31/2022 |
| 12312021 | 2222022 | 10-K 12/31/2021 |
Insider Activity
Expand for More| Owner | Title | Filing Date | Action | Price | Shares | TransactedValue | Value ofHeld Shares | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | POSEY BRUCE K | CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER | 10212025 | Sell | 127.01 | 440 | 55,883 | 7,223,495 | Form |
External Quote Links
| Y Finance | Barrons |
| TradingView | Morningstar |
| SeekingAlpha | ValueLine |
| Motley Fool | Robinhood |
| CNBC | Etrade |
| MarketWatch | Unusual Whales |
| YCharts | Perplexity Finance |
| FinViz |