CrowdStrike vs Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
A great business — but the blitz phase is over. Palo Alto Networks scores 61 — a platform-completing consolidator whose $11.5B scale and $21.2B RPO are real, while GAAP margin and dilution cap the score.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. by 1
| Item | Max | CrowdStrike | Palo Alto Networks, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz Index total | / 100 | 60 | 61 |
| Grade | — | B | B |
| A · Speed | / 25 | 13 | 19 |
| B · Moat | / 60 | 37 | 38 |
| C · Creative destruction | / 15 | 10 | 11 |
| D · Demerits | / 30 | 0 | -7 |
The success line is 65. Demerits (section D) are subtracted; a demerit total of 15 or more flags a company for BlitzFailing watch. Scores as of the 2026 Q4 review.
Verdict — business structure only
Nearly tied (60 vs 61) but the shapes differ sharply. Palo Alto is much faster (19 vs 13) on FY2026 growth of +24.5%, while CrowdStrike's speed (13) reflects a maturing growth machine (+25.8% but at a smaller scale and slowing). The moats are close (38 vs 37): Palo Alto's is breadth (180+ countries, RPO $21.2B) while CrowdStrike's is the Threat Graph data network. Palo Alto's demerits (-7) are the heaviest here (goodwill, patent reserve), while CrowdStrike is clean (0). The structural difference is consolidator vs pure-play: Palo Alto buys and integrates (CyberArk, Chronosphere) while CrowdStrike grows organically.
Key figures
| CrowdStrike | Figure |
|---|---|
| TTM revenue | ~$5.4B |
| Growth | Q2 FY27 +25.8% YoY |
| Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | Figure |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $11,480M (FY2026) |
| Growth | FY2026 +24.5% |
| RPO | $21.2B |
Key figures are from the companies' published score files (the scorecard's English summary). A figure is shown only where the score file states it.
Full scorecards: CrowdStrike — Blitz Index 60 · Palo Alto Networks, Inc. — Blitz Index 61
Run your own pairing: open this pair in the interactive compare tool, or pick any two of the 157 scored companies.
How to read this
Both companies passed the same two gates before scoring: real product-market traction (G1), and a ten-year market ceiling of at least ten times current revenue (G2). The Blitz Index then grades speed (25), moat (60) and creative destruction (15), and subtracts BlitzFailing demerits (up to −30) for debt, revenue quality, governance and regulatory cost. The model is frozen at v1.0; past scores are never silently rewritten. Our own pre-registered tests found the score measures business quality — it does not predict stock returns.
Research only — not investment advice. Scores measure blitzscaling strategy from public data. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security.