Qualys Inc (QLYS) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Nov 6, 2026: fair value (intrinsic value) of Qualys Inc stock $220, price $190, upside +15.3%, quality 83 out of 100. Rating: undervalued. Calculated from audited financials with 24 of our 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceableSee the method →
Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year. As of Nov 6, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $76.20 – $230.29 · fair‑value band $153.72 – $285.47 · the $190.41 price screens below the $219.59 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). As of Nov 6, 2026.
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Qualys, Inc. provides cloud-based platform delivering information technology (IT), security, and compliance solutions in the United States and internationally.
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The company provides Qualys Cloud Apps, which include cybersecurity asset management; enterprise TruRisk management; vulnerability management, detection, and response; total application security; patch management; custom assessment and remediation; multi-vector endpoint detection and response; policy audit; and file integrity monitoring.
It offers TotalCloud, a cloud-native application protection platform, which include cloud workload protection, cloud detection and response, cloud security posture management, infrastructure as code, SaaS security posture management, cloud infrastructure and entitlement management, and Kubernetes and container security.
In addition, the company markets and sells IT, security, and compliance solutions; offers Qualys' Enterprise TruRisk platform that enables customers to identify and manage IT and operational technology assets; collect and analyze IT security data; discover and prioritize vulnerabilities; quantify cyber risk exposure; recommend and implement remediation actions; and verify the implementation of such actions.
Further, it offers asset tagging and management; reporting and dashboards; questionnaires and collaboration; remediation and workflow; big data correlation and analytics engine; and alerts and notifications.
The company offers its solutions to enterprises, government entities, and small and medium-sized businesses in various industries, including education, financial services, government, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, media, retail, technology, and utilities through its sales teams, as well as through security consulting organizations, managed service providers, resellers, cloud providers, and consulting firms.
Qualys, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Foster City, California.
Stock analysis
Qualys Inc (QLYS) currently trades at $190.41, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $219.59, implying the stock looks roughly 13% undervalued today.
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Valuation
Bull case: the Growth DCF group reads highest at a median of $190.68 per share, and 6 of the 24 models we run sit above the $190.41 price.
Bear case: the Economic Profit group reads lowest at $65.36, and 18 of the 24 models stay below the price. Data coverage for this calculation is medium.
Scenario range: $153.72 (bear) to $285.47 (bull), the price of $190.41 sits inside it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.
Quality & growth
The Quality Score stands at 83/100 (high quality), in the Technology sector.
Healthy Growth: Revenue growth appears healthy and is supported by profitability and cash-flow quality.
Qualys Inc reported revenue of $669M in FY2025 versus $411M in FY2021, a compound +12.9%/yr. Reported net income was $198M in FY2025, compounding +29.3%/yr from FY2021.
Key figures
Market cap $6.7B Mid · P/E ratio 33.0 · P/S ratio 9.58 · EPS (TTM) $5.77 · Net margin 29.4% · Return on equity 38.6% · Return on assets (EBIT) 17.8% (5-year average) · Operating margin 34.0%.
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 91 out of 100 (medium confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 17% below its 52-week high and 150% above its 52-week low, currently above its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Technology peers we cover trades at −11% fair-value upside, at 15%, QLYS screens cheaper than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear$153.72Fair Value $219.59Bull$285.47
Price $190.41 · Upside +15.3%
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above starts from their evidence-weighted blend, not from a single model. In cyclical trough or peak years, after dilution or a stock split it is adjusted afterwards, so it can sit above or below the models. Based on fiscal year 2025 figures (about 10 months old). Earnings retained since then ($4.93 per share) are deliberately not added.Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target. If a model's bull case is above four times its base value, the table shows that limit with a > sign (like the overall Bull above): beyond it no assumption holds.Coverage ⓘCoverage = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
In the last 6 months, 6 officers or directors sold shares worth $13.8M and none bought.
SaleJoo Mi KimCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER12× since Nov 21, 2025: 47,754 shares, avg. $143.32$6.8MNov 2, 202610b5-1 plan
SaleBruce K PoseyCHIEF LEGAL OFFICER13× since Dec 3, 2025: 15,510 shares, avg. $139.37$2.2MOct 20, 202610b5-1 plan
SaleSumedh S ThakarCEO & PRESIDENT, Director13× since Nov 12, 2025: 103,400 shares, avg. $136.84$14.1MOct 14, 202610b5-1 plan
SaleThomas BerquistDirector2× since Jun 12, 2026: 1,450 shares, avg. $133.49$193,557Sep 2, 202610b5-1 plan
SaleWendy PfeifferDirector4× since May 22, 2026: 2,000 shares, avg. $138.74$277,475Aug 20, 202610b5-1 plan
SaleJeffrey P HankDirector940 shares at $109.82$103,226Jun 12, 202610b5-1 plan
Plus 15 other filings such as grants, option exercises or tax withholding. They are not market purchases or sales.
Sales are often planned (taxes, diversification, 10b5-1 plans). Purchases with their own money are seen as the stronger sign. For information only: not part of the quality score or Fair Value.
Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card.98/100
Revenue growth appears healthy and is supported by profitability and cash-flow quality.
Revenue growth 1 year
+10.1%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+11.0%
Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+13.0%
Start year 2020 (pandemic). Over 10 years: +15.1% a year
Revenue growth 16 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+16.6%
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What shareholders gained per year (last 5 years) ⓘWhat the business itself delivers per year: earnings growth per share plus the dividend yield. This is what you get IF the market keeps valuing the stock the same way: it contains no assumption about the market changing its mind. Computed per share, so buybacks count and a merger does not pass as growth. For a company that pays no dividend it is pure earnings growth per share. Period: earnings growth per share as CAGR over the last 5 reported fiscal years (annual statements), plus the current dividend yield. The start value is the median of the three years around the start, so a single crisis year (a pandemic or a write-down) does not distort the rate.
+25.2%
Earnings growth per share plus dividend.
Earnings per share, growth per year+25.2%
Dividend (yield on the price)0.0%
Pace: 5 vs 10 years ⓘTwo data points, not a trend model: earnings growth per share over the last 5 fiscal years against the last 10. Labelled "steady" when both rates are within 3 percentage points of each other, otherwise picking up or flattening. Shown only when ten years of history exist.25.2% vs 26.9%, steady
Profit margin 2020 to 2025 ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.27% → 33%
Pace: the 5-year rate starts in 2020 (pandemic)
Growth Forecast
Price in line with expectations
The price assumes less growth than the company has delivered so far and about what analysts expect.
What the price assumes ⓘThis turns our valuation around: instead of asking what the share is worth, it asks what growth the current price requires. It uses the cash the company keeps after all spending (free cash flow), the same discount rate as our models, five years of growth, then slowing evenly to 2 % a year by year ten. Compared with the analysts' sales forecasts extended to the same five years (at least three analysts, for context only, it does not enter the Fair Value): within 3 percentage points counts as "in line" (amber), below that little optimism (green), above that a lot of optimism (red).
+7.6%
Yearly growth needed for the next five years to justify today's price.
What forecasts expect ⓘAnalysts publish sales forecasts for the next two fiscal years. For the years after that, growth slows evenly to 2 % a year by year ten (2 % is the long-run rate our models use). Projected years are marked as such.
+7.6%
Yearly sales growth analysts expect, extended to five years.
After inflation (USA: IMF forecast 2.4% a year to 2030, 3.1% from 2016 to 2025) that is about +5.1% a year for the price and +5.1% for the forecasts.
News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (100 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation.Positive
Recent news coverage is more positive than average.
AI conclusion: Moderate moat supported by high margins and clean balance sheet stands against limited public signals and absence of durable factors across most areas.
Main risk: AI-driven tools could automate vulnerability detection and reduce demand for Qualys core scanning and prioritization services.
Bull case: Qualys could integrate its agentic AI and extensive remediation data into a broader risk platform that larger vendors adopt or partner with.
Bear case: If AI tools automate core detection and prioritization while platforms bundle the rest, Qualys standalone subscriptions could see lower demand and pricing power.
Qualys is pushing AI agents across its TruRisk platform to automate discovery, prioritization and remediation at scale. The recent TruRisk Eliminate 2.0 release draws on data from hundreds of millions of past patch deployments to support autonomous RemOps amid faster AI-driven attacks. This creates a clear tension: can the system reliably handle complex multi-vendor environments without introducing new operational risks, or will human oversight remain essential for high-stakes decisions?
Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Software - Infrastructure · 345 stocks
Beats the industry median on 6/13 measures
A mixed picture versus its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score83 · Top 25%
Fair Value upside+15.3% · Above median
Profitability
Return on equity (12 months)38.6% · Top 25%
Return on assets18.1% · Top 25%
Net margin (12 months)29.4% · Top 25%
Operating margin (12 months)34.0% · Top 25%
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth (quarter YoY)11.0% · Below median
Valuation Multiplesvs Software - Infrastructure median · lower = cheaper
P/E (12 months)33.0× · Pricier than median
P/B12.00× · Priciest 25%
P/S (12 months)9.58× · Priciest 25%
Price / free cash flow (fiscal year)22.1× · Pricier than median
For bloggers, editors and developers: paste this into your site or blog (a “Custom HTML” block in WordPress), it shows the current fair value and links back here. Free, plain HTML, and welcome. Full data streams (CSV/JSON) at /developers.
Cite: Fair Value Calculator (2026). "Qualys Inc Fair Value". https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/QLYS
Frequently asked questions
Is Qualys Inc (QLYS) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Nov 6, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $219.59 versus a price of $190.41, about +15% upside (undervalued).
What is the fair value of QLYS?
Our model-based fair value for Qualys Inc is $219.59 (as of Nov 6, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $190.41.
What is the quality score of QLYS?
Qualys Inc has a Quality Score of 83/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of $219.59 (as of Nov 6, 2026) from 24 valuation models. Cautious scenario $153.72, optimistic scenario $285.47. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the Qualys Inc stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at $219.59, about +15% upside versus a price of $190.41 (undervalued). Cautious scenario $153.72, optimistic scenario $285.47. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Qualys Inc reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $703M (latest available figure, as of Nov 6, 2026).
What growth is priced into Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
For today's price to be fair in a discounted-cash-flow model, Qualys Inc would have to grow free cash flow by +7.6 % per year for five years (discount rate 8.8 %, then slowing evenly to 2 % perpetual growth by year ten). Over the last 5 years revenue grew +13.0 % per year. As of Nov 6, 2026.
What discount rate (WACC) does the fair value of QLYS use?
Our models discount Qualys Inc at 8.8 %: a base by market capitalisation (mid), damped by beta 0.60, country premium for USA. The same rate applies in all 26 models.
What is a reverse DCF?
A reverse DCF turns the usual calculation around. Instead of deriving a value from assumptions, it takes today's price as given and asks: what free-cash-flow growth would a company have to deliver for exactly this price to be fair? The result is not a forecast but the expectation already priced in. For Qualys Inc that is +7.6 % per year for five years, then slowing evenly to 2 % by year ten, using the same discount rate (8.8 %) and the same formula as our fair value.
How much growth has Qualys Inc (QLYS) delivered so far?
Over the past 5 years revenue at Qualys Inc grew +13.0 % a year. The price currently implies free-cash-flow growth of +7.6 % per year. Comparing the two shows how much confidence is in the price: if it demands more than has been delivered, the business has to accelerate for the maths to work.
How fast is the sector of Qualys Inc (QLYS) growing?
The median revenue growth in the sector is +11.5 % a year. That is the yardstick for the growth priced into Qualys Inc (+7.6 % per year): it shows whether the expectation is within the usual range or beyond it.
What is the free cash flow yield of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The free-cash-flow yield on the price is 4.52 %: that much free cash flow Qualys Inc produces per unit of market value. When it exceeds the discount rate of our models (8.8 %), the business already earns more than its cost of capital demands, and the price needs little additional growth.
What is the intrinsic value of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Qualys Inc it is $219.59 per share (as of Nov 6, 2026), against a price of $190.41. It is the blended result of 24 valuation models in 7 families (DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings).
Is Qualys Inc stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Nov 6, 2026, QLYS trades below its calculated fair value: price $190.41, fair value $219.59, a gap of about +15% (undervalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of QLYS?
No. The price is what the market pays today ($190.41); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($219.59). For Qualys Inc the two are $29.18 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is Qualys Inc worth?
The market values Qualys Inc at about $6.7B (market capitalisation, as of Nov 6, 2026). Per share that is $190.41; our models calculate a fair value of $219.59 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about QLYS?
Our models span a range for Qualys Inc: cautious scenario $153.72, base $219.59, optimistic $285.47 per share (as of Nov 6, 2026, price $190.41). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the P/E ratio of QLYS?
Qualys Inc trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.0 (as of Nov 6, 2026). A P/E on its own says little: it compares the price with ONE year of profit, while our fair value of $219.59 is built from several models across several years. Median P/E at fiscal year-end, 10 fiscal years (2016 to 2025), reported earnings, FY2023 ex one-offs: 53.7. Other multiples: PEG 3.2, P/B 12.0, P/S 9.6, EV/EBITDA 25.5.
What is the PEG ratio of QLYS?
The PEG ratio of Qualys Inc is 3.17 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Nov 6, 2026). That is above 1, so the growth is already paid for in the price.
How solid is the balance sheet of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Balance-sheet figures for Qualys Inc (as of Nov 6, 2026): return on equity 38.6%. They feed the Quality Score of 83/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is QLYS from its 52-week high?
Qualys Inc trades at $190.41, about 17% below its 52-week high of $230.29 and 150% above the low of $76.20 (as of Nov 6, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $219.59 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to Qualys Inc?
From the same area (Technology) we also value Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Palantir Technologies Inc, Palo Alto Networks, Inc, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is Qualys Inc stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Nov 6, 2026: price $190.41, calculated fair value $219.59 (+15%), Quality Score 83/100, from 24 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of QLYS calculated?
We run Qualys Inc through 24 models from 7 families: DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the fair value of $219.59 builds on their evidence-weighted average, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 13.0% above its aggregate fair value. Qualys Inc currently trades 13% below its own fair value, and the market average says nothing about that. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The closing price on Nov 6, 2026 was $190.41. Our model-based fair value is $219.59, about +15% upside (undervalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with Qualys Inc right now?
A fairly wide model range ($153.72 to $285.47) leaves room in how you read the outcome. The price sits in the lower half of our model range, the side with the larger margin of safety. Read the verdict with care: some models are missing inputs, so the estimate scatters more than usual.
Where does the earnings growth of Qualys Inc (QLYS) come from?
Earnings per share at Qualys Inc grew +26.3 % a year from 2014 to 2025. Broken into its drivers: revenue per share +15.9 %, EBIT margin +10.3 %, tax rate −2.4 %, residual (interest, one-offs) +1.3 %. The four rates multiply to the earnings growth rate, they do not add up. Start and end are three-year averages so a single exceptional year does not distort the result.
Key figures of Qualys Inc
How large is the market capitalisation of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The market capitalisation of Qualys Inc is $6.7B. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The price-to-sales ratio of Qualys Inc is 9.58 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Earnings per share at Qualys Inc are $5.77 (price ÷ EPS = P/E 33.0). Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the net margin of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The net margin of Qualys Inc is 29.4% (last twelve months). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The return on equity (ROE) of Qualys Inc is 38.6% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Qualys Inc is 17.8% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
The operating margin of Qualys Inc is 34.0% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Revenue at Qualys Inc is growing +11.0% versus a year earlier (3y avg +11.0%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at Qualys Inc (QLYS)?
Earnings per share at Qualys Inc are growing +16.1% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much net cash does Qualys Inc (QLYS) hold?
Qualys Inc holds more cash than debt, $153M net (fiscal year 2025). The company holds more cash than debt, a safety cushion.
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Nov 6, 2026