An Introduction
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global cloud computing (CC) SaaS market is projected to have a CAGR of 18.4% between now and 2032 and that bodes well for CC companies.
By Lorimer Wilson
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is the technique of processing, storing, and managing data on a network of remote computers hosted on the internet by cloud service providers rather than on a personal computer or local server using only as much compute power and storage as needed to meet demand. This theoretically allows for cheaper and faster computing because it eliminates the need to purchase, install, and maintain servers.
Cost Saving Implications of Cloud Computing Adoption
McKinsey estimates that cloud adoption could generate $3 trillion in global value by 2030 derived from:
- reducing operational costs ($311B) and reducing digital risk ($407B),
- generating new revenue. $612 billion comes from innovation-driven growth ($612B) and accelerated product development and hyper-scalability ($1.7T) and from
- emerging technologies, including new cloud-based business models and integration with technologies like 5G, blockchain, and quantum computing but, because they’re so new, their impact can’t yet be exactly quantified. (Source)
What is SaaS?
SaaS, also known as cloud application services, makes software available to users over the internet, usually for a monthly subscription fee. They are typically ready-to-use and are run from a users’ web browser which allow businesses to skip any additional downloads or application installations. SaaS accounts for 38.5% of cloud computing revenue. (Source) For more insightful information you are encouraged to read Cloud Computing 101.
Image source: The Motley Fool
What is the Price-to-Sales Ratio
The price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, which equals a company’s market capitalization divided by its annual revenue, is often used as a valuation metric for SaaS companies in place of the P/E ratio. A higher P/S ratio denotes optimism among investors that attractive revenue growth will continue and that the revenue will eventually generate profits.
The Pure-Play Cloud Computing SaaS Stocks Portfolio
Below is a list of the 8 pure-play CC companies with market capitalizations of $20B or more presented in descending order of their performances last week, in the month of August, YTD, and their market capitalizations, their business profiles, their current price-to-sales ratio (and rank) and their latest news, analyses and commentary where available.
- MongoDB (MDB): UP 17.4% last week; UP 15.2% in August; DOWN 29.0% YTD
- Company Description: provides general-purpose database platforms worldwide and offers professional services comprising consulting and training
- Market Capitalization: $22B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 10.6 (Ranks #4)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- Atlassian (TEAM): UP 3.5% last week; DOWN 6.2% in August; DOWN 30.4% YTD
- Company Description: designs, develops, licenses, and maintains various software products
- Market Capitalization: $43B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 8.2 (Ranks #7)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- ServiceNow (NOW): UP 3.2% last week; UP 5.0% in August; UP 20.9% YTD
- Company Description: provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses
- Market Capitalization: $176B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 14.6 (Ranks #1 Tied)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- Workday (WDAY): UP 1.2% last week; UP 15.9% in August; DOWN 4.7% YTD
- Company Description: provides enterprise cloud applications to help its customers manage their business and operations
- Market Capitalization: $69B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 7.9 (Ranks #8)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- Cloudflare (NET): DOWN 0.3% last week; UP 6.0% in August; DOWN 1.3% YTD
- Company Description: provides an integrated cloud-based security solution to secure a range of combination of platforms and offers website and application performance solutions
- Market Capitalization: $28B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 14.6 ( Ranks #1 Tied)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- HubSpot (HUBS): DOWN 0.8% last week; UP 0.4% in August; DOWN 14.0% YTD
- Company Description: provides a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform for businesses
- Market Capitalization: $25B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 9.1 (ranks #6)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- Datadog (DDOG): DOWN 0.8% last week; DOWN 0.2% in August; DOWN 4.2% YTD
- Company Description: operates an observability and security platform for cloud applications
- Market Capitalization: $39B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 13.3 (Ranks #3)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
- Snowflake (SNOW): DOWN 1.4% last week; DOWN 12.4% in August; UP 2.4% YTD
- Company Description: offers Data Cloud which enables customers to consolidate data into a single source to drive meaningful business insights, build data-driven applications, and share data and data products
- Market Capitalization: $38B
- Forward Price-to-Sales Ratio: 10.3 (Ranks #5)
- Most Recent News, Analyses, and Commentary:
Summary
The above 8 Cloud Computing stocks went UP 3.1%, on average, last week, UP 4.1% in August, but remain DOWN 8.7% YTD and have an average market capitalization of $52B.
Thank you for reading the above article. I will update it weekly. Now, as a reward, here is a link to Money, Money, Money—It’s a Rich Man’s World!
