CRWD vs MSFT: how the two businesses compare

CrowdStrike (CRWD) and Microsoft (MSFT) do not both have comparable annual revenue in the SEC XBRL snapshot, so this comparison rests on business descriptions, classifications, and filings. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 7372 (Services-Prepackaged Software).

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Information Technology
SEC industry
Prepackaged Software
Same classification
Fiscal year ends
Different
CRWD January 31 · MSFT June 30
Reviewed
Jul 29, 2026

CRWD vs MSFT: quick comparison

Company factCRWDMSFT
CompanyCrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.Microsoft Corporation
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
Headquarters—Redmond, Washington
Founded—1975
SEC industryServices-Prepackaged SoftwareServices-Prepackaged Software
Fiscal year-endJanuary 31June 30
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-03-0510-K · 2026-07-29

Where CRWD and MSFT overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 7372, Services-Prepackaged Software.
  • Shared research theme: Artificial intelligence.

Differences

  • Offset fiscal calendars: CRWD's year ends January 31 and MSFT's June 30, about 5 months apart.
  • CRWD reported a net loss of $161M in its fiscal year ended Jan 2026.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD)

CrowdStrike delivers cloud-native endpoint and cloud-workload cybersecurity through its Falcon platform.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

Microsoft sells productivity software, the Windows operating system, and the Azure cloud platform, and has become a leading distributor of generative AI through its partnership with OpenAI. Its enterprise footprint spans nearly every large organization in the world.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves CRWD

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for CRWD. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-03-05.

What moves MSFT

  • Azure and other cloud services consumption, including AI services
  • Microsoft 365 commercial seat growth, pricing and Copilot adoption
  • Data-center capital spending, leases and the depreciation that follows
  • Economics of the OpenAI partnership

The investment question

You now know how CRWD and MSFT are classified, when their fiscal years end, and where their exposures overlap. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to artificial intelligence, including “Azure and other cloud services consumption, including AI services” at MSFT, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.

Read the full research

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. CRWD's fiscal year ends January 31, while MSFT's ends June 30. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 18 matched transaction rows for CRWD and 210 matched transaction rows for MSFT. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

CRWD vs MSFT FAQs

Are CRWD and MSFT direct competitors?

CrowdStrike and Microsoft share the SEC industry classification “Services-Prepackaged Software.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.

Which is better, CRWD or MSFT?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this CRWD vs MSFT comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. and Microsoft Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

CRWD vs MSFT compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included