Stock fact sheet · data as of
Qualys, Inc. (QLYS): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Ticker symbol QLYS · Technology · Software - Infrastructure · United States · Growth Quality
Is QLYS undervalued?
QLYS closed at 210.89 on 5 Nov 2026, which is 19% above the GLS average fair value of 177.94 from 8 models. 5 of them value the shares below today's price. Our scans read that as "no margin of safety": the stock is not a value candidate at this price, whatever the quality numbers say.
There is a wide gap between Graham Number (45.79) and Payback Time (329.92). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
Ranked against every other company we cover, QLYS is clearly faster-growing than it is cheap, so the nightly engine files it under Growth (value score 15, growth score 64, out of 100). It also carries the Quality tag (Quality = moat 7.5+ out of 10 and Piotroski 7+).
Nine valuation models for QLYS
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 276.48 | +31% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 45.79 | -78% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 149.78 | -29% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 51.72 | -75% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 294.42 | +40% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 210.37 | -0% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 329.92 | +56% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | 65.02 | -69% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | 3.58 | -98% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 185.73 | -12% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Qualys, Inc. scores 7 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, the nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency on the latest annual accounts - a strong reading that passes the "Piotroski 6 or more" Wheel Trade Filter with room to spare. A GLS Moat score of 8.9/10 puts QLYS among the more durable businesses we track: over up to ten years its returns on capital have stayed high, its margins steady and its balance sheet sound.
Returns on capital are high - ROIC 30.1%, ROE 35.3%, ROA 18.1% - with debt at 0.17 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 4.3%.
Qualys, Inc. pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Reportable 100% (quarter Q2 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 1/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 7 / 9 | ROIC | 30.1% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 8.9 / 10 | ROE | 35.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.17 | ROA | 18.1% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 4.3% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 1 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 41: Weak
With a Wheel Score of 41 Qualys, Inc. sits in the Weak band. It fails filter 3, below fair value - trades 19% above our fair value; Value (weak) is its weakest part.
Implied volatility is 69% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - above the 60% top of the sweet spot. It still passes the 25-80% filter, but the Wheel Score rewards it less because volatility this high usually comes with a reason. Chain open interest is 3,080 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 697k shares a day on a market cap of $7.3B, with a beta of 0.54 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score rates that good.
| Filter | Wheel Trade Filter | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Options that actually trade | Passes | Listed options with 1,000+ contracts of open interest and 100+ traded a day |
| 2 | A real business, not a gamble | Passes | Profitable over the last twelve months - not a speculative stock, fund or note |
| 3 | Below fair value | Fails | trades 19% above our fair value |
| 4 | Financially healthy | Passes | Piotroski F-score 6 or more out of 9 (a company with no score on file passes) |
| 5 | Can repay its debt | Passes | Long-term debt repaid from 3 years of operating cash flow or less (6 for real estate and utilities; banks and insurers are not judged on it) |
| 6 | No serious red flags | Passes | Red Flags score 60 or more out of 100 (earnings, margins, debt, analysts, filings and price checked the same way for every stock) |
| 7 | A premium worth selling | Passes | Implied volatility 25-80% (enough premium, not a lottery ticket) |
| 8 | Big enough | Passes | Market cap $1 billion or more |
| 9 | Not a penny stock | Passes | Share price $5 or more |
| How it ranks | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Weak | 19% above fair value | |
| Premium | Strong | implied volatility 69% | |
| Moat | Strong | moat 8.9/10 | |
| Health | Good | Piotroski 7/9 | |
| Red Flags | Strong | Red Flags score 95/100 | |
| Option trading | Weak | 595 contracts a day, 3,080 open interest | |
| Stability | Good | beta 0.54, $7.3B company |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls: a stock must pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters to score 70, and the score then ranks the ones that pass; the Sunday Scan is the top 10. It is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. How the Wheel Score works · the walkthrough lesson shows how it fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
Qualys, Inc. reports earnings on 9 Nov 2026 (after the close) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
No analyst upgrades or downgrades were recorded in the last 30 days.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Software - Infrastructure
The 12 companies below are the closest to Qualys, Inc. by market cap within the Software - Infrastructure industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PATH UiPath Inc. | 13.51 | 19.09 | +29% | 83Good | $7.0B |
| DBX Dropbox, Inc. | 36.10 | 74.48 | +52% | 83Good | $7.8B |
| ZVLO zvelo, Inc. | 252.00 | - | - | 15No options | $6.7B |
| S SentinelOne, Inc. | 23.49 | 17.69 | -33% | 33Weak | $8.0B |
| BOX Box, Inc. | 44.05 | 34.44 | -28% | 43Weak | $6.0B |
| ACIW ACI Worldwide, Inc. | 59.19 | 67.27 | +12% | 44Weak | $6.0B |
| WEX WEX Inc. | 180.11 | 170.16 | -6% | 35Weak | $5.9B |
| MBGL Mobility Global Inc | 19.79 | 8.56 | -131% | 35Weak | $5.8B |
| RELY Remitly Global, Inc. | 27.08 | 53.98 | +50% | 49Weak | $5.7B |
| NTSK Netskope, Inc. Class A Common Stock | 22.77 | - | - | 23Weak | $9.3B |
| VRNS Varonis Systems, Inc. | 48.80 | 20.74 | -135% | 22Weak | $5.6B |
| DOCN DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc. | 84.02 | 19.35 | -334% | 29Weak | $9.9B |
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about QLYS
Is QLYS undervalued right now?
No: at 210.89 the stock trades 19% above the GLS average fair value of 177.94 (data as of 5 Nov 2026). The margin of safety is negative.
What is the Wheel Score of QLYS and what does it mean?
QLYS scores 41 out of 100 (Weak) - it fails Wheel Trade Filter 3. The Wheel Score ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned - in two parts: the 9 pass/fail Wheel Trade Filters (busy options, a real business, below fair value, Piotroski 6 or more, debt it can repay, a Red Flags score of 60 or more, implied volatility of 25-80%, a $1 billion company, $5 a share) and a ranking of how strongly a stock passes on value, premium, moat, health, red flags, option trading and stability. A stock that fails any filter stays under 70; 70-84 is Good, 85 and above is Prime. The Sunday Scan is the top 10 that pass, sorted by Wheel Score.
What is the GLS fair value for QLYS?
177.94 per share as of 5 Nov 2026 - the simple average of the 8 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Qualys, Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 9 Nov 2026 (after the close), 4 days from the data date of 5 Nov 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does QLYS have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 96 listed contracts with 3,080 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 69% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.