FFIV vs TSM Stock Comparison
FFIV currently leads TSM in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 64 vs 58. The clearest difference is momentum, while TSM has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between FFIV and TSM?
FFIV leads the current stock comparison as F5, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
F5, Inc. vs Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
FFIV leads
FFIV leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Value, having only recently taken the lead back from TSM. Wall Street currently favors TSM on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support FFIV, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
F5, Inc.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors FFIV over TSM, 64 versus 58 as of Oct 21, 2026. FFIV's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and value, while TSM holds the stronger quality profile. FFIV also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors TSM. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor FFIV today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. FFIV lead: Reversed — TSM led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; FFIV now leads by 6.
Compare F5, Inc. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare FFIV and TSM against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum56 vs 21FFIV +35
- Quality79 vs 98TSM +19
- Value56 vs 45FFIV +11
- Risk Resilience66 vs 67Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor FFIV. FFIV’s edge is concentrated in momentum and value; TSM keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Risk Resilience -1
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +3
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 2 active signals are unchanged.
FFIV's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — FFIV and TSM both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
FFIV (F5, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and value.
TSM (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited): the counter-case, on quality, fundamentals, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
FFIVFFIV on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
FFIVFFIV on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
FFIVFFIV on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.
Momentum
FFIVFFIV on the Momentum factor, by 35 points.
Lower downside
TSMTSM carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
TSMTSM on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors FFIV, analyst targets favor TSM. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | FFIV | TSM | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -13.7% | +36.4% | TSM has more room |
| Target dispersion | +46.2% | +34% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 5 | 7 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor FFIV. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | FFIV | 64 vs 58 |
| Fundamentals | TSMon balance | revenue growth 6.6% vs 17.6%; EPS growth 40.6% vs 8%; TTM ROE 19.9% vs 41.2%; gross margin 82.2% vs 65.8%; operating margin 24.5% vs 57.9% — TSM takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | FFIV | Value 56 vs 45 |
| Technicals | FFIV | Price vs 50-day 7.7% vs -0.6%; vs 200-day 27.8% vs 7.3% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 66 vs 67 |
| Analyst expectations | TSM | Target upside -13.7% vs 36.4% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of FFIV and TSM and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on FFIV.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20FFIV lead: Reversed — TSM led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; FFIV now leads by 6.
- Today
- FFIV +6
- 64 vs 58
- 7 sessions ago
- FFIV +11
- 67 vs 56
- 30 sessions ago
- TSM +2
- 70 vs 72
- 90 sessions ago
- TSM +11
- 60 vs 71
The lead changed hands 9 times in this window, most recently on Sep 29 when TSM moved ahead of FFIV.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only FFIV
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
No signal that the other name lacks.
Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, MACD Bearish Crossover.
FFIV leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +0.41%, AIQ -1 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.6%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1TSM closes the Momentum gap — currently 35 points behind, the largest single contributor to FFIV's edge.
- 2TSM's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3FFIV's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
TSM leads on balance| Metric | FFIV | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 6.6% | 17.6% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 40.6% | 8% |
| Gross margin | 82.2% | 65.8% |
| Operating margin | 24.5% | 57.9% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 19.9% | 41.2% |
| Debt to equity | 0.07 | 0.14 |
Performance
FFIV leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | FFIV | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -4.1% | -4.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.7% | -6% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 14% | 0.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 44.7% | 15.5% |
| Year to date | 78.9% | 39.9% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 49.2% | 41.8% |
Technicals
FFIV has the stronger structure| Metric | FFIV | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 55.2 | 36.7 |
| ADX (14) | 23.8 | 21.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | 7.7% | -0.6% |
| Price vs 200-day | 27.8% | 7.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 31.4% | 28.8% |
Risk
Split| Metric | FFIV | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.95 | 2.11 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.24 | 1.04 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.91 | 1.66 |
| Max drawdown | -25.8% | -21.6% |
| Current drawdown | -4.8% | -12.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 35.6% | 38.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.2% | -3.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, FFIV or TSM?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, FFIV is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 64 against TSM's 58. The edge comes from momentum and value. TSM is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is FFIV or TSM the better buy right now?
FFIV carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor FFIV over TSM?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. FFIV leads Momentum by 35 points; TSM leads Quality by 19 points; FFIV leads Value by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, FFIV or TSM?
Analyst price targets imply -13.7% upside for FFIV and +36.4% for TSM, so the Street currently favors TSM. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors FFIV. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, FFIV or TSM?
FFIV is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. FFIV on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, FFIV or TSM?
FFIV on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, FFIV or TSM?
FFIV on the Momentum factor, by 35 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, FFIV or TSM?
TSM is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. TSM carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is FFIV more profitable than TSM?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 82.2% vs 65.8%; operating margin 24.5% vs 57.9%; ttm roe 19.9% vs 41.2%. FFIV leads on one measure and TSM on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is FFIV's lead over TSM getting stronger or weaker?
FFIV lead: Reversed — TSM led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; FFIV now leads by 6. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 9 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-29, when TSM moved ahead of FFIV.
What would change the FFIV vs TSM verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: TSM closes the Momentum gap — currently 35 points behind, the largest single contributor to FFIV's edge; TSM's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; FFIV's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about FFIV and TSM?
FFIV: 3 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. TSM: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on FFIV is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On TSM it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare FFIV and TSM with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.