Core Insights - Analysts from Wedbush see significant potential gains for cybersecurity stocks, particularly Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, and ZScaler, as demand for cybersecurity services is expected to rise due to increasing AI-related risks [1][1] Group 1: Company Analysis - CrowdStrike is regarded as the "gold standard of cybersecurity" despite a 13% decline in its stock year-to-date, with a price target of $600 indicating nearly 50% upside from its recent level around $408 [1][1] - ZScaler is identified as a "premier name" in the cybersecurity space, with a strong product pipeline and AI strategy, and analysts project its stock could double to $350 in the next 12 months [1][1] - Palo Alto Networks is set to report earnings soon and has improved its value proposition through recent acquisitions, with a price target of $225 suggesting a 37% increase from its recent stock level [1][1] Group 2: Market Context - The cybersecurity sector is viewed as undervalued by investors, with analysts suggesting that the industry's growth opportunities are being underestimated amid broader market losses in software stocks [1][1] - The upcoming earnings reports for ZScaler and CrowdStrike are anticipated to provide further insights into the companies' performances and market positions [1][1]

My Buy call in May last year on Zscaler ( ZS ) was based on sustained growth above 20% and margin strength. Both have happened, and the stock was up by ~50% after the call. The current share prices are ~22% down fromI am a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management. My focus is on equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization to uncover high-growth investment opportunities. As a former Vice President at Barclays, I led teams ...

Core Insights - Industrial markets are experiencing a resurgence, leading to increased demand for factory automation inputs such as machine tools and robotics [1] Industry Summary - The revival in industrial markets is positively impacting the demand for automation technologies, indicating a potential growth opportunity for companies involved in this sector [1]

1,538,891+$8.64+6.82%$135.35## Top Losing Stocks[Constellation Brands][STZ]• Vol: 6,064,575-$13.068.04%$149.30[Norwegian Cruise Line][NCLH]• Vol: The AI-Fueled Cyber Threat Boom Means These Two Stocks Will Win Big - 24/7 Wall St.[S&P 5006,844.80 +0.13%][Dow Jones49,552.60 +0.16%][Nasdaq 10024,693.00 -0.11%][Russell 20002,640.50 -0.25%][FTSE 10010,488.40 +0.33%][Nikkei 22556,813.00 -1.26%][Investing]# The AI-Fueled Cyber Threat Boom Means These Two Stocks Will Win Big### Quick ReadZscaler ([ZS]) tracked 989. ...

Core Viewpoint - Barclays believes that the current market panic regarding generative AI (GenAI) is based on a "worst-case scenario" assumption, predicting the extinction of traditional software companies, which mirrors the panic seen a decade ago with the rise of Amazon AWS [1][2] Historical Context - The current investor sentiment in the software sector is extremely negative, with a simplistic investment logic of buying AI newcomers and shorting traditional software [2] - This situation is reminiscent of the panic surrounding AWS's growth, where established software companies faced similar doomsday predictions, yet none went bankrupt due to AWS competition [4][5] Market Dynamics - Historical data shows that while AWS gained significant market share, it did not lead to the extinction of mature software companies; instead, these companies evolved and thrived [4][5] - The market's current indiscriminate sell-off of software stocks, with the IGV (software ETF) down approximately 24% year-to-date, is viewed as irrational [6] Mispricing Opportunities - Barclays identifies significant mispricing opportunities in the current market, particularly for companies with strong core record systems and specific domain moats that are being undervalued [1][6] - The panic selling creates an opportunity for investors to identify industry leaders that have been unfairly punished [7] Defensive Sectors - Two defensive sectors highlighted are: 1. Owners of record systems, such as Salesforce and SAP, which hold core enterprise data and are difficult to replace [9] 2. Vertical SaaS companies, like Veeva Systems and Tyler Technologies, which possess deep domain-specific data moats [9] Company Performance - Notable company performances include: - CyberArk's market cap surged from $885 million to $22.516 billion, a 2443% increase [8] - Microsoft and Google also saw significant market cap growth, with increases of 1048% and 871%, respectively [8] - Traditional companies like Teradata experienced a 73% decline, while others like Tableau and Splunk were acquired at high premiums [8]

Core Insights - Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) shares have declined 38.5% over the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which rose by 10.4% [1][8] - The company's stock drop is attributed to macroeconomic headwinds, including inflation, high interest rates, and cautious enterprise IT spending, along with increasing competition in the Zero Trust cybersecurity space [4][10] Financial Performance - Zscaler reported a 26% year-over-year revenue growth to $788 million in Q1 fiscal 2026, achieving a record operating margin of 22% [8][11] - The company has a growing customer base, with 698 customers generating $1 million or more in annual recurring revenues (ARR), including a significant portion from Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies [12] Competitive Positioning - Zscaler's forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 7.49, which is higher than the sector average of 6.54, indicating a premium valuation [5] - Compared to competitors, Zscaler trades at a lower P/S multiple than Palo Alto Networks (10.22) and Fortinet (8.58), but higher than Cisco Systems (5.46) [9] Growth Drivers - Zscaler's AI Security, Zero Trust, and Data Security units have crossed the $1 billion ARR milestone, indicating strong growth potential [17] - AI Security alone reached $400 million ARR and is expected to exceed $500 million in fiscal 2026, driven by enterprise adoption of AI technologies [18][19] - The Z-Flex program has generated over $175 million in total contract value bookings in Q1 fiscal 2026, reflecting a 70% sequential increase and encouraging long-term commitments from customers [20] Long-Term Outlook - Despite current challenges, Zscaler's investments in AI and innovative cybersecurity capabilities position the company for sustained growth [21] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates strong double-digit revenue and earnings per share growth for fiscal 2026 and 2027 [13]

Core Insights - Anthropic's release of 11 new plug-ins for its Claude Cowork AI tool has triggered a significant sell-off in SaaS stocks, resulting in a loss of nearly $1 trillion in market value over six days [2] - Concerns regarding AI disruption have led to sharp declines in shares of companies like Salesforce and Workday, although the panic has since subsided, with industry leaders suggesting that many companies will adapt successfully [3] - JPMorgan has identified CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and Zscaler as long-term winners in the face of AI-driven cyber threats [8] Company-Specific Insights - CrowdStrike's AI-native Falcon platform is recognized for its resilience against broader software sector fears, with JPMorgan maintaining an Overweight rating on the stock [4] - In fiscal 2026 Q3, CrowdStrike reported $1.35 billion in annual recurring revenue from its Falcon Flex offering, indicating strong customer adoption and high-priority enterprise spending in security operations [5] - Analysts project CrowdStrike's fiscal 2026 revenues to be between $4.797 billion and $4.807 billion, with non-GAAP earnings expected to be $3.70 to $3.72 per share, reflecting a 1.1% increase in earnings estimates over 60 days [6] - CrowdStrike is expected to benefit from AI-enabled efficiencies, high switching costs, and multi-year contracts, with analysts forecasting a 16.8% earnings expansion in 2026 [7] - Palo Alto Networks reported a 16% revenue growth to $2.47 billion in fiscal Q1, with operating margins exceeding 30% for two consecutive quarters [8] - Zscaler's emerging products have surpassed $1 billion in combined annual recurring revenue [8]

Core Insights - JPMorgan identifies CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and Zscaler as long-term winners in the cybersecurity sector amid AI-driven threats [1] - The recent sell-off in SaaS stocks, triggered by Anthropic's AI tool updates, resulted in nearly $1 trillion loss in market value over six days, but the panic has since eased [1] CrowdStrike (CRWD) - CrowdStrike's Falcon platform is recognized for its AI-native capabilities and resilience against broader software sector fears, with $1.35 billion in annual recurring revenue reported [1] - Analysts project fiscal 2026 revenues between $4.797 billion and $4.807 billion, with non-GAAP earnings expected at $3.70 to $3.72 per share, reflecting a 1.1% increase in earnings estimates [1] - Expected earnings growth of 16.8% in 2026 is supported by high switching costs and multi-year contracts [1] Palo Alto Networks (PANW) - Palo Alto Networks reported a 16% year-over-year revenue growth to $2.47 billion in fiscal Q1, with product revenue increasing by 23% to $343 million [1] - The company’s next-generation security annual recurring revenue surged 29% to $5.85 billion, driven by a 34% growth in SASE [1] - JPMorgan has set a price target of $235 per share, highlighting the company's strong profitability and market position [1] Zscaler (ZS) - Zscaler's emerging products in AI security and zero trust exceeded $1 billion in combined annual recurring revenue, with revenues beating guidance by $15 million [1] - The company forecasts fiscal 2026 annual recurring revenue between $3.698 billion and $3.718 billion, with total revenues expected between $3.282 billion and $3.301 billion [1] - Zscaler is positioned to capitalize on a $780 billion cloud market by 2030, leveraging AI for threat detection [1]

Core Viewpoint - Zscaler Inc (NASDAQ:ZS) is recognized as a leading high-growth cybersecurity stock, with analysts maintaining a bullish outlook following its recent acquisition of SquareX and the introduction of its AI Security Suite [1][2][4]. Group 1: Recent Developments - On February 5, Zscaler announced a deal to integrate its Zero Trust security directly into popular browsers like Chrome and Edge, simplifying protection for unmanaged devices [2]. - The company is enhancing its Zero Trust platform by utilizing lightweight browser extensions to secure both corporate and BYOD devices, building on its success in replacing traditional VPNs and VDI [3]. - Zscaler introduced an AI Security Suite on January 27, aimed at helping enterprises manage and secure their use of artificial intelligence, providing visibility and controls for AI tools and applications [4]. Group 2: Company Overview - Zscaler Inc. is a prominent American cloud security firm that offers cybersecurity solutions based on a Zero Trust model, enabling secure connections for users, devices, and applications from any location without relying on traditional network perimeters [5].

Group 1 - Zscaler Inc. has acquired SquareX to enhance its ZeroTrust capabilities, particularly in browser security through SquareX's Browser Detection and Response solution [1][3] - The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, with further information expected during the Q2-2026 earnings call on February 26 [1] - Following the acquisition announcement, Zscaler's stock experienced a slight decline of 1.2%, closing at $167.33, and has fallen 18.9% year-to-date due to negative investor sentiment towards software companies [4] Group 2 - Analysts maintain a bullish outlook on Zscaler, with a median target price of $320.00, indicating a potential upside of 91.24% from the current stock price [4] - Zscaler is recognized as one of the best beaten-down growth stocks to buy now, despite the recent stock price decline [1]