3 September 2025 | 2:08AM EDT Americas Technology: Hardware Communacopia + Technology Conference: CommTech & IT Hardware preview (2025) We will host 10 companies from the Hardware sector at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco on September 8-11. In this note, we include a recap of recent company results and key debates, a summary of our current stock views, and a list of questions for management. Company sections are listed in order of appearance. Michael Ng, CFA +1(212)90 ...

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Axon Enterprise (AXON) . Shares have lost about 14.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Axon due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.Axon Tops Q2 Earnings & Revenue Estimates, Raises 20 ...

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Group 1 - The article discusses Axon Enterprise (AXON) and previously labeled it as a "buy for aggressive growth investors comfortable with high-growth companies" pursuing significant opportunities [1] - Investors who followed the previous advice saw their investment increase, indicating positive performance [1] Group 2 - The author has a background in engineering and a strong interest in investing, particularly in tech stocks [1]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the importance of understanding market dynamics and the potential implications for investment strategies in the current economic environment [1]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The current economic landscape is characterized by volatility, which presents both challenges and opportunities for investors [1]. - Analysts emphasize the need for a thorough analysis of market trends to identify potential investment opportunities [1]. Group 2: Investment Strategies - Companies are encouraged to adopt flexible investment strategies that can adapt to changing market conditions [1]. - The importance of diversification in investment portfolios is highlighted as a means to mitigate risks associated with market fluctuations [1].

Group 1 - The long-term outlook for Axon Enterprise is positive, with significant stock price appreciation following the second-quarter report [1][3] - Axon reported a 33% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2, reaching $669 million, marking the 14th consecutive quarter of growth exceeding 25% [4][5] - The company has a substantial market opportunity, with management targeting a $129 billion market, while currently generating $2.4 billion in trailing-12-month revenue [8] Group 2 - Future contracted bookings reached $10.7 billion, up 43% year-over-year, indicating strong future revenue growth potential [9][10] - Despite impressive growth, Axon's net income decreased by 12% in Q2 due to increased stock-based compensation, totaling $139 million for the quarter [11] - The stock trades at nearly 30 times sales, the highest valuation in two decades, necessitating continued robust growth to justify this valuation [15][16]

Core Insights - Axon Enterprise's shares surged by 16.41% on August 5, 2025, closing at a 52-week high of $867.12, driven by strong investor confidence and a robust second-quarter earnings report [1][2] - The company's adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.12 significantly exceeded analyst expectations of approximately $1.54, highlighting its financial strength [2][3] - Institutional investors are recognizing Axon's successful transition from a hardware-focused company to a vital public safety software platform, indicating a long-term strategic execution [4] Financial Performance - Axon's Software & Services segment has become the primary growth driver, with revenue increasing by 39% year over year, compared to a 29% growth in the Connected Devices segment [5][6] - The company's Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) reached $1.2 billion, reflecting a 39% increase, providing visibility into future performance [13] - Axon achieved a Net Revenue Retention (NRR) of 124%, indicating strong customer retention and revenue growth from existing clients [13] Market Position and Strategy - Axon's strategic pivot towards a subscription-based model is generating more stable and predictable revenue compared to one-time hardware sales [5][7] - Approximately 70% of Axon's law enforcement customers are still on basic software plans, presenting a significant opportunity for upselling to higher-margin software tiers [9] - The company is expanding its ecosystem by integrating AI tools and targeting new markets, including international, federal, and private sectors [10] Valuation and Analyst Ratings - Following the recent stock rally, Axon trades at a high price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 213.28, reflecting its reclassification as a high-growth platform company [11][12] - Analysts have responded positively, with Craig-Hallum upgrading the stock from Hold to Buy and Bank of America raising its price target to $1,000 per share [3][4]

Core Viewpoint - Axon Enterprise (AXON) is experiencing solid improvements in earnings estimates, which may lead to continued short-term price momentum for the stock [1][2]. Estimate Revisions - The rising trend in estimate revisions reflects growing analyst optimism regarding Axon's earnings prospects, which is expected to positively impact its stock price [2]. - For the current quarter, Axon is projected to earn $1.54 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase of +6.2%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has risen by 12% over the last 30 days, with no negative revisions [6]. - For the full year, the expected earnings per share is $6.44, representing a year-over-year change of +8.4%. The trend for current-year estimates is also positive, with two estimates moving higher and no negative revisions [7]. Zacks Rank - Axon has achieved a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) due to favorable estimate revisions, which is a reliable rating tool that helps investors capitalize on earnings estimate trends [8]. - Stocks with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) have historically outperformed the S&P 500 [8]. Stock Performance - Over the past four weeks, Axon shares have increased by 7.2%, indicating investor confidence in the company's earnings growth prospects [9].

Core Insights - Axon Enterprise (AXON) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR) have experienced significant stock price increases, with AXON up over 40% year-to-date and PLTR surging more than 130% [1][2] - Both companies have reported strong Q2 results, driven by increased public safety and defense spending [3][8] Axon Enterprise Highlights - Axon reported Q2 sales of $668.54 million, a nearly 33% year-over-year increase, surpassing estimates of $642.98 million by 4% [3] - This marks the 14th consecutive quarter of revenue growth above 25%, with broad demand across its portfolio, including AI services and drones [4] - Q2 earnings per share (EPS) were $2.12, exceeding expectations of $1.54 by 37% and up 76% from $1.20 in the prior period [5] - Axon has exceeded the Zacks EPS Consensus for 33 consecutive quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 25.87% over the last four quarters [5] Palantir Technologies Highlights - Palantir achieved its first billion-dollar quarter with Q2 sales of $1 billion, a 48% increase from $678.13 million a year ago, driven by strong demand for its AI platform [8] - The company secured a $10 billion contract with the U.S. Army, contributing to its growth [8] - Q2 EPS was $0.16, up from $0.09 in the comparative quarter and exceeding expectations of $0.14 [9] - Palantir has exceeded the Zacks EPS Consensus for 11 consecutive quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 13.17% over the last four quarters [10] Full-Year Guidance Updates - Axon raised its fiscal 2025 revenue guidance to $2.65-$2.73 billion, up from $2.6-$2.7 billion, and adjusted EBITDA guidance to $665-$685 million [12] - Palantir increased its FY25 revenue forecast to $4.142 billion-$4.15 billion, up from $3.89 billion-$3.9 billion, with commercial revenue expected to exceed $1 billion [13] Valuation Insights - Axon trades at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 25X, while Palantir's P/S ratio is significantly higher at 104X, indicating Axon may offer better value at current levels [15] - Axon's profitability and earnings estimate revisions suggest it is a more sound investment compared to Palantir, which may not offer much fundamental value after its recent rally [18]

Axon Enterprise shares soared to a record high Tuesday after the public safety technology company reported better-than-expected results and issued a rosy outlook. https://t.co/acrL53w6dZ ...