Core Insights - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] - The Zacks Momentum Style Score helps investors identify stocks with strong momentum, addressing the challenges of defining momentum [2] Company Overview: CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) - CrowdStrike Holdings currently has a Momentum Style Score of B, indicating potential for strong performance based on price changes and earnings estimate revisions [3] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which historically outperforms the market when combined with a Style Score of A or B [4] Performance Metrics - Over the past week, CRWD shares increased by 1.76%, slightly outperforming the Zacks Security industry, which rose by 1.75% [6] - In a longer timeframe, CRWD's monthly price change is 17.48%, significantly higher than the industry's 7.19% [6] - Over the past quarter, CRWD shares have risen by 8.36%, and over the last year, they have gained 61.67%, compared to the S&P 500's increases of 7.89% and 17.66%, respectively [7] Trading Volume - CRWD's average 20-day trading volume is 3,286,991 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 16 earnings estimates for CRWD have been revised upwards, with no downward revisions, raising the consensus estimate from $3.50 to $3.67 [10] - For the next fiscal year, there have been 8 upward revisions and 6 downward revisions in earnings estimates [10] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, CRWD is positioned as a 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B, making it a compelling option for investors seeking momentum picks [12]

Core Insights - Deep-pocketed investors are adopting a bearish stance towards CrowdStrike Holdings, indicating potential significant market movements ahead [1] - The options activity for CrowdStrike is unusually high, with 63 notable options trades observed, reflecting a divided sentiment among investors [2] - The predicted price range for CrowdStrike Holdings over the past three months is between $300.0 and $750.0 [3] Options Activity Summary - The options trading data shows a total of 34% of investors leaning bullish while 47% are bearish, with a total of $2,930,846 in puts and $2,529,754 in calls [2] - Noteworthy options include bearish puts and bullish calls, with significant trades recorded at various strike prices [9] Market Position and Analyst Ratings - CrowdStrike Holdings has an average price target of $535.0 from five professional analysts, with individual targets ranging from $500 to $600 [12][13] - Analysts from Keybanc, Canaccord Genuity, Wells Fargo, JMP Securities, and Jefferies maintain various ratings on the stock, indicating a generally positive outlook despite current bearish options activity [13] Company Overview - CrowdStrike is a cloud-based cybersecurity firm specializing in next-generation security solutions, primarily through its Falcon platform [11]

Core Viewpoint - CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. is reaffirmed with an "Overweight" rating by Stephens, with an increased price target from $525 to $590, highlighting its strong market position driven by its AI-native Falcon platform and SaaS model [1][5]. Group 1: Stock Performance - In 2025, CrowdStrike's stock rose by 43%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, which had gains about three times smaller [2][5]. - The current stock price is $509.95, with a 5.23% increase today, translating to a $25.33 rise [4]. Group 2: Market Position and Growth Drivers - The Falcon platform, utilizing artificial intelligence, has been a key driver of revenue growth, particularly through annual recurring revenue (ARR) [2][5]. - The introduction of Falcon Flex is accelerating the adoption of cybersecurity modules, emphasizing the importance of the cybersecurity sector [3]. Group 3: Valuation Challenges - Despite its success, CrowdStrike faces challenges with its valuation, a common issue in the tech sector, as it will take time for the company to align with its premium price [3][5]. - CrowdStrike's current market cap is approximately $126.33 billion [4][5].

Core Insights - CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. has seen its stock price increase by 43% in 2025, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, largely due to strong revenue growth from its AI-native Falcon platform [1] - The company operates on a subscription-as-a-service (SaaS) model, which has led to impressive year-over-year revenue growth primarily in the form of annual recurring revenue (ARR) [2] - CrowdStrike's Falcon Flex platform allows customers to customize their cybersecurity needs with approximately 30 modules, expanding the company's total addressable market (TAM) [3] Revenue Growth and Customer Engagement - As of October 2025, 48% of CrowdStrike's customers utilized 6 or more modules, while 33% used 7 or more, and 23% used 8 or more modules [5][6] - The company has continued to grow its ARR even after offering free modules to customers following a significant outage in summer 2024, indicating strong customer retention and increased commitments [6] Cybersecurity Innovation - CrowdStrike is positioned as a leader in the emerging "Agentic Era" of cybersecurity, where AI systems act autonomously, necessitating a new approach to security [7][8] - The introduction of the Pangea module enhances detection and response capabilities specifically for AI environments, allowing real-time anomaly detection [9][10] Valuation Concerns - Despite strong growth, CrowdStrike's stock valuation remains a concern, with a trailing twelve-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio around 137x, nearly double the sector average [11][12] - The company aims for $20 billion in ending ARR by fiscal year 2036, which could significantly enhance its market appeal and valuation [13] Market Performance and Analyst Ratings - Following a peak in July 2025, CrowdStrike's stock experienced a nearly 20% drop but has since rebounded with over 14% gains in the last month [14] - Currently rated as a Moderate Buy among analysts, CrowdStrike is not listed among the top recommended stocks by leading analysts [15]

Core Insights - CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) shares have increased by 28.3% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Security industry's growth of 17.4% and other peers like SentinelOne, Palo Alto Networks, and Check Point Software [1][9]. Financial Performance - CrowdStrike's revenues surpassed $1 billion for the fourth consecutive quarter in Q2 of fiscal 2026, reflecting a year-over-year growth of nearly 20.1% [5]. - The company added $221 million in net new annual recurring revenue (ARR), bringing the total ARR to $4.66 billion, which is a 20% increase from the previous year [8][9]. - In Q2, sales and non-GAAP EPS grew by 21% and 5.7% year-over-year, respectively, with management projecting at least 40% year-over-year growth in net new ARR for the second half of fiscal 2026 [10]. Subscription Model and Customer Adoption - The Falcon Flex Subscription Model has significantly contributed to CrowdStrike's revenue growth, with 48% of subscription customers adopting six or more cloud modules by the end of Q2 [6][8]. - The company has over 1,000 Falcon Flex customers, with more than 100 signing follow-on "re-Flex" deals before their contracts ended, indicating strong customer expansion [8][9]. Strategic Partnerships - CrowdStrike has formed new AI-focused partnerships with NVIDIA, Salesforce, and Meta, enhancing its long-term growth outlook [9][12]. - The integration of CrowdStrike's Falcon platform with NVIDIA's AI systems aims to secure the entire AI lifecycle, protecting over 100,000 large language models [13]. - Collaborations with KPMG, Salesforce, and Meta are expected to modernize security operations and improve detection capabilities, contributing to over 60% of new business in Q2 [15][17]. Market Position and Future Outlook - The company is well-positioned in the cybersecurity market, with a strong focus on AI-driven solutions, which are increasingly prioritized by businesses [19]. - Despite a forecasted decline in EPS for fiscal 2026, a significant recovery is anticipated in fiscal 2027 with a projected increase of 29.3% [17][18].

Group 1: Affirm Holdings, Inc. - Jim Cramer recommended buying Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) after Rothschild & Co analyst Harry Bartlett upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy and raised the price target from $74 to $101 [1][1] - Affirm shares rose 1% to settle at $76.65 on Tuesday [7] Group 2: Beam Therapeutics Inc. - Cramer expressed skepticism about Beam Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BEAM), stating "I can't go with" regarding the stock [1] - Beam Therapeutics announced on Aug. 14 that the FDA granted regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation status for Beam-101 [1] - Beam shares declined 2.9% to settle at $25.13 on Tuesday [7] Group 3: Crown Castle Inc. - Cramer criticized the business model of Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE:CCI) as "not a sound one" [2] - RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin upgraded Crown Castle from Sector Perform to Outperform but lowered the price target from $113 to $112 [2] - Crown Castle shares gained 1.2% to settle at $95.14 [7] Group 4: Shopify Inc. - Cramer stated that Shopify Inc. (NASDAQ:SHOP) is going "much higher," supported by TD Securities raising its price target from $130 to $156 [2] - Shopify shares fell 2% to close at $161.28 on Tuesday [7] Group 5: CoreWeave, Inc. - Cramer described CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) as "good" [2] - CoreWeave announced plans to acquire Monolith AI, a UK-based pioneer in applying machine learning to complex physics and engineering problems [2] - CoreWeave shares fell 3.8% to settle at $128.83 [7] Group 6: CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. - Cramer expressed confidence in CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) and its CEO George Kurtz, expecting the stock to rise [3] - Wells Fargo analyst Andrew Nowinski maintained an Overweight rating on CrowdStrike and raised the price target from $550 to $600 [3] - CrowdStrike shares fell 2.3% to close at $484.62 [7]

Group 1: Affirm Holdings, Inc. - Jim Cramer recommended buying Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) after Rothschild & Co analyst Harry Bartlett upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy and raised the price target from $74 to $101 [1][1] - Affirm shares rose 1% to settle at $76.65 on Tuesday [7] Group 2: Beam Therapeutics Inc. - Cramer expressed skepticism about Beam Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BEAM), stating "I can't go with" the stock [1] - Beam Therapeutics announced on Aug. 14 that the FDA granted regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation status for Beam-101 [1] - Beam shares declined 2.9% to settle at $25.13 on Tuesday [7] Group 3: Crown Castle Inc. - Cramer criticized the business model of Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE:CCI), calling it "not a sound one" [2] - RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin upgraded Crown Castle from Sector Perform to Outperform but lowered the price target from $113 to $112 [2] - Crown Castle shares gained 1.2% to settle at $95.14 [7] Group 4: Shopify Inc. - Cramer stated that Shopify Inc. (NASDAQ:SHOP) is going "much higher," supported by TD Securities raising its price target from $130 to $156 [2] - Shopify shares fell 2% to close at $161.28 on Tuesday [7] Group 5: CoreWeave, Inc. - Cramer described CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) as "good" [2] - CoreWeave announced plans to acquire Monolith AI, a UK-based pioneer in applying machine learning to complex physics and engineering problems [2] - CoreWeave shares fell 3.8% to settle at $128.83 [7] Group 6: CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. - Cramer expressed confidence in CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) and its CEO George Kurtz, expecting the stock to rise [3] - Wells Fargo analyst Andrew Nowinski maintained an Overweight rating on CrowdStrike and raised the price target from $550 to $600 [3] - CrowdStrike shares fell 2.3% to close at $484.62 [7]

Core Insights - CrowdStrike has introduced new features in its Falcon Next-Generation Identity Security platform to enhance protection across various identities, including human, machine, and AI agents [1][11] Product Updates - The new FalconID tool offers passwordless, phishing-resistant MFA using FIDO2 standards, delivered through the Falcon mobile app, which utilizes real-time endpoint and identity signals to prevent credential-based breaches [2][11] - Falcon Privileged Access has been expanded to simplify management of complex Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID setups, focusing on automating access grants and revocations through Microsoft Teams and Falcon Fusion SOAR [3] - Identity-driven case management has been added to link related detections into a single case within Falcon's Next-Generation SIEM, combining endpoint, cloud, and SaaS telemetry for faster investigation and response [4] Business Performance - CrowdStrike's identity business reached $435 million in ARR in Q2 of fiscal 2026, reflecting a 21% year-over-year increase, indicating strong adoption momentum [5][11] - The company aims to transition customers from legacy IAM and PAM tools to its platform, which could help achieve its long-term target of $10 billion in ARR by fiscal 2031 [5] Competitive Landscape - CyberArk and Okta are key competitors in the identity security space, with CyberArk enhancing its platform through AI integration and Okta focusing on AI-driven tools for risk detection and user access management [6][7][8] Market Performance - CrowdStrike's shares have increased by 45.1% year to date, outperforming the Security industry's growth of 21.1% [9] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 22.75X, significantly higher than the industry's average of 13.28X [12] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CrowdStrike's fiscal 2026 earnings indicates a year-over-year decline of 6.6%, while fiscal 2027 earnings are expected to grow by 29.3% [15]

Core Insights - CrowdStrike and Okta are leading companies in the cybersecurity sector, focusing on endpoint protection and identity management respectively [1][12] - The cybersecurity market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.45% from 2025 to 2030, driven by increasing cyber threats [2] CrowdStrike Overview - CrowdStrike's Falcon platform is a multi-tenant, cloud-native security solution that secures various environments and endpoints [4] - Subscription-based sales have increased from 72% in fiscal 2017 to 95% in fiscal 2025, indicating strong customer adoption [5] - The Falcon Flex subscription model has contributed significantly to customer growth, with 48% of subscription customers using six or more cloud modules [6] - In Q2, CrowdStrike added $221 million in net new annual recurring revenue (ARR), bringing total ARR to $4.66 billion, a 20% year-over-year increase [7][9] - The company expects revenues of $4.78 billion and $5.80 billion for fiscal 2026 and 2027, respectively, both showing around 21% year-over-year growth [9][11] Okta Overview - Okta's identity security solutions are expanding, with a portfolio that includes various identity management tools [12] - In Q2, Okta's revenues grew by 12.7% year-over-year, with approximately 20,000 customers and $4.15 billion in remaining performance obligations [13] - The company anticipates revenues between $2.875 billion and $2.885 billion for fiscal 2026, reflecting a growth rate of 10-11% [16][17] Market Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, CrowdStrike shares have increased by 43.2%, while Okta shares have risen by 18.4% [18] - CrowdStrike trades at a forward sales multiple of 22.48X, significantly higher than Okta's 5.34X, reflecting higher growth expectations [21] - CrowdStrike is currently rated as a Strong Buy, while Okta holds a Sell rating, indicating a more favorable investment outlook for CrowdStrike [24][25]

Core Insights - The focus on artificial intelligence (AI) is significant as it represents a major technological transformation, with cybersecurity stocks also benefiting from this trend [1][2]. Cybersecurity Sector Overview - Key players in the cybersecurity sector include CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (CRWD), Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW), and Fortinet Inc. (FTNT), all of which are included in top industry ETFs [2]. - CrowdStrike is highlighted as the best positioned for long-term growth due to its cloud-native and AI-first Falcon platform [4][6]. CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (CRWD) - CrowdStrike's Falcon platform offers 29 modules across three categories: Endpoint Security, Security and IT Operations, and Threat Intelligence, with subscription sales accounting for approximately 95% of its revenue [4]. - The company forecasts full-year revenue between $4.74 billion and $4.81 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 20% at the low end of the forecast [5]. - Despite having the highest premium among the three stocks, CrowdStrike's structural advantage justifies its high valuation multiple [6]. Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW) - Palo Alto Networks has a market cap exceeding $138 billion and is focusing on migrating into the AI and cloud security space through acquisitions [8]. - The company reported a 32% year-over-year increase in annual recurring revenue for next-gen security, but its stock has only risen 14% for the year, which may be attributed to growth expectations [8]. - Total revenue growth for 2026 is expected to be around 14%, similar to 2025, as the company faces competition in cloud and AI adoption [8]. Fortinet Inc. (FTNT) - Fortinet is known for its firewall business and has expanded into cloud security with its FortiCloud platform, which incorporates AI [11]. - The company has achieved over 14% year-over-year growth in the trailing 12-month period, but concerns exist regarding the pace of future growth due to the potential end of the current firewall upgrade cycle [12]. - Analysts have expressed skepticism about Fortinet's growth prospects, with the company currently holding a "Hold" rating among analysts [13].