Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Markets: Stocks were selling off to close the week after President Donald Trump threatened a "massive" tariff increase on China amid a dispute over rare earth minerals. Over the summer, Trump cautioned that he would place steeper tariffs on China if it curbed exports of rare earth magnets. This announcement, however, still surprised the m ...

Core Insights - Whales have adopted a bearish stance on CrowdStrike Holdings, with 43% of trades being bearish compared to 35% bullish [1] - The total amount for put options is $1,272,870, while call options total $3,793,359, indicating a significant interest in both sides of the market [1] - Analysts have set an average price target of $535.0 for CrowdStrike Holdings, with individual targets ranging from $475 to $600 [11][12] Options Activity - A total of 95 trades were detected for CrowdStrike Holdings, with 23 puts and 72 calls [1] - The average open interest for options stands at 584.9, with total volume reaching 14,670 [3] - Noteworthy options activity includes bearish sentiment in several trades, with significant amounts allocated to both call and put options [8] Price Movements - Big players are eyeing a price window from $190.0 to $700.0 for CrowdStrike Holdings during the past quarter [2] - Current trading volume is 1,655,337, with the stock price down by 2.42% at $496.81 [14] Company Overview - CrowdStrike is a cloud-based cybersecurity company specializing in next-generation security solutions, primarily through its Falcon platform [9][10]

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]

Key Takeaways CrowdStrike stock jumped 28.3% in six months, beating the Security industry's 17.4% growth.Falcon Flex drove ARR to $4.66B, up 20% year over year, with customers expanding faster than expected.New AI-focused partnerships with NVIDIA, Salesforce, and Meta are fueling CRWD's long-term growth outlook.CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) shares have soared 28.3% in six months, outperforming the Zacks Security industry’s 17.4% growth. The stock has also outperformed the returns of other industry peers, incl ...

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]