Group 1: Nutanix - Oppenheimer initiates coverage on Nutanix with an "Outperform" rating and a target price of $90, citing benefits from the industry's shift towards hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) [1] - Nutanix is positioned to gain market share as VMware faces customer resistance due to price increases, allowing Nutanix to capitalize on this opportunity [1] - The company has strong capabilities to build and deliver AI applications, leveraging the growing demand for unstructured data, which supports its business expansion in the AI era [1] Group 2: Pure Storage - Oppenheimer initiates coverage on Pure Storage with an "Outperform" rating and a target price of $120, highlighting the company's advantage in the all-flash array (AFA) market [2] - The growth in demand for unstructured data storage driven by AI applications is expected to benefit Pure Storage, allowing it to capture market share from traditional HDD and other flash vendors [2] - The expansion of its customer base to include tier-one and tier-two hyperscale data centers is anticipated to drive strong new customer growth and improve operating margins [2] Group 3: Rubrik - Oppenheimer assigns a "Market Perform" rating to Rubrik, indicating that its valuation reasonably reflects its growth prospects [3] - The increasing importance of data is expected to expand the total addressable market (TAM) for backup storage, benefiting Rubrik [3] - The rise in data security vulnerabilities and ransomware attacks aligns with Rubrik's security-first strategy, although competition in the network resilience space is intensifying [3]

Core Viewpoint - Rubrik Inc (NYSE:RBRK) is experiencing a slight decline in stock price despite receiving an upgrade to "outperform" from "neutral" by Mizuho, which believes the stock is undervalued and possesses competitive strengths compared to peers [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Rubrik's stock is currently trading at $70.93, down 0.9% in the morning session [1] - The stock has increased by 60% year-over-year, indicating strong performance despite recent struggles [2] - Support has been established at the $70 price level, with significant moving averages above [2] Group 2: Options Activity - There has been a notable increase in call options activity, with the 10-day call/put volume ratio ranking higher than 87% of readings from the past year [2] Group 3: Short Interest - Short interest in Rubrik has risen by 2.4% in the latest reporting period, now accounting for 8.6% of the stock's available float [3][4] - At the current average daily trading pace, it would take over three days for short sellers to cover their positions [3][4]

Core Insights - The article compiles significant research calls from Wall Street that are influencing market movements and investor decisions [1] Upgrades Summary - Truist upgraded Block (XYZ) to Hold from Sell with a price target of $68, increased from $67, citing improved risk/reward dynamics following a recent share pullback, despite concerns over credit risk and growth in Cash App Borrow [2] - TD Cowen upgraded Yum! Brands (YUM) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $173, up from $162, anticipating that the potential sale of Pizza Hut will enhance Yum's growth profile [2] - Mizuho upgraded Rubrik (RBRK) to Outperform from Neutral, maintaining a price target of $97, attributing the upgrade to valuation as shares have declined 16% since mid-May despite solid execution [2] - Barclays upgraded Gap (GAP) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $30, raised from $19, praising the company's disciplined leadership strategy under CEO Richard Dickson [2] - UBS upgraded Expeditors (EXPD) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $166, up from $138, believing that growth in the Customs and other segments will counterbalance the pressure from lower ocean rates in 2026 [2]

Group 1: Rubrik - Rubrik achieved a sales growth of 55% in the last quarter and is currently trading at 79 times free cash flow (FCF) [1] - The company is recognized as the No. 1 player in its niche, holding a "leader" designation from Gartner and has an impressive +80 Net Promoter Score, ranking it among the top 1% of enterprise software companies [1] Group 2: Rocket Lab - Rocket Lab's sales grew by 48% in the last quarter, and its next-generation Neutron rocket is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2026 [4] - The company holds a market cap of approximately $25 billion and is positioned as the No. 2 player in a space industry projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2035 [2] Group 3: Dutch Bros - Dutch Bros reported a 25% sales growth in the last quarter, but its stock has dropped by 33% from its all-time high due to decelerating revenue growth [7] - The company aims to expand to 2,029 total shops by 2029, doubling its current total, and is now funding store construction through its own cash flow [8] Group 4: Halozyme Therapeutics - Halozyme Therapeutics holds a near monopoly on subcutaneous drug deliveries, significantly reducing the time required for drug administration [9] - The company has increased sales by 38% annually over the last decade and is trading at 15 times FCF, indicating strong growth potential [10] Group 5: Global-e Online - Global-e Online facilitates international sales for brands, with its technology being utilized by major e-commerce platforms like Shopify [11] - Despite a 28% sales growth in the last quarter and a 40% drop in share price from its peak, the company remains a dominant player in its niche, trading at 42 times FCF [12] Group 6: Wingstop - Wingstop has experienced a decline in same-store sales for two consecutive quarters, leading to a 37% drop in its stock price [13] - Management believes the company can quadruple its store count, indicating potential for future growth despite recent challenges [15] Group 7: The Trade Desk - The Trade Desk's stock has fallen by 69%, but it still managed a 26% sales growth over the past year [16] - The company is trading at 25 times forward earnings, with improving adoption rates for its new AI-powered platform, Kokai [17] Group 8: Kinsale Capital - Kinsale Capital specializes in excess and surplus insurance lines, achieving 45% annualized net income growth over the last decade [18] - The company is currently trading at its lowest-ever P/E ratio of 19, making it an attractive investment opportunity [20] Group 9: SPS Commerce - SPS Commerce has delivered 99 consecutive quarters of sales growth but has guided for only 8% growth in 2026, resulting in a 59% drop in stock price [21] - The company trades at 21 times free cash flow, significantly below its five-year average, suggesting a potential buying opportunity [22] Group 10: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre has shown a 39% sales increase in its last quarter and has become a core player in the Latin American economy with 77 million active e-commerce buyers [23] - The company is trading at 52 times forward earnings, which is considered reasonable given its strong growth trajectory [24]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of understanding macro trends and their influence on asset prices and investor behavior, particularly in the context of equity analysis and research [1]. Group 1: Professional Background - The author has over 10 years of experience in asset management, focusing on equity analysis, macroeconomics, and risk-managed portfolio construction [1]. - The professional background includes advising on and implementing multi-asset strategies, with a strong emphasis on equities and derivatives [1]. Group 2: Investment Philosophy - The author believes that investing should be accessible, inspiring, and empowering, aiming to help others build confidence in long-term investing [1]. - The analysis and opinions shared are intended for informational purposes and should not be considered financial advice, encouraging readers to conduct their own research before making investment decisions [1].

Core Insights - N2K Networks has launched the Data Security Decoded podcast on the N2K CyberWire network, aimed at providing research-driven insights for cybersecurity and IT professionals to mitigate data security risks and enhance resilience outcomes [1][3]. Group 1: Podcast Overview - The podcast offers actionable insights for practitioners to prepare for cyber attacks, discussing the latest threats, trends, and best practices [2]. - Each episode features discussions with leading threat intelligence analysts and global cyber policy experts to aid listeners in making informed decisions [2]. Group 2: Episode Highlights - The inaugural episode titled "Secure by Design, Secure by Default, Secure by Demand: The Signs of a Secure Software Supply Chain" features Lauren Zabierek from the Institute for Security and Technology, emphasizing the importance of security as a business decision and how market incentives can lead to insecure systems [4]. Group 3: Release Schedule - New episodes of the podcast will be released bi-monthly on Tuesdays, encouraging subscriptions for updates on future episodes [5]. Group 4: Company Background - Rubrik, the sponsor of the podcast, specializes in data protection and cyber resilience, providing solutions that secure and recover data across various cloud environments [6]. - N2K Networks focuses on delivering critical industry insights and strategic intelligence to empower cybersecurity professionals, collaborating with various organizations from Fortune 100 companies to startups [7].

Core Insights - Rubrik and Dell Technologies are significant players in the enterprise data protection and cybersecurity market, offering solutions for data backup, recovery, and ransomware protection in hybrid and multi-cloud environments [1][2] Market Overview - The global cybersecurity market was valued at $193.73 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $562.77 billion by 2032, representing a CAGR of 14.40% from 2025 to 2032 [2] Rubrik's Performance - Rubrik's subscription ARR surpassed $1.25 billion in Q2 of fiscal 2026, growing 36% year over year, with net new subscription ARR reaching $71 million [4] - The company experienced a 27% year-over-year increase in customers with over $100K in subscription ARR, totaling 2,505 customers as of July 31, 2025 [6] - Rubrik's cloud ARR grew 57% to $1.1 billion, driven by the adoption of its Rubrik Security Cloud platform [6] - The launch of "Rubrik Agent Cloud" aims to enhance AI agent adoption while addressing security and compliance risks [5] Dell's Performance - Dell Technologies is enhancing its position in the enterprise data protection market through its PowerProtect portfolio and data security innovations [7] - The company announced advancements in private cloud infrastructure and improvements to its AI Data Platform, which enhances its capability to transform data into actionable AI insights [8][9] - Dell shares have surged 40.8% year-to-date, outperforming Rubrik's 19.1% gain, attributed to its diversified portfolio and strong AI momentum [11][12] Valuation and Earnings Estimates - Rubrik shares are currently overvalued with a Value Score of F, trading at a forward Price/Sales ratio of 10.52X, while Dell shares are considered cheap with a Value Score of A, trading at 0.96X [15] - For fiscal 2026, Rubrik is expected to report a loss of 49 cents per share, while Dell's earnings estimate is pegged at $9.54 per share, indicating a 17.20% year-over-year increase [17] Conclusion - Both Rubrik and Dell Technologies are positioned to benefit from the growing demand for data protection and AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, but Dell currently has a stronger edge due to its diversified business model, solid earnings growth, and attractive valuation [20]

Core Insights - Cognizant has expanded its partnership with Rubrik to offer Business Resilience-as-a-Service (BRaaS), a subscription-based model aimed at helping enterprises recover from cyber incidents and ransomware attacks while aligning recovery objectives with business outcomes [2][4]. Group 1: Partnership Overview - The partnership combines Rubrik's AI-driven security platform with Cognizant's global delivery capabilities, enabling clients to recover from cyber incidents quickly and confidently [4][5]. - The BRaaS offering is one of the first of its kind, designed to provide a flexible, consumption-based model for business resilience [2][4]. Group 2: Market Context - The global AI market is rapidly expanding, leading organizations to adopt advanced AI technologies, which in turn increases the attack surface for cyber threats [3]. - The frequency and sophistication of ransomware attacks are rising, necessitating a shift from simple prevention to a more resilient approach to safeguard critical data [3][4]. Group 3: Strategic Goals - The BRaaS model aims to bridge the gap between IT recovery and true business continuity, allowing organizations to minimize downtime and maintain customer trust during cyber disruptions [4][5]. - Cognizant's expertise in cloud and infrastructure, combined with Rubrik's security platform, is intended to help clients protect valuable data assets and accelerate secure growth in the AI era [5]. Group 4: Technological Integration - Rubrik's Agent Rewind feature provides capabilities to mitigate risks associated with AI agents, allowing enterprises to safely undo destructive actions [5]. - Cognizant's Neuro AI platform, which includes multi-agent orchestration and industry-specific AI solutions, aims to operationalize AI while ensuring robust data protection [5].

Core Insights - Rubrik is experiencing significant growth due to its cloud security platform, with cloud ARR increasing by 57% year-over-year to $1.1 billion in Q2 of fiscal 2026, driven by the adoption of the Rubrik Security Cloud platform [1][9] Group 1: Product Innovations and Acquisitions - The launch of "Rubrik Agent Cloud" aims to accelerate AI agent adoption in enterprises while managing security and compliance risks, providing full lifecycle management for AI agents [2] - The acquisition of Predibase enhances Rubrik's AI capabilities, allowing organizations to customize models based on their data, improving accuracy, reducing costs, and automating data governance [3] Group 2: Financial Performance and Projections - For Q3 of fiscal 2026, Rubrik's revenues are projected to be between $319 million and $321 million, indicating a year-over-year growth rate of 35% to 36% [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rubrik's loss in fiscal 2026 is set at 49 cents per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, compared to earnings of $1.57 per share in the same quarter last year [12] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Rubrik faces strong competition in the cybersecurity market from companies like Fortinet and Datadog, both of which are enhancing their service offerings to provide more integrated solutions [5][6] Group 4: Stock Performance and Valuation - Rubrik's shares have increased by 17.5% year-to-date, underperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector's return of 22.9% and the Internet - Software industry's appreciation of 17.9% [7] - The forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio for Rubrik is 10.42X, significantly higher than the Computer & Technology sector's 6.88X, indicating that Rubrik's stock may be overvalued [10]

Core Insights - Rubrik is characterized as a misunderstood company, which may pose challenges for some investors to comprehend its business model and potential [1] Company Overview - The company was co-founded by Bipul Sinha, who currently serves as the CEO [1] Leadership Background - Bipul Sinha has a diverse background, having been a Merchant Seaman for over 30 years and developing a strong interest in investing over the last 15 years [1] - Sinha's engineering background influences his inclination towards technology stocks [1]