Group 1: Nasdaq-100 Overview - The Nasdaq-100 index includes 100 large non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, with Palantir Technologies, Zscaler, and MercadoLibre being the top performers year to date [1] - Wall Street forecasts indicate a downside for Palantir and Zscaler, while MercadoLibre is recommended as a buy [1] Group 2: Palantir Technologies - Palantir's stock has increased by 69% year to date, but the median target price of $100 per share suggests a 21% downside from the current price of $127 [6] - The company reported a 39% increase in revenue to $884 million for the first quarter, marking the seventh consecutive acceleration, and a 62% increase in non-GAAP net income to $0.13 per diluted share [3] - IDC recognized Palantir as a leader in decision intelligence platforms, and it is noted as the most expensive software stock based on its forward price-to-sales ratio [2][4] - Analysts suggest avoiding Palantir due to its high valuation, even if growth rates remain strong [5] Group 3: Zscaler - Zscaler's stock is up 68% year to date, with a median target price of $300 per share implying a 1% downside from the current price of $303 [6] - The company reported a 23% increase in revenue to $678 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, with non-GAAP net income rising 18% to $0.84 per diluted share [9] - Zscaler is recognized as a leader in security service edge platforms, with the SSE market expected to grow at 27% annually through 2030 [10] - Despite strong growth, Wall Street anticipates adjusted earnings growth of only 9% annually through fiscal 2026, making the current valuation appear expensive [11] Group 4: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre's stock has increased by 46% year to date, with a median target price of $2,875 per share indicating a 15% upside from the current price of $2,485 [6] - The company dominates the Latin American e-commerce market, accounting for 28.5% of regional retail e-commerce sales, projected to reach 30% by 2026 [12] - MercadoLibre reported a 37% increase in revenue to $5.9 billion in the first quarter, driven by strong growth in its fintech segment, with GAAP net income rising 44% to $9.74 per diluted share [14] - Wall Street expects MercadoLibre's earnings to grow at 36% annually through 2026, making its current valuation of 61 times earnings reasonable [15]

Core Insights - The implementation of a zero trust architecture could potentially reduce global annual economic losses from cyber incidents by up to $465 billion, representing a reduction of up to 31% in overall cyber losses [1][8] - North America has experienced significantly more cyber incidents compared to Europe, with nearly four times the number of incidents, yet a higher percentage of European incidents (41%) could have been mitigated by zero trust compared to North America (31%) [2] - The rise in ransomware incidents, which increased by 126% in one year, has heightened the proportion of events that zero trust could have mitigated globally [3] Company Insights - Zscaler's Risk360 service provides organizations with a comprehensive cyber risk profile, enabling them to quantify business risk and potentially receive more favorable cyber insurance policies [5][6] - The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform is designed to protect users, devices, and applications from cyberattacks, leveraging a large network of over 160 data centers globally [9] Industry Insights - The report emphasizes the importance of zero trust as a fundamental cybersecurity control that enhances cyber hygiene and reduces risk exposure by requiring continuous verification of users, applications, and devices [4] - Companies with over $1 billion in annual revenue are identified as standing to benefit the most from zero trust implementation, with 60% of attacks deemed mitigable [3]

Core Insights - Zscaler (ZS) and Qualys (QLYS) are significant players in the cybersecurity sector, both competing in the vulnerability management space [1][2] - The cybersecurity market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by increasing cyberattacks [2] Zscaler Overview - Zscaler provides a wide range of enterprise network security solutions, including web security, antivirus, and vulnerability management [4] - The company integrates over 150 data sources for unified vulnerability management, enhancing automation in risk mitigation [5] - Zscaler is focusing on privileged access security due to digital transformation trends and has a diverse industry presence, which helps mitigate macroeconomic risks [6] - The integration of AI in Zscaler's offerings enhances its capabilities in threat detection and mitigation [7] - However, rising sales and marketing expenses, along with increased R&D investment, are leading to margin compression, with fiscal 2025 earnings projected at $3.18 per share, a decline of 0.31% year-over-year [8][10] Qualys Overview - Qualys is a leader in Vulnerability Management, Detection and Response (VMDR) solutions, with a growing customer base and product enhancements [11] - The company has a strong channel partner program that accelerates revenue growth, particularly through cloud-based security solutions [12] - Qualys reported a 16% year-over-year growth in international revenue, indicating successful organic expansion [13] - The total addressable market for Qualys is projected to reach $72 billion by 2027, growing at approximately 13% annually [14] - Fiscal 2025 revenues for Qualys are estimated at $652.2 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 7.34%, with earnings projected at $6.17 per share, a growth of 0.65% [15] Stock Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, Zscaler shares have returned 68%, while Qualys shares have returned 1.2% [17] - Zscaler trades at a forward sales multiple of 15.21X, above the industry average of 14.77X, while Qualys trades at a lower multiple of 7.69X [19] - Qualys is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), making it a more attractive investment compared to Zscaler, which holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [20]

Core Insights - Zscaler (ZS) is currently in the 10th Phase of its 18 Phase Adhishthana Cycle, having rallied approximately 33% since entering this phase [1] - The stock has shown a 66.66% alignment with the Adhishthana Principles, a framework for forecasting stock behavior through cyclical analysis [1] Phase Analysis - In Phase 2, Zscaler experienced a consolidation range with a bearish tilt for 37 bars, followed by a sharp bullish rally of roughly 225%, termed the Rally of Buddhi [2][4] - Phase 4 began at $191.14, with the stock reaching a high of $376.11, but this rally was deemed illusory, leading to a renunciation phase in Phase 5 where Zscaler dropped below the Phase 4 low of $125.12 [5] - Phase 6 established a Level of Nirvana at $146.93, which now serves as a key valuation barometer during bearish phases [7] Current and Future Outlook - Zscaler is in Phase 10, which often marks the beginning of an ascent towards the Adhishthana Himalayan Formation, with expectations of a peak formation occurring between the 18th and 23rd bars of Phase 10, translating to a window between 2 September and 12 October 2025 [10] - On the monthly timeframe, Zscaler is in Phase 2, having begun a classic Rally of Buddhi after consolidating for 38 bars, with this phase scheduled to end on 31 January 2028 [13] Investor Considerations - Zscaler did not deliver a significant move in Phase 9 on the weekly charts, which is typically expected, and its weekly alignment percentage is lower compared to some peers [16] - The company remains a strong hold, with investors advised to monitor the period from 2 September to 12 October 2025 for potential peak formation in Phase 10 [17]

Core Viewpoint - Despite macroeconomic uncertainties causing market volatility, investors should focus on high-quality stocks that can deliver substantial long-term returns, as identified by top analysts based on solid fundamentals and growth potential [1] Group 1: Nvidia - Nvidia reported results for Q1 FY2026 that significantly exceeded market expectations, maintaining confidence in AI infrastructure demand despite chip export restrictions [2] - Analyst Harlan Sur from JPMorgan reiterated a "Buy" rating with a target price of $170, noting that while H20 chip export restrictions impacted some sales, overall revenue remained robust [2] - The anticipated 16% quarter-over-quarter growth in data center revenue for the July quarter is driven by increased customer investment in AI and accelerated computing projects [2] - Nvidia's strong demand for the Blackwell platform is expected to lead to supply shortages in upcoming quarters, supported by partnerships with large data centers in regions like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan [2] Group 2: Zscaler - Zscaler's Q3 performance surpassed expectations, driven by increased demand for its zero-trust exchange platform and AI security solutions [4] - Analyst Brian Essex raised the target price from $275 to $292 while maintaining a "Buy" rating, highlighting Zscaler's strong quarterly performance amid macro pressures faced by peers [4] - The company has raised its annual revenue, profit, and billing guidance, with annual recurring revenue (ARR) nearing $1 billion, driven by emerging products like "full-domain zero trust" and "intelligent operations" [4] - Zscaler's customer growth momentum remains strong, with a 23% year-over-year increase in customers with ARR exceeding $1 million [4] Group 3: Salesforce - Salesforce reported Q1 FY2026 revenue and earnings that exceeded expectations and raised its full-year guidance, while announcing an $8 billion acquisition of data management firm Informatica [5] - Analyst Derrick Wood from TD Cowen reiterated a "Buy" rating with a target price of $375, noting strong signals of demand from the expansion of the sales team [5] - The company is experiencing rapid growth in AI applications, with data cloud and AI-related ARR increasing over 120% year-over-year, and 30% of new orders coming from existing customers [5] - Salesforce is reinvesting cost savings from AI into growth areas, with a notable increase in the sales pipeline growing at a double-digit rate [6]

Core Viewpoint - Market volatility driven by macro uncertainty necessitates a focus on stocks with strong long-term return potential, supported by top Wall Street analysts' recommendations [1][2] Group 1: Nvidia (NVDA) - Nvidia reported market-beating results for Q1 of fiscal 2026, maintaining confidence in AI infrastructure demand despite chip export restrictions [3][4] - JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur reiterated a buy rating with a price target of $170, noting solid revenue despite a $4.5 billion write-down related to H20 inventory [4][6] - Excluding H20 shipments, data center revenue is projected to grow 16% quarter over quarter, driven by strong customer spending on AI projects [5][6] - Demand for Nvidia's Blackwell platform is strong, expected to exceed supply for several quarters, supported by mega data center deals [6][7] Group 2: Zscaler (ZS) - Zscaler's fiscal Q3 results surpassed expectations, driven by demand for its Zero Trust Exchange platform and AI security needs [8][9] - JPMorgan analyst Brian Essex reaffirmed a buy rating and raised the price target to $292, highlighting the company's raised full-year outlook for revenue and profitability [9][11] - The number of customers with over $1 million in annual recurring revenue increased by 23% year over year, positioning Zscaler to exceed $3 billion in ARR [11][12] - The acquisition of Red Canary is viewed positively, expected to enhance Zscaler's IP and threat intelligence capabilities [12] Group 3: Salesforce (CRM) - Salesforce reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings for Q1 of fiscal 2026 and raised its full-year forecast, alongside an $8 billion acquisition of Informatica [13][14] - TD Cowen analyst Derrick Wood reiterated a buy rating with a price target of $375, noting strong demand signals from the company's renewed focus on sales capacity growth [14][16] - AI adoption is accelerating, with Data Cloud and AI ARR rising over 120% year over year, indicating strong traction for the Agentforce offering [15][16] - Salesforce is increasing its workforce aggressively, signaling positive demand and growing sales pipelines [16][17]

Core Insights - Zscaler is experiencing significant growth in its ITOps and SecOps operations, driven by the introduction of ZDX Copilot and agentic operations across various security modules [1][3][10] ITOps Summary - The launch of ZDX Copilot has resulted in a 70% year-over-year increase in bookings for the ZDX Advanced Plus package, reaching $75 million since its introduction [2][10] SecOps Summary - Zscaler's SecOps business has seen a remarkable 120% year-over-year growth in annual contract value due to the integration of agentic operations [3][10] New Growth Categories Summary - The New Growth Categories (NGC), which include Zero Trust Everywhere, Data Security Everywhere, and Agentic Operations, have achieved approximately $1 billion in annual recurring revenues (ARR), contributing to Zscaler's total ARR of $2.9 billion in Q3 fiscal 2025 [3][10] Competitive Landscape Summary - Competitors like Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike are also expanding their capabilities in agentic operations, with Palo Alto Networks deploying Cortex XSIAM and CrowdStrike introducing Falcon Next-Gen SIEM and Charlotte AI [5][6] Market Dynamics Summary - The agentic operations market is still expanding, providing ample growth opportunities for multiple players, including Zscaler, which has established a strong position in this emerging market [7] Price Performance Summary - Zscaler's shares have increased by 66.8% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Security industry's growth of 20.6% [8] Valuation Summary - Zscaler currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 15.16X, which is higher than the industry average of 14.6X [11] Earnings Estimates Summary - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Zscaler's fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a slight decline of 0.31%, while the estimate for fiscal 2026 suggests an 11.86% growth, with recent upward revisions in estimates for both years [12]

Core Insights - Zscaler operates in the rapidly growing SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) market, which is attracting new entrants and raising concerns about potential commoditization [1] - The company is focusing on expanding beyond its historical markets of ZIA (Zscaler Internet Access) and ZPA (Zscaler Private Access) to identify new growth opportunities [1] - There is an observed acceleration in orders and bookings, indicating positive growth trends for Zscaler [1] Company Strategy - Zscaler is addressing the challenge of new market entrants by exploring strategies to differentiate its offerings and mitigate commoditization risks [1] - The company is actively seeking to grow its business by venturing into new areas beyond its established services [1] Market Dynamics - The SASE market is characterized by fast growth, presenting both risks and opportunities for companies like Zscaler [1] - The competitive landscape is evolving, necessitating a proactive approach from Zscaler to maintain its market position [1]

Summary of Zscaler (ZS) 2025 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Zscaler (ZS) - **Industry**: Cybersecurity, specifically focusing on Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Zero Trust security models Key Points and Arguments Market Dynamics - SASE is a rapidly growing space with increasing competition and new entrants [1] - Zscaler is experiencing accelerating order bookings and growth beyond its historical markets of ZIA (Zscaler Internet Access) and ZPA (Zscaler Private Access) [1][2] Growth Opportunities - Zscaler identifies three major areas of opportunity: 1. Data security, which is becoming increasingly complex, especially with AI integration [5] 2. Agentic operations, leveraging AI to enhance security and IT operations [5] 3. Expansion into new markets beyond traditional offerings [5][12] Zero Trust Security Model - The concept of Zero Trust is evolving, with a shift from user-centric to encompassing cloud workloads, IoT, and AI agents [7][9] - Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange is positioned as a comprehensive solution for secure communication across various entities [9] Product Development and Innovation - Zscaler has expanded its offerings to include a B2B collaboration exchange and enhanced capabilities for securing AI applications [9] - The company emphasizes the importance of a single vendor for data protection to simplify complex data protection policies [11] Customer Engagement and Sales Strategy - The sales approach has shifted from transactional to account-focused, enhancing customer relationships and sales productivity [62] - Zscaler's solutions are designed to reduce costs significantly for customers, with examples of cost reductions of 50-70% for large enterprises [33] Competitive Landscape - Zscaler faces competition from traditional firewall companies that are attempting to pivot to SASE solutions, but the company believes these offerings do not meet the true Zero Trust criteria [38][39] - The company maintains a strong brand reputation among CIOs and CISOs, focusing on ROI and value delivered rather than just pricing [44] Financial Performance and Metrics - Zscaler reported over $350 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) from data security, indicating strong growth potential in this area [75] - The company is focused on upselling existing customers, with a reported 40% increase in new logo Annual Contract Value (ACV) year-over-year [56] Data Protection Strategy - Zscaler's approach to data security emphasizes securing data rather than the network itself, positioning itself as a leader in Data Loss Prevention (DLP) [69] - The company has developed a flexible pricing model (Z Flex) to allow customers to choose and adapt their data protection modules according to their needs [78] Future Outlook - Zscaler is optimistic about the future, with plans to expand its Zero Trust offerings to branches and workloads, indicating a phased approach to market penetration [37][50] - The company is committed to continuous innovation and customer satisfaction, aiming to delight customers and win more business [86] Additional Important Insights - The transition to Zero Trust is seen as essential for modern cybersecurity, moving away from traditional firewalls and SD WANs [26] - Zscaler's focus on simplifying security operations and reducing complexity is viewed as a critical factor for resilience in enterprises [34][35] - The company acknowledges the presence of late adopters in the market but believes that its solutions will eventually become mainstream as more enterprises recognize the need for Zero Trust [36]

Core Viewpoint - Zscaler's stock has surged by 51% in 2025, defying broader market pessimism, driven by strong financial performance and an optimistic outlook for future growth [1][3]. Financial Performance - Zscaler reported $678 million in revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, marking a 23% increase year-over-year and exceeding management's guidance of $665 million to $667 million [9]. - The company raised its full-year revenue guidance for fiscal 2025 to $2.66 billion, up from a previous estimate of $2.647 billion [10]. - On a non-GAAP basis, Zscaler achieved a net income of $136.7 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 20.7% [11]. Market Position and Growth Potential - Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange platform is rapidly expanding, with 210 customers adopting the "zero trust everywhere" approach, a 60% increase from the previous year [8]. - The company views its addressable market as worth $96 billion, indicating significant growth potential [14]. - Zscaler's remaining performance obligation (RPO) increased by 30% to $5 billion, suggesting an acceleration in future revenue growth [14]. Analyst Sentiment - The majority of analysts covering Zscaler stock have assigned it a buy rating, with none recommending a sell [12]. - The average price target for Zscaler stock is $285.98, indicating a potential upside of 3.7% over the next 12 to 18 months, with a high target of $323 suggesting a 17.1% increase [13].