ServiceNow (NOW) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing

Core Viewpoint - ServiceNow's stock performance shows a slight increase, with upcoming earnings expected to reflect significant growth in both EPS and revenue [1][3][4]. Company Performance - ServiceNow's stock closed at $1,012.74, up 0.18% from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.01% [1]. - Over the past month, ServiceNow shares increased by 4.73%, lagging behind the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 7.95% and the S&P 500's gain of 5.2% [2]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is anticipated to show an EPS of $3.53, representing a 12.78% increase year-over-year, with revenue expected to reach $3.12 billion, up 18.79% from the prior year [3]. - For the full year, analysts project earnings of $16.51 per share and revenue of $13.01 billion, indicating increases of 18.61% and 18.42%, respectively, compared to last year [4]. Analyst Sentiment - Recent changes in analyst estimates for ServiceNow are crucial, as positive revisions indicate optimism regarding the company's business and profitability [5]. - The Zacks Rank system, which reflects these estimate changes, currently rates ServiceNow as 3 (Hold), with a recent consensus EPS projection increase of 0.27% [7]. Valuation Metrics - ServiceNow is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 61.23, significantly higher than the industry average of 19.74 [8]. - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.58, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 2.2, indicating a premium valuation relative to projected earnings growth [8]. Industry Context - The Computers - IT Services industry, which includes ServiceNow, ranks in the top 26% of all industries, according to the Zacks Industry Rank [9].