Buy, Sell or Hold Snowflake Stock? Key Tips Ahead of Q2 Earnings

Core Insights - Snowflake (SNOW) is expected to report second-quarter fiscal 2026 results on August 27, with earnings estimated at 26 cents per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 44.4% and revenues projected at $1.09 billion, indicating a 24.9% increase from the previous year [1][3]. Financial Performance - Snowflake has consistently beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the last four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 34.72% [2]. - For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Snowflake anticipates product revenues between $1.03 billion and $1.04 billion, representing a year-over-year growth of 25% [5][10]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for customers generating over $1 million in trailing 12-month product revenues is currently at 634, suggesting a 24.3% increase year-over-year [6]. Customer Growth and Retention - The company reported a net revenue retention rate of 124% at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2026, indicating strong customer loyalty and usage [3]. - Snowflake's customer base grew by 19% year-over-year, reaching 11,578 customers, with 606 of them generating over $1 million in annual revenue [4][10]. Product and Innovation - Snowflake's AI capabilities are a significant driver of growth, with over 5,200 accounts utilizing machine learning features weekly [16]. - The company has introduced over 100 new features at Summit 2025, including Snowflake Copilot for conversational queries and enhanced AI Data Cloud capabilities [15]. Competitive Landscape - Snowflake faces stiff competition from major players like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, which may pressure revenue growth [20]. - Elevated infrastructure spending, particularly on GPUs for AI initiatives, is contributing to cost pressures [21]. Stock Performance and Valuation - Snowflake shares have appreciated 27.4% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector's 12.4% and the Zacks Internet Software industry's 19.4% growth [8]. - The stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 12.93X, significantly higher than the industry's 5.7X, indicating a stretched valuation [12].