‘Fastest-Growing Market in Software’: Morgan Stanley Suggests 2 Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy

Company Overview - Okta is a $16 billion company focused on identity security, providing solutions for both human and non-human identity verifications, including secure processes for agentic AI [2] - The company has developed Okta AI, which integrates into its workforce and customer identity clouds, enhancing security and productivity while improving user experience [6] Financial Performance - Okta's fiscal 2Q26 report showed a revenue of $728 million, exceeding estimates by $16 million and growing 13% from fiscal 2Q25 [7] - The company predicts revenue for fiscal 3Q26 to be between $728 million and $730 million, above the Wall Street expectation of $723.1 million [7] Market Potential - The cybersecurity market is valued at approximately $270 billion and is expected to grow at a 12% CAGR from 2025 to 2028, with cybersecurity spending projected to grow 50% faster than overall software spending [4] - Okta's expansion into Identity Governance (OIG) and Privileged Access Management (PAM) presents significant upsell opportunities, with OIG already being a >$100 million ACV business [8] Analyst Insights - Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss rates Okta shares as Overweight (Buy) with a price target of $123, indicating a 34% upside potential over the next 12 months [9] - The consensus rating for Okta shares is a Moderate Buy, with 19 Buy, 11 Hold, and 2 Sell recommendations [9] Competitive Landscape - Zscaler, another key player in cybersecurity, has grown into a ~$44 billion company, handling over 500 billion daily transactions and preventing over 9 billion daily incidents [12] - Zscaler's recent acquisition of Red Canary enhances its capabilities in exposure management and agentic AI threat management [13] Zscaler Financials - Zscaler's fiscal 4Q25 revenue reached $719.2 million, growing 21% year-over-year and exceeding forecasts by over $12 million [14] - The company's annual recurring revenue (ARR) increased by 22% year-over-year to $3.02 billion [14] Analyst Ratings for Zscaler - Weiss rates Zscaler as Overweight (Buy) with a price target of $320, suggesting a 12% upside potential [15] - The consensus rating for Zscaler is Strong Buy, with 30 Buy and 5 Hold recommendations [16]