Analysts See Big Upside For CrowdStrike Ahead Of Q3 Earnings: But 'Sluggish' Earnings, 'Frothy' Valuations Remain Key Concerns - CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ:CRWD)
CrowdStrikeCrowdStrike(US:CRWD) Benzinga·2025-12-02 09:26

Core Viewpoint - Analysts maintain a broadly bullish stance on CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. ahead of the company's third-quarter results, with several firms raising their price targets significantly [1][6]. Price Target Adjustments - KeyBanc analysts raised the price target to $570 per share, reflecting a 13% upside from current levels, citing the company's strategic positioning as a "consolidator" in the security operations space [2]. - JPMorgan Chase increased its price target to $580 per share, indicating a 15% upside, while Wedbush Securities set a target of $600 per share, emphasizing the company's potential in the AI sector [7]. - The consensus price target for CrowdStrike stands at $534.16 per share, with a high end of $640 per share, representing a potential upside of 26.9% [8]. Earnings and Growth Outlook - Analysts expect CrowdStrike to report a "solid quarter," with a forecasted F3Q NNARR of approximately $255 million, reflecting a 15% quarter-over-quarter growth compared to a historical average of 13% [5]. - Despite strong earnings growth, there are concerns about "sluggish" earnings performance over the past year, with analysts noting the need for the company to convert positive sentiment into tangible growth [9][10]. Valuation Concerns - The stock is currently trading at 109 times forward earnings and 29 times sales, leading to concerns about its high valuation relative to peers, which some analysts describe as "frothy" [10]. - DA Davidson reiterated a "Buy" rating while raising its target from $515 to $580 per share, acknowledging the valuation concerns but maintaining a positive outlook [10]. Market Sentiment - CrowdStrike shares experienced a slight decline of 0.99% on Monday but showed a 1.16% increase overnight ahead of the earnings report, indicating a generally positive market sentiment [11].