NET Surges 85% in a Year: Should You Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?

Core Insights - Cloudflare Inc. (NET) shares have increased by 85.1% over the past year, significantly outperforming the Zacks Internet – Software industry's growth of 4.5% [1] - The current performance raises questions for investors regarding whether to buy, sell, or hold Cloudflare stock [1] Group 1: AI and Security Growth - Cloudflare's edge network and security capabilities provide a low-latency network at an affordable cost, giving it a competitive edge among AI companies, serving approximately 80% of leading AI firms globally [4] - The company has over 55 revenue-generating products, which facilitate frictionless adoption and contribute to its annual contract value and net retention rate [5] - Cloudflare's security solutions, including Magic Transit, Zero Trust, and SASE, are gaining traction, with increased monetization opportunities from AI-related products like AI Crawl Control and Bot Management [6] Group 2: Long-term Growth Potential - The combination of AI, security, multi-cloud networking, and enterprise scale creates a robust growth engine for Cloudflare, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate projecting a 28% year-over-year revenue growth for 2025 [7] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates indicate positive sentiment, with a penny increase in the past week [7] Group 3: Strategic Partnerships - Cloudflare has strengthened collaborations with major companies such as Oracle, Alphabet, and Coinbase, enhancing its capabilities in cryptography and payment protocols [8][11] - The partnership with Oracle focuses on hybrid and multi-cloud workloads, while collaboration with Alphabet aims at post-quantum cryptography standards [10] - These strategic alliances position Cloudflare as a key player in shaping the future of the Internet and AI [11] Group 4: Market Position and Recommendations - Cloudflare's shares are currently trading above the 200-day moving average, indicating a bullish trend [14] - Given the company's strong performance in AI, security, enterprise adoption, and partnerships, it is recommended that investors consider buying NET stock now [15]