智通财经网·2025-12-15 03:00Core Viewpoint - BTIG identifies Zscaler as the top large-cap pick and Netskope as the top small-cap pick in the security and infrastructure software sector for the first half of 2026, with other recommended stocks including Snowflake, SailPoint, and Datadog [1] 2025 Review - The security and infrastructure software sector faced challenges in 2025, with a median return of -0.8%, significantly lagging behind the Nasdaq index, which rose by 22% [2] - The best-performing companies included Cloudflare, MongoDB, CrowdStrike, Snowflake, and CyberArk Software, all expected to benefit from AI in various ways [2] - Poor performers were typically single-solution providers in commoditized markets or those facing adverse AI-related factors [2] 2026 Outlook - The cybersecurity sector is expected to stabilize, with projected growth of 16% in 2025 and similar growth anticipated for 2026 [4] - Key areas of focus include cloud security, security services, and identity authentication, with ongoing market disruption opportunities in the SIEM sector [4] - Despite the importance of AI security, most organizations are expected to rely on existing vendor solutions for AI workload protection in the next 12 to 18 months [4] - Top AI-related picks include Netskope, SailPoint, Cloudflare, Zscaler, Palo Alto Networks, and CrowdStrike [4] - The integration of platforms remains a primary theme, with a preference for companies with strong multi-product portfolios that can drive adoption across similar or adjacent procurement centers [4] Observability Sector - There is optimism in the observability space, with clients prioritizing vendor integration, benefiting companies like Datadog and Dynatrace [5] - The influx of AI-related workloads is expected to create favorable conditions for vendors [5] Competitive Landscape - Palo Alto's acquisition of Chronosphere introduces a potential disruptive catalyst in the observability market, although previous aggressive pricing strategies in other verticals did not significantly impact market leader CrowdStrike [6] - Similar competitive dynamics are observed in the observability sector with Datadog and Dynatrace [6]