2 Smart Stocks for Patient Long-Term Investors to Buy Now

Core Insights - ServiceNow is on track to achieve $500 million in Annual Contract Value (ACV) from AI solutions by 2025, with a target of $1 billion by 2026, indicating strong growth potential [1] - The company reported a significant increase in subscription revenues, reaching $3.3 billion in Q3, a 20% year-over-year growth [4] - ServiceNow's balance sheet remains robust, with $9.7 billion in cash and investments, and a stock repurchase program in place [6] Group 1: Financial Performance - In Q3, ServiceNow closed 103 deals worth over $1 million in net new ACV, with three deals exceeding $20 million [3] - Remaining performance obligations (RPO) grew to approximately $24.3 billion, representing a 23% year-over-year increase [4] - Adjusted net income for the quarter was reported at $4.82 per share, exceeding expectations [4] Group 2: Market Position and Growth - ServiceNow's core workflows, including ITSM, ITOM, and HR, are driving broad-based demand across various industries [2] - The company anticipates subscription sales of $3.42 billion to $3.43 billion for Q4, with an operating margin of 30% [7] - Analysts predict a 25% increase in earnings for ServiceNow in 2025, followed by a 17% increase in 2026 [7] Group 3: Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - ServiceNow's stock has a consensus "Strong Buy" rating from Wall Street, with 34 out of 43 analysts recommending a "Strong Buy" [8] - The mean target price for ServiceNow is $219.69, indicating a potential upside of 72% from current levels [8] Group 4: Strategic Initiatives - The company has approved a five-for-one stock split to enhance share accessibility for employees [6] - ServiceNow's AI solutions are positioned as a core platform for enterprise AI and workflow transformation, which is likely contributing to its strong market position [5]