Core Insights - By 2030, it is expected that 0% of IT work will be done by humans without AI, 75% will be done by humans augmented with AI, and 25% will be done by AI alone [1] Group 1 - Organizations need to focus on a combination of AI readiness and human readiness to achieve value from AI [1] - The insights are based on a July 2025 survey of over 700 CIOs conducted by Gartner, Inc. [1] - The findings were presented during the opening keynote of the Gartner IT Symposium [1]

Core Insights - ComEd has been recognized for its innovative technology and programs aimed at enhancing customer service [1] - The focus of these programs includes improving grid reliability and increasing electric vehicle accessibility [1] - ComEd's Pole Top Health AI Program received a third-place award at the Gartner Eye on Innovation awards for Utilities and Power [1]

Core Insights - CyberArk has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant for Privileged Access Management for the seventh consecutive time, highlighting its strong position in the market [1] - The company is positioned furthest in Completeness of Vision, indicating its commitment to shaping the future of privilege access management (PAM) [1] Company Summary - CyberArk is identified as the global leader in identity security, emphasizing its expertise and influence in the industry [1] - The recognition from Gartner reflects CyberArk's ongoing innovation and strategic direction in the PAM sector [1]

Core Insights - Rapid7, Inc. has been recognized in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) for the seventh consecutive year, highlighting its leadership in threat detection and exposure management [1] Company Overview - Rapid7's SIEM solution, InsightIDR, provides an integrated detection and response ecosystem, designed with a security-role interface and an analyst-first experience, continuously validated by Rapid7's own Security Operations Center (SOC) [2] - The company has received recognition from various industry analysts, including Forrester, Frost Radar™, and IDC, indicating strong market validation for its solutions [2] Product Development - The launch of Incident Command, an AI-native SIEM powered by Agentic AI workflows, aims to enhance security teams' capabilities by providing speed, clarity, and actionable insights through integrated workflows [3] - InsightIDR's extensible architecture allows integration with advanced analytics, automation tools, and data sources across cloud and endpoint environments, contributing to its strong market adoption [3] Features and Benefits - Rapid7's SIEM offering focuses on faster threat detection, reducing alert fatigue, and centralizing investigation workflows, with the latest evolution, Incident Command, providing a unified solution for visibility, collaboration, and rapid response [4] - Key features of Incident Command include enhanced visibility, collaboration tools, and rapid response capabilities across the attack surface [4] Market Position - Rapid7 serves over 11,000 global customers, emphasizing its mission to simplify and make cybersecurity more accessible, while integrating cloud risk management with threat detection [7]

Core Viewpoint - Gartner (IT) stock is considered a valuable investment opportunity due to its growth, strong cash generation, and significant valuation discount [2][7]. Financial Performance - Gartner has an impressive cash flow yield of 8.0%, indicating strong cash generation capabilities [7]. - The company reported a revenue growth of 5.9% over the last 12 months, suggesting that its cash reserves are likely to increase [7]. Valuation Metrics - The stock is currently trading at a valuation discount of 34% below its 3-month high, 52% below its 1-year high, and 52% below its 2-year high [7]. Investment Strategy - A selection strategy focusing on high free cash flow yield combined with growth and valuation discount has shown average forward returns of 25.7% over 6 months and 57.9% over 12 months [8]. - The win rate for this strategy, defined as the percentage of picks returning positive, exceeds 70% for both 6-month and 12-month periods [8].

Market Overview - Mid cap growth equities experienced modest gains in Q3, with the Russell Midcap Growth Index returning 2.8%, lagging behind the Russell Midcap Value Index at 6.2% and the Russell Midcap Index at 5.3% [3] - The U.S. Federal Reserve's rate cut in September contributed to easing monetary policy, benefiting rate-sensitive sectors and renewing interest in cyclical and innovation-led areas [3] Investor Sentiment - Investor sentiment improved due to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and progress on trade agreements, reducing policy uncertainty and enabling companies to execute delayed strategic decisions [4] - Earnings estimates stabilized, particularly in technology and AI-related sectors, despite ongoing challenges in non-residential construction and discretionary segments [4] Portfolio Performance - The ClearBridge Mid Cap Growth Strategy outperformed its benchmark in Q3, driven by stock selection in IT, consumer staples, and healthcare sectors, while consumer discretionary and financials sectors slightly detracted from performance [5] Sector Contributions - In the IT sector, AppLovin (APP) and Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) were standout performers, with AppLovin benefiting from strong earnings and optimism around its e-commerce business [6] - Consumer staples saw positive contributions from Performance Food Group (PFGC) and Casey's General Stores (CASY), both benefiting from strong operational performance [7] - The consumer discretionary sector faced challenges, particularly with Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) and Wingstop (WING) experiencing declines due to competitive pressures and softer spending trends [8] - Financials sector was a modest drag on performance, with Tradeweb Markets (TW) and Corpay facing challenges from macro volatility and company-specific issues [9] Portfolio Positioning - New positions were initiated in Roblox, benefiting from improved growth dynamics and advertising opportunities, and APi Group, which is well-positioned in safety and industrial services [10][11] - Exited position in Deckers Outdoor (DECK) due to increasing competitive pressures in the sneaker market [12] Outlook - Leadership within mid growth stocks remains selective, with a few companies rewarded for differentiated technology and strong pipelines, while others struggle with demand and competition [13] - Focus remains on identifying businesses with secular growth drivers across technology, healthcare, and industrials sectors [14] - Near-term market uncertainty is expected to persist, but the strategy is positioned to benefit from companies sustaining durable growth in earnings and cash flow [15] Portfolio Highlights - The ClearBridge Mid Cap Growth Strategy had positive contributions across seven of the 11 sectors, with IT and healthcare being the leading contributors [16] - Stock selection in IT, consumer staples, healthcare, and energy sectors contributed positively, while consumer discretionary and financials sectors weighed on performance [17] - Individual stock contributions included AppLovin, United Rentals (URI), and Performance Food, while detractors included Chipotle Mexican Grill and Tradeweb Markets [18]

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT ), the market leader in the information technology research and advisory industry for decades, is now believed by the market to be challenged by the rapid evolution of AI. Though the recent poorFreshman at McDonough School of Business | Georgetown UniversityBorn and raised in Hangzhou, China; will most likely work in HK after graduationPublish articles to look for disagreementPain + Reflection = ProgressAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in ...

Group 1 - The market presents opportunities in companies with strong earnings performance, not only during major crises but also in years of consistent volatility [1] Group 2 - The author has over 10 years of experience in communications and has worked for various economic institutions, indicating a strong background in financial analysis [2] - The author covers different sectors and companies, reflecting a diverse investment perspective [2]

Core Insights - Gartner is evaluating AI vendors to determine which ones are best positioned to succeed across the AI technology stack [1] Group 1 - The analysis includes large, rising, and new AI vendors [1]

Core Insights - 8x8, Inc. has been recognized in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service [1] Company Summary - 8x8, Inc. is acknowledged for its position in the Unified Communications as a Service sector, indicating its competitive standing and capabilities in this industry [1]