New VCF and Advanced Services Innovations Address Compliance Complexities in Regulated Industries and Security Gaps posed by New Agentic AI WorkloadsLAS VEGAS, Aug. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VMware Explore 2025—Today, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) announced VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Advanced Cyber Compliance and new innovations across VMware vDefend and VMware Avi Load Balancer to strengthen resilience, compliance and security for customers adopting a modern private cloud in regulated industries. Cybe ...

Core Insights - Zscaler and CrowdStrike have expanded their partnership to modernize endpoint detection and response for customers, integrating their platforms to enhance security [1][4][5] - The collaboration aims to replace legacy endpoint products with a cloud-native architecture that features AI-powered detection and integrated security operations [3][5] - The combined solution is expected to improve threat detection accuracy and response times, providing a multi-layered defense against cyber threats [2][5] Company Developments - Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange™ platform will be integrated with CrowdStrike's Falcon platform and Red Canary's agentic-AI driven security operations to deliver enhanced protection [1][2] - The partnership is built on a successful multi-year collaboration, enhancing managed detection and response (MDR) services and optimizing security investments for customers [4][5] - The integration is designed to help organizations standardize their security architectures and improve operational efficiency [3][5] Industry Trends - Organizations are increasingly moving away from legacy endpoint vendors in favor of comprehensive platform solutions that offer elite protection [5] - The collaboration between Zscaler, CrowdStrike, and Red Canary represents a significant shift towards AI-driven security operations in the cybersecurity landscape [5]

Core Insights - Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) is set to report its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results on August 18, projecting revenues between $2.49 billion and $2.51 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 14-15% [1][8] - The consensus estimate for non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) is 88 cents, reflecting a 17.3% increase from the previous year [2][8] - The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 5.1% [3] Revenue and Earnings Projections - Fiscal fourth-quarter revenue is expected to be in the range of $2.49-$2.51 billion, which translates to a year-over-year growth of 14-15% [1][8] - Non-GAAP EPS is projected to rise 17.3% year-over-year to 88 cents [2][8] Factors Influencing Performance - The fourth-quarter performance is likely driven by strong deal wins and progress in platformization strategy, particularly in AI-powered security solutions [6][8] - The adoption of multi-product platformization deals and increased cloud platform migration are expected to enhance overall performance [7][8] - Recognition from the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is boosting product adoption among government organizations [9] Market Position and Valuation - Palo Alto Networks' shares have gained 3.2% over the past year, underperforming the Zacks Security industry's growth of 20.2% [11] - The company trades at a lower price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 11.23X compared to the industry average of 11.9X and peers like CyberArk, CrowdStrike, and Zscaler [14][17] Investment Considerations - The company's innovative product offerings and expanding market opportunities in areas like Zero Trust and private 5G security solutions present growth potential [18] - Near-term prospects may be affected by softening IT spending due to macroeconomic uncertainties [19] - Despite challenges, the company's innovation-led strategy and long-term growth prospects make it a stock worth holding [20]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q2 2025 reached $1,043,000,000, representing a 7% year-over-year increase as reported and a 6% increase in constant currency [6][19] - Non-GAAP operating margin was 30%, and non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) was $1.73, up 9% year-over-year as reported and in constant currency, exceeding guidance by $0.15 [6][25] - Non-GAAP net income for Q2 was $251,000,000, with a cash gross margin projected at approximately 72% to 73% for Q3 [25][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cloud Infrastructure Services (CIS) revenue was $71,000,000, up 30% year-over-year as reported and 29% in constant currency, with expectations for accelerated growth due to large contracts signed earlier in the year [20][7] - Compute revenue was $171,000,000, up 13% year-over-year as reported and in constant currency [20] - Security revenue was $552,000,000, up 11% year-over-year as reported and 10% in constant currency, with API security and Zero Trust enterprise security combined revenue at $67,000,000, up 48% year-over-year [23][24] - Delivery revenue was $320,000,000, down 3% year-over-year as reported and down 4% in constant currency, but showing improvements in pricing and traffic growth [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International revenue was $516,000,000, up 10% year-over-year or 8% in constant currency, representing 49% of total revenue in Q2 [24] - U.S. foreign exchange fluctuations positively impacted revenue by $17,000,000 sequentially and $8,000,000 year-over-year [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on cloud infrastructure services and AI applications, with significant investments in these areas to capture growth opportunities [7][9] - Akamai is enhancing its go-to-market strategy by increasing sales capacity and expanding partnerships to drive new revenue growth [30] - The introduction of new AI solutions, such as the AI gateway and firewall for AI, aims to address challenges in deploying large language models [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth trajectory of CIS, projecting a year-over-year growth rate of 40% to 45% in constant currency by year-end [20][39] - The competitive landscape has improved, with several major competitors exiting the market, allowing for better pricing and traffic trends [44] - Management anticipates a lower operating margin in the second half of the year due to investments in sales and marketing [30] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 3,900,000 shares for $300,000,000 during Q2, with $1,200,000,000 remaining on the current repurchase authorization [26][27] - The recent legislation signed into law is not expected to materially impact the company's tax rate in 2025 [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you walk us through how the first half of the year transpired versus expectations for compute revenue? - Management noted that compute, particularly CIS, has exceeded expectations, with significant customer signings and a forecast of 40% to 45% growth in ARR by year-end [38][39] Question: What is the competitive environment for the delivery business? - Management highlighted that four major competitors have exited the market, leading to improved pricing and traffic trends, with expectations for stable performance moving forward [44] Question: Can you provide insight into the guidance and the impact of TikTok revenue? - Management indicated that TikTok revenue is expected to contribute approximately $40,000,000 to $50,000,000, but overall guidance reflects strength across multiple areas [55] Question: What is the pipeline for CIS contracts? - Management reported a healthy pipeline for CIS, with participation from various verticals and larger deal sizes than typical [68] Question: What is driving demand for API and micro-segmentation security? - Management noted that enterprises are increasingly recognizing the need for security solutions, with significant growth expected in both API security and micro-segmentation [75][76]

Core Insights - Zscaler has completed the acquisition of Red Canary, aiming to enhance its Security Operations capabilities by integrating Red Canary's threat intelligence and automation with Zscaler's data and SecOps platform [1][3] - Red Canary will initially operate as a separate business unit within Zscaler, leveraging Zscaler's resources while continuing to innovate its Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities [2] - The integration will combine Red Canary's AI-driven threat management with Zscaler's Data Fabric for Security, creating a comprehensive SOC solution for customers and partners [2][4] Company Developments - Zscaler's CEO, Jay Chaudhry, emphasized that the acquisition will strengthen cyber defenses by utilizing insights from 500 billion daily transactions on the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform [3] - Red Canary's CEO, Brian Beyer, highlighted the potential to reduce investigation and response times significantly by merging their AI-powered threat detection with Zscaler's zero trust platform [4] - Following the acquisition, Red Canary will be branded as "Red Canary, a Zscaler company," indicating a unified approach to security operations [4] Industry Impact - The combined expertise of Zscaler and Red Canary is expected to set a new standard in cybersecurity, enhancing the ability to detect, triage, investigate, and respond to cyber threats more efficiently [3][4] - The acquisition is positioned as a significant advancement for the cybersecurity community, aiming to improve overall security operations [4]

Financial Performance - Total revenue reached $1.67 billion in 2024, demonstrating a 26% compound annual growth rate (CAGR)[12] - Q2 2025 revenue was $512 million[12] - Non-GAAP gross margin stood at 76% as of Q2 2025[14] - The company projects full-year 2025 revenue between $2.1135 billion and $2.1155 billion, representing a 27% year-over-year growth[86] Customer Growth - The company had 265,000 paying customers as of Q2 2025, reflecting a 21% CAGR[14, 69] - Large customers (>$100,000 annualized revenue) numbered 3,712 in Q2 2025, with a 29% CAGR[12, 69] - Revenue from large customers accounted for 71% of the total revenue[14, 33] Network and Security - The platform blocks an average of 190 billion cyber threats per day[33, 43] - The network spans 330 cities across 125+ countries[14, 37] - 95% of the world's Internet-connected population is within ~50 ms of a Cloudflare data center[37] Market Opportunity - The company estimates a large addressable market of $181 billion in 2025[51, 62]

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Israel-based cybersecurity firm CyberArk in a deal that could be valued at up to $20 billion, per The Wall Street Journal. The news sent CyberArk shares up over 13%, although Palo Alto’s stock dropped by nearly 5%. The contrasting market reactions raise a key question. What value does CyberArk offer, and why is Palo Alto potentially willing to pay a premium?BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 2: The Palo Alto Networks Inc. logo, the American ...

Core Insights - The Akamai report highlights the emergence of a new quadruple extortion tactic in ransomware campaigns, alongside the continued prevalence of double extortion methods [1][2] - Quadruple extortion involves using distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and harassing third parties to increase pressure on victims, building on the existing double extortion strategy [2][3] - The report emphasizes that ransomware threats have evolved beyond mere data encryption, now incorporating stolen data, public exposure, and service outages to create significant business crises for organizations [3] Industry Trends - The report discusses the current state of legal and regulatory frameworks affecting organizational responses to ransomware, noting that while existing laws apply, specific regulations aim to discourage ransom payments [3] - Akamai stresses the importance of robust cybersecurity measures, incident reporting, and risk management strategies, such as Zero Trust and microsegmentation, to enhance resilience against ransomware threats [3] Emerging Threats - The report identifies that generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are facilitating the rise in frequency and scale of ransomware attacks, enabling less technically skilled individuals to launch sophisticated campaigns [6] - Hacktivist groups are increasingly utilizing ransomware as a service (RaaS) platforms, with a shift in focus from major corporations to smaller organizations with weaker security [6] - Cryptomining attacks are also on the rise, with nearly half targeting nonprofit and educational organizations due to their limited resources [6] - The TrickBot malware family has extorted over US$724 million in cryptocurrency from victims since 2016, indicating the ongoing threat posed by established malware families [6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross revenue for the first quarter decreased by approximately 1% year over year to $2.9 billion, while revenue excluding billable expenses grew by 2% year over year [26] - Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $311 million, up 3% from the prior year, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.6%, an increase of 30 basis points year over year [30] - Net income for the first quarter was $271 million, a year-over-year increase of 64%, primarily due to a favorable agreement with the IRS [31] - Diluted earnings per share grew 70% year over year to $2.16, while adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 7% year over year to $1.48 [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue in the Defense sector increased by 7% year over year, while revenue in the Intelligence sector rose by 6% compared to the prior year [26] - Civil business revenue decreased by 13% year over year, reflecting the challenges faced in that segment [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The total backlog reached an all-time Q1 record of $38 billion, up 11% year over year, with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.42 times for the quarter [28] - The proposal pipeline at the end of the first quarter was nearly $43 billion, which is 3% higher than the same point in fiscal year 2024 [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on a strategy termed "Vault," which emphasizes velocity, leadership, and technology, aiming to leverage technology investments to drive mission effectiveness [9] - The company is restructuring its civil business to align with current demand and is focusing on modernization opportunities, such as a $51 million task order with Customs and Border Protection [12] - The company is also advancing partnerships across the technology ecosystem to maintain global technological supremacy [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while the procurement environment is improving, it is still operating below historical speeds, and they expect to see a return to growth in the second half of the fiscal year [8][21] - The management expressed optimism about the medium to long-term outlook, particularly in technology investments related to AI, cyber, and quantum [9][21] Other Important Information - The company repurchased just over 1% of its outstanding shares during the quarter and increased its commitment to Booz Allen Ventures by $200 million [24][34] - The company expects free cash flow for the fiscal year to be between $900 million and $1 billion, reflecting anticipated federal tax impacts [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is there a greater appreciation for Booz Allen's technology in the current procurement environment? - Management acknowledged that the business has stabilized and that their technology is recognized for its effectiveness in mission-critical conditions, leading to optimism about future opportunities [44][45] Question: What is the interest from Silicon Valley tech providers to partner with Booz Allen? - Management confirmed that partnerships with commercial tech companies are a significant part of their strategy, and they are seen as a valuable partner by these companies [48] Question: Can you comment on funded backlog trends? - Management indicated that while they are winning work, the funding environment is slow, leading to a relative decline in funded backlog [56] Question: What are the challenges in hiring talent? - Management stated that they are comfortable with their hiring pace and are effectively matching supply and demand, with no significant challenges in attracting talent [63][64] Question: How does the current administration's focus on transformational contracts affect Booz Allen? - Management believes that the current administration's focus on new priorities presents both challenges and opportunities, and they are well-positioned to adapt [101][102]

Core Insights - CrowdStrike (CRWD) and CyberArk Software (CYBR) are prominent U.S.-based cybersecurity firms focusing on protecting enterprises from digital threats, with CRWD specializing in endpoint protection and XDR, while CYBR leads in identity security and privileged access management [1][2] Industry Overview - The cybersecurity market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by the rise of complex attacks such as credential theft and social engineering [2] CrowdStrike Analysis - CrowdStrike's Falcon platform is recognized as the first multi-tenant, cloud-native intelligent security solution, securing various environments and endpoints [4] - The platform offers 29 cloud modules under a SaaS subscription model, with subscription-based sales increasing from 72% in fiscal 2017 to 95% in fiscal 2025 [5] - Despite its growth, CrowdStrike faces challenges due to negative customer sentiment following a global IT outage in July 2024, leading to profitability compression [6] - The company's upsell into existing customers has slowed, and the churn rate remains moderate, contributing to a projected 10.94% decline in fiscal 2026 earnings [7][9] - Zacks Consensus Estimates for CrowdStrike's earnings indicate a year-over-year decline of 20.19% for the current quarter and 10.94% for the current year [8] CyberArk Analysis - CyberArk is a leader in identity security, focusing on privileged access management and Zero Trust capabilities, aligning with industry trends [10] - The company has strengthened its position through acquisitions, including Venafi for $1.54 billion and Zilla Security for $165 million, enhancing its machine-to-machine security capabilities [11] - CyberArk is advancing in agentic AI with its Secure AI Agent solution, expected to be available to customers later this year [12] - The strong demand environment and focus on portfolio strengthening are driving CyberArk's financial growth, with a projected 26.4% year-over-year growth in earnings for 2025 [13][9] Price Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, CrowdStrike shares have increased by 39.1%, while CyberArk shares have risen by 15.8% [15] - CyberArk trades at a forward sales multiple of 13.07X, below the industry average of 14.34X, while CrowdStrike trades at a higher multiple of 22.57X, indicating overvaluation [17] Investment Outlook - CyberArk is viewed as a more attractive investment option due to its robust growth, successful acquisitions, and innovation in identity and AI security, while CrowdStrike is dealing with reputational damage and profitability challenges [20] - CyberArk holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), compared to CrowdStrike's Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting a stronger investment case for CyberArk [21]