Core Insights - Cisco Systems (CSCO) is experiencing gross margin expansion due to a flexible and diversified supply chain, productivity improvements, and disciplined cost management, which are expected to positively impact operating margins [1][10] Financial Performance - In Q3 fiscal 2025, Cisco's product gross margin increased by 70 basis points year over year to 67.6%, aided by contributions from Splunk and a favorable product mix in high-margin segments like Security and Observability [2] - The non-GAAP gross margin for Cisco expanded by 30 basis points year over year, reaching 34.5% in the same quarter, exceeding the company's guidance [3] - Cisco anticipates a non-GAAP gross margin for Q4 fiscal 2025 to be between 67.5% and 68.5%, with an expected non-GAAP operating margin between 33.5% and 34.5% [4] Competitive Landscape - Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) is emerging as a significant competitor to Cisco, particularly after its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, offering AI-driven, cloud-native networking solutions, although HPE's gross margins are around 29% compared to Cisco's 65% [6] - Arista Networks (ANET) is a key player in cloud and AI-driven networking, leading in 100-gigabit Ethernet switches, with gross margins around 64%, positioning it as a strong competitor against Cisco [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Cisco's shares have appreciated by 18% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Computer – Networking industry's return of 15.6% [8] - From a valuation perspective, Cisco appears overvalued with a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 4.6, higher than the industry's 4.39X [11] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cisco's earnings is $3.79 per share for fiscal 2025 and $4.00 per share for fiscal 2026, reflecting year-over-year growth of 1.61% and 5.73%, respectively [14]

FBI 2FA Bypass Warning Issued — The Attacks Have Started https://t.co/MtXNIQQWcA ...

Industry Overview - The cybersecurity market is projected to witness a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by the rise of complex attacks such as credential theft and social engineering [2]. Company Analysis: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) - PANW is a leader in cybersecurity, offering solutions for network security, cloud security, and endpoint solutions, with a strong focus on next-generation firewalls and advanced threat detection technologies [4][5]. - The company has upgraded its Prisma Cloud platform with Prisma Cloud Copilot, a generative AI-powered assistant, enhancing user query responses [6]. - PANW's revenue growth rate has been in the mid-teen percentage range recently, down from mid-20s percentage in fiscal 2023, with Q3 fiscal 2025 sales and non-GAAP EPS growing 15.7% and 21.2% year over year, respectively [8][9]. - The company is facing near-term challenges, including shortened contract durations and a slowdown in transitioning to cloud-based platforms, which may decelerate top-line growth [7][8]. Company Analysis: Okta (OKTA) - OKTA has shown strong financial performance, with Q1 fiscal 2026 revenues and EPS increasing by 12% and 32.3% year over year, respectively, and a customer base of approximately 20,000 [10][11]. - The company is capitalizing on the growing demand for identity security, with a focus on securing both human and non-human identities, which is a competitive advantage [12]. - OKTA's partnership with major companies like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft is expected to drive further growth [13]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OKTA's fiscal 2026 revenues and earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 9.4% and 16.7%, respectively [13]. Comparative Analysis - Year-to-date, OKTA shares have increased by 24.5%, compared to an 8.3% rise in PANW shares [16]. - PANW is trading at a forward sales multiple of 12.7X, which is higher than OKTA's 5.81X, indicating that PANW may be overvalued compared to OKTA [19]. - Given the current market conditions, OKTA is considered a more attractive investment option due to its stronger earnings growth potential and lower valuations [22][23].

Qantas Airways said a cybersecurity incident at one of its call centers exposed 6 million customer records, the second carrier in as many weeks to be the subject of a cyberattack. https://t.co/VY5hJZogGu ...

Forbes Daily: Hackers Set Their Sights On Global Airlineshttps://t.co/rKvG50G52w https://t.co/nmCC0jhAvY ...

These 3 Airlines Were Cyberattacked In The Last 3 Weeks—Here’s What We Know https://t.co/wExO8YX6rd ...

Core Viewpoint - Dan Ives of Wedbush has raised the price target for CrowdStrike Holdings to $575, reflecting increased momentum in its cybersecurity platform approach [1][4] Group 1: Stock Performance - CrowdStrike stock has increased by 42.83% year-to-date, currently trading at $496.10 after a 0.82% rise in the latest session [1] - The new price target of $575 represents a 15.9% upside from current levels [1] Group 2: Analyst Ratings - Wall Street generally favors CrowdStrike, with 28 out of 37 analysts rating it a buy [2] - Ives' target of $575 is notably higher than the average target of $494.31 set by other analysts [2] Group 3: Earnings Outlook - The company is expected to report earnings of $0.83 per share this quarter, a decline of 20.2% year-over-year, with full-year earnings projected at $3.50 per share, down 10.9% [5] - Analysts forecast a strong turnaround, predicting earnings to increase by 34.7% to $4.72 per share in the next fiscal year [5] Group 4: Historical Performance - CrowdStrike has a solid track record, beating earnings estimates in each of the past four quarters and revenue estimates three times [6] - The last earnings report showed revenue growth of 19.8% to $1.1 billion, while earnings per share decreased to $0.73 from $0.93 a year earlier [6] Group 5: Valuation Concerns - CrowdStrike's valuation is considered premium compared to other cybersecurity companies, which may lead to stock pressure if the anticipated business momentum does not materialize [7]

Core Insights - Data loss and cyber-attacks are identified as two of the top three risks to directors and officers according to the Cyber Directors' and Officers' Survey Report by Willis [1][2] Group 1: Survey Overview - The survey included responses from various sectors, with the services sector representing 24% and finance and insurance 19%, predominantly from for-profit, private companies [2][4] - Great Britain identified cyber-attacks (excluding cyber extortion) as the top risk, while North America and the Middle East ranked data loss as their primary concern [2] Group 2: Risk Perception Changes - Despite increased awareness of cyber-attacks, the risk ranking for cyber-attacks decreased by 2% from 2024 to 2025 [3] - Adrian Ruiz emphasized the importance of a strong cyber security culture and proactive strategies to manage evolving threats [3] Group 3: Cybersecurity Practices - The frequency of board updates on cyber security improved, with only 12% updating in response to incidents, down from 20% in the previous year [6] - Monthly updates to boards increased from 18% to 28% between 2024 and 2025 [6] - 80% of respondents have implemented a cyber incident response plan, with over two-thirds having conducted an incident response exercise in the past year [6] Group 4: Preparedness and Budgeting - 65% of respondents feel well prepared to manage a cyber incident, an increase from 56% in 2024 [6] - Cyber security budgets are expected to increase in 2025, but at a lower rate than in 2024 (56% vs. 63%) [6] Group 5: Cyber Insurance - Cybersecurity risks are considered the most important aspect of directors' and officers' liability insurance coverage, with 53% of respondents having cyber insurance and 18% planning to purchase it within the next two years [6]

FBI 2FA Bypass Warning Issued — The Attacks Have Started https://t.co/jh5S8qc65Y ...

These 3 Airlines Were Cyberattacked In The Last 3 Weeks—Here’s What We Know https://t.co/gyTy4ume99 https://t.co/gyTy4ume99 ...