Key Takeaways CyberArk faces near-term headwinds as phased spending delays growth despite strong identity security demand.Qualys reports 10,000+ customers, 104% net dollar expansion rate, and new AI-driven security launches.CyberArk is trading at a higher valuation than Qualys.CyberArk (CYBR) and Qualys (QLYS) are two cybersecurity giants playing critical roles in securing enterprise environments, but in very different ways. While CyberArk primarily specializes in privileged access management and identity s ...

Core Insights - CrowdStrike and Check Point Software Technologies are leading companies in the cybersecurity sector, focusing on cloud and endpoint security solutions [1][2] - The cybersecurity market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by increasing cyber threats [2] CrowdStrike Overview - CrowdStrike's primary offering is the Falcon platform, recognized as the first multi-tenant, cloud-native security solution, securing various environments and endpoints [4] - The share of subscription-based sales in CrowdStrike's total revenues increased from 72% in fiscal 2017 to 95% in fiscal 2025 [5] - Despite its strong platform, CrowdStrike faces challenges due to customer pessimism following a global IT outage in July 2024, leading to a Customer Commitment Package that has impacted profitability [6] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CrowdStrike's fiscal 2026 earnings indicates a year-over-year decline of 12.5% [7] Check Point Overview - Check Point offers software and hardware solutions for IT infrastructure security, focusing on network and gateway security [9] - The company is experiencing revenue growth from its cloud solutions and strong demand for its Quantum Force, Harmony Email, and Infinity platforms [10] - Check Point's subscription-based model generated $291 million in security subscription revenues in Q1 2025, reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase, with projected earnings of $9.91 per share for 2025, indicating an 8.2% growth [11] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past year, Check Point's stock has returned 45.6%, outperforming CrowdStrike's 28.7% gain [13] - Check Point trades at a forward sales multiple of 8.69X, significantly lower than the Zacks Security industry's 13.53X, while CrowdStrike's multiple is 20.14X, indicating Check Point's more attractive valuation [14] Conclusion - Check Point is gaining traction with its platforms, while CrowdStrike is dealing with reputational damage and profit margin pressures [16] - Check Point holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), making it a stronger investment option compared to CrowdStrike, which has a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) [16]