Core Insights - CyberArk Software (CYBR) and Zscaler (ZS) are significant players in the cybersecurity sector, focusing on different aspects of security, with CyberArk specializing in privileged access management and identity security, while Zscaler excels in secure access service edge and cloud security [2] - The cybersecurity market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by advanced attacks and the proliferation of AI [3] CyberArk Stock Analysis - CyberArk is witnessing a shift in identity security, with machine identities now outnumbering human identities at a ratio of over 80 to 1, up from 45 to 1 a year ago [5] - The company is innovating with AI-based products like Secure AI Agents and CORA AI, enhancing its identity security platform [6] - CyberArk's acquisitions of Zilla Security and Venafi have bolstered its expertise in identity governance and machine identity, contributing to recurring revenues and market share [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts revenue growth rates of 31% for 2025 and 19% for 2026, with bottom line growth rates of 26.4% and 25% respectively [8] Zscaler Stock Analysis - Zscaler is implementing strategies such as Zero Trust Everywhere and agentic SecOps to leverage the growing cybersecurity market [11] - The company reported over 210 Zero Trust Everywhere enterprises in Q3 of fiscal 2025, marking a sequential growth of 60% [12] - Zscaler faces challenges with rising sales and marketing (S&M) and research and development (R&D) expenses, impacting near-term profitability [13] - The company's fiscal 2026 earnings are projected at $3.08, indicating a year-over-year decline of 3.5% [14] Performance and Valuation Comparison - Year-to-date, CyberArk shares have increased by 19.6%, while Zscaler shares have surged by 74.4% [16] - CyberArk is trading at a forward sales multiple of 13.6X, compared to Zscaler's 6.65X, reflecting higher growth expectations for CyberArk despite appearing pricier [17] Conclusion - CyberArk is positioned for robust growth through acquisitions and innovation in identity and AI security, while Zscaler is facing near-term challenges with rising operating expenses [18] - CyberArk holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a stronger investment case compared to Zscaler, which has a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [19]