Over the past few weeks, market momentum has accelerated in an almost V-shaped way. But within that broader rally, a handful of sectors have pulled away from the pack entirely, outperforming the market with impressive consistency. Themes like battery tech, utilities, AI infrastructure, and especially cybersecurity have all shown remarkable strength.  CrowdStrike TodayCRWDCrowdStrike$436.38 -5.87 (-1.33%) 52-Week Range$200.81▼$455.59P/E Ratio855.57Price Target$403.56Add to WatchlistMany top-performing stock ...

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS ) continues to gain momentum as one of the leading cloud native cybersecurity providers in the world. They currently leverage a Zero Trust architecture that helps enterprises secure users, apps, and systems across increasingly complex IT environments. The company'sHello and welcome to my Seeking Alpha page. My name is Jack Elias, and I am a dedicated business student with a fervent passion for the world of investing. With a solid foundation in both theoretical knowledge and practical exp ...

Getty Images Target reported disappointing earnings on lower transactions (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Key Takeaways Stocks ended a six-day win streak on Tuesday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both fell by 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.3% and the Russell 2000 was unchanged. Although volumes were light, we are getting some interesting earnings reports in the retail sector. On Tuesday, Home Depot reported earnings that missed expectations, sending the stock down 0.5% for the day. This ...

Core Viewpoint - WISeKey has launched WISe.ART 3.0, a significant Web3 marketplace for digital art, NFTs, and crypto collectibles, enhancing the trading and authentication of digital assets [1][2]. Group 1: Key Features of WISe.ART 3.0 - The platform supports native Web3 integration, allowing users to connect their Metamask or Walletconnect wallets securely [5]. - A complete overhaul of the platform's structure enables multi-device support, making it accessible on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices [5]. - WISe.ART NFTs are linked to physical objects, ensuring authenticity and provenance [5]. - Artists can utilize smart contracts for automated royalty structures and monetization strategies [5]. - Advanced cybersecurity measures and post-quantum resilience protect transactions and interactions on the platform [5]. - Crossmint integration allows users to purchase NFTs using credit/debit cards and other fiat currencies, facilitating easier access to digital art [5][8]. Group 2: Social Impact and Collaborations - WISe.ART has partnered with ONUART and the UN for NFT auctions aimed at funding school-building initiatives in Africa, blending philanthropy with digital innovation [5]. - The platform has supported social causes through limited-edition NFT drops, such as the one for the Antonio Banderas Foundation [5]. Group 3: Market Position and Future Outlook - WISe.ART 3.0 aims to democratize digital expression, enabling a broader audience to create and monetize their artistic visions [7]. - A new physical space in Geneva will showcase digital works, bridging historical and modern technologies [7]. - The platform is designed to facilitate easy access to digital art, allowing purchases without the need for cryptocurrency [8].

Market Performance - Major market indexes started the trading day in the red, with the Dow down 114 points (-0.27%), S&P 500 down 0.39%, and Nasdaq down 72 points (-0.38%). Only the Russell 2000 managed a slight gain of 1 point (+0.05%) [1] - The S&P 500 ended its six-day winning streak, indicating a potential shift in market momentum [1] Economic Context - No significant economic data was released, and there were no updates on tariff negotiations. Concerns are rising regarding a proposed tax bill that could significantly increase the federal deficit [2] - The U.S. credit rating has been downgraded by major credit agencies, reflecting growing fiscal concerns [2] Recovery Outlook - The anticipated "V-shaped recovery" appears to be stalling, particularly in the absence of major trade agreements. Major indexes have seen double-digit gains over the past month, but only the Dow and S&P 500 are positive year-to-date [3] Earnings Reports - Palo Alto Networks reported mixed fiscal Q3 results, with earnings of $0.39 per share, missing expectations by $0.02, but revenues of $2.3 billion exceeded consensus, marking a 15% year-over-year increase [4] - Toll Brothers exceeded earnings expectations with $3.50 per share against a consensus of $2.86, and revenues of $2.71 billion surpassed the $2.50 billion forecast. However, signed contracts were down 13% [4] Upcoming Market Events - The upcoming week lacks major economic reports until Thursday's Weekly Jobless Claims, with focus shifting to potential trade deals and the implications of the new tax bill on the federal deficit [5] - Big-box retailers are concluding the earnings season, with Lowe's and Target expected to report negative earnings estimates, while TJX Companies anticipates a 4% revenue growth [6]

Core Insights - Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reported revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter ended April 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 15.3% [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.80, up from $0.66 in the same quarter last year, with an EPS surprise of +3.90% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.77 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO) stood at $13.5 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $13.54 billion from six analysts [4] - Product revenue reached $452.70 million, exceeding the estimated $420.05 million, marking a 15.8% increase year-over-year [4] - Subscription and support revenue totaled $1.84 billion, slightly below the estimated $1.85 billion, with a year-over-year increase of 15.2% [4] - Subscription support revenue was $601.90 million, surpassing the estimate of $599.36 million, reflecting a 9.8% year-over-year growth [4] - Subscription revenue was $1.23 billion, below the estimate of $1.25 billion, but still showing an 18.1% increase compared to the previous year [4] - Non-GAAP product gross profit was $355.10 million, exceeding the average estimate of $329.84 million [4] - Non-GAAP subscription and support gross profit was $1.39 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $1.43 billion [4] - GAAP subscription and support gross profit was $1.32 billion, compared to the average estimate of $1.37 billion [4] - GAAP product gross profit was $352 million, exceeding the estimate of $330.75 million [4] Stock Performance - Palo Alto's shares have returned +21.4% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +13.1% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 was $2,290,000,000, representing a 15% year-over-year growth, at the high end of the guided range [36] - Product revenue grew by 16%, while total services revenue increased by 15% [36] - Next Generation Security ARR surpassed $5,000,000,000, ending the quarter at $5,090,000,000, a growth of 34% year-over-year [39] - Adjusted free cash flow generated in Q3 was $578,000,000 [44] - Total gross margin was 76%, with product gross margin at 78.4% [42] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenue within total services grew by 18%, while support revenue rose by 10% [36] - Software firewall ARR grew approximately 20% year-over-year, driven by public cloud deployments [26] - SASE ARR grew 36% year-over-year, with 40% of SASE customers being net new to the company [28] - AI ARR reached approximately $400,000,000 in Q3, up over 2.5 times year-over-year [39] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas region grew by 12%, EMEA by 20%, and JPEG by 23% [37] - The average duration of new contracts remained at approximately three years, with a slight decrease year-over-year [37] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a platformization strategy, which is resonating with customers and resulting in larger deals [6][8] - The urgency to adopt AI is becoming a strategic imperative for customers, leading to increased investments in technology transformation [10][12] - The company aims to reach a target of $15,000,000,000 in ARR by FY30 [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving adjusted free cash flow margin targets over the next few years [9] - The geopolitical environment has caused some uncertainty, but the company has executed well despite challenges [84] - There is strong momentum heading into the fiscal year-end, with expectations for a robust Q4 pipeline [33] Other Important Information - The company announced its intention to acquire Protect.ai for $700,000,000 to enhance its AI security capabilities [45] - The transition to a contract manufacturing facility in Texas is expected to benefit from scale and innovation [42] Q&A Session Questions and Answers Question: How are customers thinking about the upgrade from QRadar on-premise? - Management highlighted a strong partnership with IBM to facilitate the transition from on-premise SOC to cloud-delivered SOC, indicating a significant ARR opportunity [50][51] Question: Can you unpack the details behind the product revenue growth? - Management noted that product revenue growth is driven by both hardware and software, with a notable inflection in the software firewall business due to increased AI adoption [62][66] Question: What does the AI imperative mean for Palo Alto Networks? - Management indicated that securing AI implementations is becoming a priority, leading to faster adoption of cloud firewalls and a shift from hardware to software [76][77] Question: How is the company navigating geopolitical volatility? - Management acknowledged that April was an anomalous month but expressed pride in the team's execution during a challenging quarter [84][85] Question: How does the company plan to evolve its AI product portfolio? - Management emphasized the importance of runtime security in AI and the acquisition of Protect.ai to enhance capabilities in this area [89][95]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $2,290,000,000, representing a 15% year-over-year growth, at the high end of the guided range [34] - Product revenue grew by 16%, while total services revenue increased by 15% [34] - Next Generation Security ARR surpassed $5,000,000,000, ending the quarter at $5,090,000,000, a growth of 34% year-over-year [37] - Adjusted free cash flow generated in Q3 was $578,000,000 [42] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Subscription revenue within total services grew by 18%, and support revenue rose by 10% [34] - Software firewall ARR grew approximately 20% year-over-year, driven by public cloud deployments [25] - SASE ARR grew 36% year-over-year, with 40% of SASE customers being net new to Palo Alto Networks in Q3 [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas grew by 12%, EMEA by 20%, and JPEG by 23% [35] - The average duration of new contracts remained at approximately three years, with a slight decrease year-over-year [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a platformization strategy, which is resonating with customers and resulting in larger deals [5] - There is a strong emphasis on AI integration, with the urgency for customers to adopt AI becoming a strategic imperative [8] - The company aims to reach a $15,000,000,000 ARR target for FY30 [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving adjusted free cash flow margin targets over the next few years [7] - The geopolitical environment has caused some uncertainty, but the company has executed well despite challenges [82] - There is optimism about strong momentum heading into Q4, driven by continued transformation and a robust pipeline [32] Other Important Information - The company announced its intention to acquire Protect.ai for $700,000,000 to enhance its AI security capabilities [43] - The company is transitioning to a contract manufacturing facility in Texas to benefit from scale and mitigate tariffs [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: How are customers thinking about upgrading from QRadar on-premise? - Management highlighted the significant ARR uplift from transitioning customers from on-premise SOC to cloud-delivered SOC, emphasizing the potential for large deals [49][50] Question: Can you unpack the details behind product revenue growth? - Management noted that product revenue growth is driven by both hardware and software, with a notable inflection in the software firewall business due to increased AI adoption [60][66] Question: What does the AI opportunity mean for Palo Alto Networks? - Management indicated that securing AI implementations is becoming a priority for customers, leading to faster adoption of cloud firewalls and a shift from hardware to software [72][76] Question: How is the company navigating geopolitical volatility? - Management acknowledged that April was an anomalous month due to geopolitical tensions but expressed pride in the team's execution during that period [82] Question: How does the company plan to evolve its AI product portfolio? - Management discussed the importance of runtime security in AI and the acquisition of Protect.ai to enhance capabilities in this area [88][94]

Palo Alto Networks signage displays on the screen at the Nasdaq Market in New York City, U.S., March 25, 2025.Palo Alto Networks reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the latest quarter but its gross margin was below estimates. The stock dropped 4% in extended trading on Tuesday.Here's how the company did, compared to analysts' consensus estimates from LSEG:Earnings per share: 80 cents, adjusted vs. 77 cents expectedRevenue: $2.29 billion vs. $2.28 billion expectedSales in the company's fis ...

Q3 Fiscal Year 2025 Performance - Palo Alto Networks surpassed a $5.09 billion milestone in Next-Generation Security Annual Recurring Revenue (NGS ARR), representing a 34% year-over-year increase[8] - The company's Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO) reached $13.5 billion, a 19% increase year-over-year[8] - Total revenue for Q3'25 was $2.29 billion, up 15% year-over-year[8] - Non-GAAP operating income was $627 million, a 23% increase year-over-year[8] - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.80, a 21% increase year-over-year[8] - Adjusted Free Cash Flow (non-GAAP) was $578 million[8] Platformization and Growth Drivers - The company added approximately 900 net new platformizations in Q3'25[11] - There are approximately 1,250 total platformizations[11] - The number of customers with >$5 million NGS ARR is 130, a 41% year-over-year increase[11] - The number of customers with >$10 million NGS ARR is 44, a 63% year-over-year increase[11] - Cortex XSIAM ARR experienced growth of over 200% year-over-year[16] - Approximately 70% of Software Firewall ARR is deployed in the public cloud[21] - Software Firewall ARR grew by approximately 20% year-over-year[21] - SASE ARR grew by 36% year-over-year[25] - Approximately 3 million licenses have been sold for Prisma Access Browser (PAB)[28] - Approximately one-third of Prisma Access seats sold in Q3 were for Prisma Access Browser[28] - AI ARR reached approximately $400 million in Q3'25[38] Guidance - The company projects Next-Gen Security ARR of $5.52 billion - $5.57 billion for fiscal year 2025, representing a 31%-32% year-over-year increase[44] - The company projects total revenue of $9.17 billion - $9.19 billion for fiscal year 2025, representing a 14% year-over-year increase[44]