Core Viewpoint - Fortinet Inc (NASDAQ:FTNT) experienced a significant decline of 25.9%, trading at $71.61, following a disappointing fiscal third-quarter outlook despite a second-quarter earnings win and matched revenue forecasts [1] Company Performance - Fortinet's second-quarter earnings were positive, but the negative guidance for the third quarter is impacting its stock performance [1] - Morgan Stanley downgraded Fortinet from "overweight" to "equal-weight" and reduced its price target from $110 to $78 [2] - If the current losses persist, Fortinet could face its worst one-day decline ever and may end up in negative territory for the year [2] Stock Trends - Fortinet shares are trading at their lowest in nearly 12 months and have fallen below a critical support level of $95 [2] - Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CRWD) is down 6.1% to $423.97, influenced by Alphabet's divestment of its stake in the company, although it still shows a 23.4% year-to-date gain [3] - SentinelOne Inc (NYSE:S) is down 5.2% to $16.42, with a 41.5% deficit over the past nine months, approaching its first close below $17 since April 22 [3] Options Activity - Fortinet is experiencing unusual options activity with 10 times the usual intraday average volume, particularly in the weekly 8/8 70-strike put [4] - Crowdstrike is also seeing increased options activity, with double the usual put volume, led by the September 420 put [4]

Core Insights - IGEL has announced the availability of the Zscaler Client Connector (ZCC) through the IGEL App Portal, enhancing Zero Trust security and cloud connectivity for IGEL-powered endpoints, which supports digital transformation for hybrid workforces [1][3][4] - The partnership with Zscaler aims to protect organizations from cyber threats while ensuring productivity across various applications and devices [3][6] - The integration of ZCC with IGEL's Preventative Security Model™ reduces the endpoint attack surface and lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 75% [6][9] Company Overview - IGEL is a secure endpoint OS platform designed for VDI, DaaS, SaaS, and secure browsing, providing a high-performance user experience and simplifying endpoint management [8][10] - The company enforces Zero Trust principles through a modular, read-only OS that eliminates common attack surfaces, thereby extending device lifespans and achieving sustainability goals [9][10] - IGEL is recognized globally across various sectors, including healthcare, financial services, retail, manufacturing, and government, and is supported by a partner ecosystem of over 100 integrated technology vendors [10]

Core Insights - BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) experienced a decline in net asset value (NAV) in Q2 2025, primarily due to markdowns on previously restructured portfolio companies rather than new credit issues [12][19] - The company reduced nonaccruals to 3.7% of the portfolio's fair market value, down from 4.4% in Q1 2025 and 5.6% at the end of 2024, indicating improved management of distressed assets [12][19] - The acquisition of HPS by BlackRock has led to the formation of the Private Financing Solutions (PFS) platform, which is expected to enhance TCPC's investment sourcing and risk management capabilities [11][41] Financial Performance - Net realized losses for Q2 2025 totaled approximately $66 million, or $0.78 per share, mainly due to restructurings in several portfolio companies [3][36] - Adjusted net investment income was $0.31 per share in Q2 2025, down from $0.36 per share in Q1 2025; gross investment income was $0.61 per share, down from $0.66 [7][34] - The weighted average annual effective yield was 12% in Q2 2025, compared to 12.2% in the prior quarter [7][33] Portfolio Management - The portfolio included 153 companies across more than 20 industry sectors, with an average investment size of $11.7 million [6][32] - 89% of the $1.8 billion portfolio was invested in senior secured debt, all in floating-rate instruments [6][32] - Four new investments were added to nonaccrual status in Q2 2025 due to uneven performance and liquidity constraints [4][19] Dividend and Share Repurchase - A regular dividend of $0.25 and a special dividend of $0.04 per share were declared for Q2 2025, payable on September 30 [8][24] - The company repurchased 40,830 shares during Q2 2025 [8][25] Leverage and Liquidity - Total liquidity at the end of Q2 2025 was $566 million, with available leverage of $155 million and cash of $107 million [9][37] - Net regulatory leverage rose to 1.28 times, exceeding the targeted range of 0.9 to 1.2 times, due to new investments and delayed repayments [3][38] Strategic Outlook - Management expects net regulatory leverage to return to approximately Q1 2025 levels in the next quarter following investment deployments and delayed repayments [14] - The integration into the PFS platform is anticipated to provide enhanced sourcing and allocation capabilities, benefiting TCPC's investment strategy [41][42]

Core Viewpoint - CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. has experienced a significant decline in stock price, down over 14% in the last 30 days, despite a generally bullish earnings season for technology stocks [1] Company Performance - Despite the recent pullback, CRWD stock is still up 29.25% in 2025, over 99% in the last 12 months, and more than 285% in the last five years [2] - The company capitalized on a previous software update glitch to drive revenue growth by allowing customers to test its Falcon platform [3] - The latest quarter saw a 100% year-over-year gain in annual recurring revenue (ARR), although revenue expectations were missed [5] AI Integration - CrowdStrike's Falcon platform is cloud-native and AI-first, with the introduction of Charlotte AI to automate detection and response to emerging threats [4] Earnings Guidance - For the upcoming earnings report on August 27, CrowdStrike guided for revenue between $1.14 and $1.15 billion, indicating a 3% sequential improvement and an approximate 18% year-over-year increase [6] - Analysts forecast revenue at $1.15 billion, suggesting that even at the high end of guidance, CrowdStrike would only meet expectations [7] Market Sentiment - Analysts maintain a price target of $461.17 for CRWD stock, with a moderate buy rating based on 46 analyst ratings [10] - The stock has broken below its 100-day simple moving average, indicating potential resistance and increasing selling momentum [11] Options Market - The options chain for August 29 shows a bearish bias, with a 43% chance that the stock will close below $450 [14] Institutional Activity - Institutions may be preparing to buy CRWD stock at lower levels, potentially between $420 and $425, as they signal that the stock is currently expensive compared to its past and peers [16]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total ARR reached $513.7 million, growing 14% year over year, with a 12% increase on a constant currency basis [28] - Total revenue was $131.2 million, exceeding guidance by $4.7 million, representing approximately 10% year over year growth on a reported basis and 8% on a constant currency basis [28] - Adjusted EBITDA was $41.6 million, which is $6.6 million above the high end of guidance, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 31.7% [30] - Dollar-based net revenue retention was approximately 102% on a reported basis and 101% on a constant currency basis [29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net new ARR growth was led by data protection, followed by security operations and unified endpoint management (UEM) [10] - Cove, the data protection solution, recorded its highest bookings and net new ARR quarter ever, with 25% year over year ARR growth [12] - Security operations, particularly the XDR and MDR offerings, showed healthy ARR growth, with Canalys reporting a 16% growth projection for MDR in 2025 [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Approximately 45% of revenue was generated outside of North America [31] - The company is seeing a healthy demand environment, with IT spending remaining stable among mid-market companies [68] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to expand its channel strategy to unlock new markets, focusing on resellers, system integrators, and distributors [22] - The growth strategy is built on three pillars: driving security success, scaling go-to-market efforts, and boosting customer expansion [25] - The company is focused on integrating AdLumen into its cyber resilience platform and enhancing its channel motion to capture mid-market opportunities [26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to execute and create long-term value amidst a complex threat landscape [35] - The outlook for the second half of 2025 suggests more growth in ARR compared to the first half, despite some foreign exchange dynamics [53] Other Important Information - The company began executing a share repurchase program as part of its capital allocation strategy, reflecting confidence in the business [27] - The company appointed Vikram Ramesh as Chief Marketing Officer to advance its mission and amplify its message globally [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more color on the go-to-market traction with resellers? - The go-to-market teams are finding a rhythm with three pillars to engage mid-market companies, leading to increased bookings and opportunities [38][39] Question: Where are we with the optimization and ASC 606 headwinds? - The company is seeing healthy renewal rates around 90%, indicating customer willingness to recommit [48] Question: Can you provide detail on the ARR guidance? - There are FX dynamics at play, but the second half implies more growth in ARR compared to the first half [53] Question: How are you educating MSP customers on the opportunity? - The company emphasizes augmenting MSP capabilities with its XDR technology, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives [60] Question: What do you attribute the strength in the $50k customer adds to? - The focus on larger MSPs and the ability to cross-sell the portfolio are key drivers of strength in customer additions [62]

Core Insights - IQSTEL Inc. and Cycurion Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to become mutual equity partners through a planned $1 million stock exchange, enhancing shareholder value by distributing half of the exchanged shares as dividends [1][5][6] - The collaboration aims to create a strong presence in AI-driven cybersecurity for the global telecommunications industry, leveraging both companies' strengths [1][11][15] Investment and Shareholder Value - The stock exchange is designed to unlock shareholder value and is strategically timed to mitigate potential disruptions from U.S. tariffs [2][6] - Each company will issue $1 million worth of common stock to the other, with share distribution based on the lower of the Nasdaq Official Closing Price on the day before the agreement or the average price over the preceding five trading days [4][5] Strategic Collaboration - The agreement integrates the AI-focused Research and Development departments of both companies, aiming to deliver next-generation cybersecurity solutions for telecom, government, and enterprise clients [3][8] - The partnership is expected to create cross-selling opportunities, allowing IQSTEL to introduce its services to Cycurion's customer base and vice versa [7][12] Future Growth and Development - The MOU outlines an initial 60-day exploratory period, with plans to execute a definitive agreement within 30 days, focusing on further collaboration opportunities such as joint ventures and expanded R&D initiatives [13][14] - Both companies are committed to pooling resources and aligning strategic focus to maximize value for their combined shareholder base [11][14] Company Profiles - IQSTEL specializes in telecommunications, fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, with a goal to reach $1 billion in annual revenue by 2027 [16][18] - Cycurion focuses on IT cybersecurity solutions and has strong relationships within government and institutional sectors, enhancing its market presence [17][18]

Core Viewpoint - Zscaler, Inc. is set to release its fourth quarter fiscal year 2025 earnings on September 2, 2025, after market close, followed by an investor conference call to discuss the results [1]. Group 1: Earnings Release Information - The earnings report will be available after the market closes on September 2, 2025 [1]. - An investor conference call is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Pacific time (4:30 p.m. Eastern time) on the same day [1]. - A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible on the Zscaler website [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Zscaler is a leader in cloud security, facilitating digital transformation for customers to enhance agility, efficiency, resilience, and security [3]. - The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications globally [3]. - The platform operates from over 160 data centers worldwide, making it the largest in-line cloud security platform based on SASE architecture [3].

Core Viewpoint - Fortinet's stock experienced a significant decline of 17% in after-hours trading despite an earnings report that exceeded analyst expectations, attributed to lower-than-expected third-quarter revenue guidance, raising questions about its current valuation and potential as a buying opportunity [2][3] Group 1: Financial Performance - Fortinet's revenue for the latest quarter rose 14% to $1.63 billion from $1.43 billion a year earlier, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 4.2% increase [8] - The company has achieved an average revenue growth rate of 19.9% over the last three years, compared to 5.2% for the S&P 500 [8] - Fortinet's operating income over the last four quarters was $1.9 billion, with an operating margin of 31.5%, compared to 18.4% for the S&P 500 [15] - The net income for Fortinet reached $1.9 billion, indicating a net income margin of 30.6%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 12.2% [15] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - Fortinet's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio stands at 9.6, while the S&P 500's is 3.0, indicating a premium valuation [8] - The price-to-free cash flow (P/FCF) ratio for Fortinet is 28.5 compared to 20.5 for the S&P 500 [8] - Fortinet's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 31.3, in contrast to the S&P 500's 22.5 [8] Group 3: Financial Stability - Fortinet's balance sheet is described as very robust, with total assets of $10.6 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of $4.6 billion, resulting in a cash-to-assets ratio of 45.9% compared to 6.7% for the S&P 500 [15] - The company's debt stood at $995 million, leading to a low debt-to-equity ratio of 1.7% compared to 23.6% for the S&P 500 [15] Group 4: Market Resilience - FTNT stock has shown more resilience compared to the S&P 500 during recent downturns, with a peak-to-trough drop of 38.3% from July 2023 to November 2023, compared to a 25.4% decline for the S&P 500 [16] - The stock fully rebounded to its pre-crisis peak by October 2024 and has since risen to a peak of $114.57 in February 2025 [16] Group 5: Investment Outlook - The recent decline in Fortinet's stock is viewed as a compelling opportunity for long-term investors, despite concerns over slowing revenue growth [13] - The company's strong fundamentals and operational performance suggest potential for significant gains over a three- to five-year investment horizon [13]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total billings grew by 15% to €1,780 million, driven by 21% growth in unified SASE and 31% growth in SecOps [12][13] - Total revenue increased by 14% to €1,630 million, with product revenue rising by 13% to $509 million [16][20] - Non-GAAP operating margin was 33.1%, slightly above guidance, while total gross margin increased to 81.6% [21][20] - Free cash flow reached $284 million, with adjusted free cash flow at $428 million, reflecting strong cash generation [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Unified SASE and SecOps now account for 24% and 11% of total billings, respectively, both up one percentage point [13] - ARR for unified SASE increased by 22% to $1,150 million, while SecOps ARR grew by 35% to $463 million [15] - The number of deals over $1 million increased by 29%, with total dollar value growing by 51% [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - EMEA led revenue growth at 18%, while the Americas and APAC both grew by 11% [16] - The financial services sector showed strong performance with over 30% billings growth [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its unified SASE and AI-driven secure operations, which are expected to continue delivering strong returns [8] - Fortinet aims to maintain its competitive advantage by owning and managing its infrastructure, enhancing customer experience and cost efficiency [10] - The company is investing in AI and has over 500 issued and pending AI patents, positioning itself as a leader in AI-driven security solutions [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the cybersecurity market despite macroeconomic uncertainties [24][73] - The company raised its full-year billings guidance by €100 million, reflecting strong performance in the first half of the year [25] - Management noted that the ongoing firewall upgrade cycle presents significant opportunities for customer engagement and upselling [23][96] Other Important Information - The company announced the expansion of its Forti Cloud offering with three new services: Forti Identity, Forti Drive, and Forti Connect [10] - The company has invested approximately $2 billion in building a global infrastructure to support its services [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about FortiSASI cannibalizing core appliance business - Management clarified that SASE does not replace traditional firewalls but enhances them, with both markets growing [30][32] Question: Insights on services guidance - Management indicated that services billings to revenue conversion takes longer, but product revenue is expected to be stronger for the rest of the year [39][41] Question: Profile of SASE customers - Management noted that over 90% of SASE customers are existing firewall customers, with some displacing competitors [57][58] Question: Growth beyond the upgrade cycle - Management highlighted the new SASE firewall as a significant growth opportunity, alongside the expansion of cloud services [94][96] Question: OT opportunity and competition - Management reported over 20% growth in OT, emphasizing their leadership in the sector and the potential for further expansion [76][80]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total billings grew by 15% to €1,780,000,000, driven by 21% growth in unified SASE and 31% growth in SecOps [12][13] - Total revenue increased by 14% to €1,630,000,000, with EMEA leading growth at 18% [15] - Non-GAAP operating margin was 33.1%, exceeding guidance by 60 basis points [20] - Free cash flow was $284,000,000, with adjusted free cash flow reaching $428,000,000, up $104,000,000 [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Unified SASE and SecOps now account for 24% and 11% of total billings, respectively, both up one point [12] - ARR for unified SASE increased by 22% to $1,150,000,000, while SecOps increased by 35% to $463,000,000 [14] - Product revenue increased by 13% to $509,000,000, benefiting from upgrade buying and strong growth in operational technology [15][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas and APAC both grew by 11%, while EMEA led with 18% growth [15] - Among the top five verticals, financial services led with over 30% billings growth [13] - The number of deals greater than $1,000,000 increased by 29%, with total dollar value growing by 51% [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on the fast-growing markets of unified SASE and AI-driven secure operations, with investments yielding strong returns [6] - Fortinet aims to maintain its competitive advantage by owning and managing its infrastructure, ensuring better customer experience and cost efficiency [9] - The company is recognized as a leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE platform, highlighting its strong market position [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the cybersecurity market despite macroeconomic uncertainties [24] - The company raised its full-year billings guidance by €100,000,000, reflecting strong performance in the first half of the year [25] - Management noted that ongoing upgrade cycles for firewalls present valuable opportunities for customer engagement [22] Other Important Information - The company announced the expansion of its Forti Cloud offering with three new services: Forti Identity, Forti Drive, and Forti Connect [9] - Total RPO grew by 12% to €6,640,000,000, while current RPO grew by 15% to €3,450,000,000 [14] - The company has invested around $2,000,000,000 in building and operating a global infrastructure [8] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about FortiSASI cannibalizing core appliance business - Management clarified that SASE is enhancing rather than replacing traditional firewalls, with both segments experiencing growth [29][30][32] Question: Specifics on the 2027 product refresh cohort - Management indicated that the 2027 cohort consists of lower-end products, which are significant in unit numbers but less impactful on product revenue [34] Question: Insights on services guidance - Management noted that services billings to revenue conversion takes longer, but they remain confident in product revenue strength for the rest of the year [39][41] Question: Profile of SASE customers - Management stated that over 90% of SASE customers are existing firewall customers, with some displacing competitors [59][60] Question: Margin outlook and investment balance - Management emphasized a long-term strategy, investing in infrastructure for better cost advantages while maintaining healthy margins [62] Question: Growth beyond the upgrade cycle - Management highlighted the new SASE firewall as a significant growth opportunity, addressing new infrastructure security needs [95][96]