Core Insights - ServiceNow's shares have declined by 41.9% over the past three months, underperforming the broader Computer and Technology sector and the Financial-Miscellaneous Services industry [2][3] - Concerns regarding short-term growth, rising AI and cloud spending, and acquisition integration risks have contributed to the stock's decline [3][10] - Despite the downturn, ServiceNow's fundamentals indicate potential for a hold position, supported by strong AI adoption and a discounted valuation [8][20] Company Performance - ServiceNow's stock has underperformed compared to competitors like SAP, Microsoft, and Salesforce, which saw declines of 19.3%, 20.8%, and 20.9% respectively [4] - The company is experiencing increased adoption of its AI-native products, with Now Assist exceeding $600 million in Annual Contract Value (ACV) and new ACV more than doubling year over year [9][10] - The growth in AI adoption is translating into platform expansion, with enterprises increasing AI use for customer service and operations [11] Competitive Landscape - Competitors such as SAP, Salesforce, and Microsoft are embedding service management and workflow automation into their larger enterprise platforms, posing challenges for ServiceNow [5] - ServiceNow is leveraging a rapidly expanding partner ecosystem, including collaborations with Microsoft, OpenAI, and industry-specific alliances, to enhance AI adoption and interoperability [12][13] Valuation and Market Position - ServiceNow's valuation remains attractive, with a forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S) multiple of 6.48X compared to the industry average of 13.88X, indicating potential for appreciation [14] - The company is facing pressures from elevated AI spending, acquisition integration risks, and weak technical momentum, which may impact margins and investor sentiment in the near term [20]

With a market cap of about $121.5 billion and a broad global footprint, ServiceNow operates at true enterprise scale. The platform integrates with major cloud providers, large language models, and enterprise data, positioning the company as a “control tower” for modern businesses. A flexible pricing mix of subscription and consumption models, including the Pro Plus tier, supports growth while reinforcing its long-term relevance.Founded in 2004, ServiceNow has evolved into a central force in enterprise digit ...

Core Insights - ServiceNow (NOW) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of 92 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.75% and reflecting a 26% year-over-year increase. Revenues reached $3.57 billion, surpassing the consensus mark by 1.25% and increasing by 20.7% year over year [1][8]. Revenue Performance - Subscription revenues improved by 20.9% year over year to $3.47 billion, while on a constant currency basis, revenues increased by 19.5% to $3.41 billion. Professional services and other revenues rose by 12.1% year over year to $102 million, with a constant currency increase of 11% to $101 million [2]. - The current remaining performance obligations (cRPO) stood at $12.85 billion, marking a 25% year-over-year increase on a reported basis and a 21% increase on a constant currency basis. Remaining performance obligations on a constant currency basis rose 22.5% year over year to $28.2 billion [3]. Client Growth and Product Performance - The company recorded 244 transactions exceeding $1 million in net new annual contract value (ACV) in Q4 2025, representing nearly 40% year-over-year growth. ServiceNow ended the quarter with 603 customers with over $5 million in ACV, reflecting approximately 20% year-over-year growth [4]. - AI-powered products such as Now Assist and Raptor significantly contributed to the growth in net new ACV, with RaptorDB Pro tripling its net new ACV year over year. The number of workflows and transactions grew over 33%, increasing from $60 billion to $80 billion and from $4.8 trillion to $6.4 trillion, respectively [5][6]. Operating Metrics - In Q4 2025, the non-GAAP gross margin was 80.3%, down 160 basis points year over year. The subscription gross margin was 82.7%, also contracting by 160 basis points year over year. Professional services reported a gross loss of $2 million compared to a gross income of $7 million in the previous year [7]. - Operating expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased by 180 basis points year over year to 64.2%, while the non-GAAP operating margin expanded by 140 basis points year over year to 30.9% [9]. Cash Flow and Share Repurchase - As of December 31, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $6.28 billion, up from $5.41 billion as of September 30, 2025. Cash from operations was $2.24 billion, compared to $813 million in the previous quarter, with free cash flow reaching $2.03 billion, up from $592 million in the prior quarter [10]. - The company repurchased 3.6 million shares in Q4 2025 and announced a new share repurchase authorization worth $5 billion, along with plans for a $2 billion accelerated share repurchase program [11]. Guidance for 2026 - For 2026, ServiceNow expects subscription revenues to be between $15.53 billion and $15.57 billion, indicating a rise of 20.5% to 21% from 2025. The guidance includes a 1% contribution from Moveworks. The non-GAAP subscription gross margin is anticipated to be 82%, with a non-GAAP operating margin of 32% and a free cash flow margin expected to be 36% [12]. - For Q1 2026, subscription revenues are projected to be between $3.65 billion and $3.67 billion, suggesting year-over-year growth of 21.5% on a GAAP basis [13][14].

Core Viewpoint - Traditional SaaS applications like CRM and ERP systems will not be replaced but will evolve to serve as the infrastructure for AI Agents, which will enhance the importance of data definition and interpretation within enterprises [2][10][15] Group 1: The Role of AI Agents - AI Agents will not eliminate traditional software systems; instead, they will necessitate a clearer separation between how tasks are performed and the sources of facts [2][10] - The effectiveness of AI Agents is contingent upon their ability to access and understand the correct data from various systems, highlighting the need for accurate and structured input data [2][9] - The emergence of AI Agents creates significant entrepreneurial opportunities for companies that can help businesses manage and structure their unstructured data [3][10] Group 2: Data Management Challenges - A significant portion of enterprise knowledge (80%) exists in unstructured data, which is becoming increasingly difficult to manage [2] - The complexity of data definitions within organizations leads to discrepancies in key metrics like Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), complicating the role of AI Agents in providing accurate information [7][11] - The traditional approach of consolidating data into warehouses has only partially succeeded, as operational teams still rely on individual systems for real-time transactions [8][10] Group 3: Evolution of Systems - CRM and ERP systems will transition from user-centric interfaces to machine-oriented APIs, allowing AI Agents to interact with these systems programmatically [12][15] - The core value of enterprise systems lies in their ability to encapsulate chaotic data, which will remain essential despite changes in interface and interaction methods [13][15] - The demand for a clear, authoritative source of truth will only increase as AI Agents become more prevalent in business processes [14][15] Group 4: Future of Data Infrastructure - The combination of data warehouses, semantic layers, and governance tools will form the foundation for AI Agent workflows, evolving beyond traditional reporting systems [10][12] - The valuation of AI platforms will increasingly depend on their ability to define and manage facts, rather than just their user interfaces [14][15] - Companies that can create exceptional AI Agent experiences based on reliable data sources will have a competitive advantage in the evolving landscape [15]