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Axon Plunges 31.1% in 6 Months: Should You Hold or Fold the Stock?
ZACKSยท 2025-12-04 15:46
Core Insights - Axon Enterprise, Inc. (AXON) has experienced a 31.1% decline in stock price over the past six months, underperforming both the industry and the S&P 500, which grew by 3.8% and 17.9% respectively [1][2] - Despite the recent decline, AXON has delivered a 134.6% shareholder return over the past couple of years, indicating strong long-term performance [3] - The company is facing near-term challenges due to rising costs, increased debt levels, and a high valuation, which may weigh on its prospects [8] Financial Performance - Axon's cost of sales increased significantly, with year-over-year increases of 18.2%, 34.4%, and 32.7% in the first three quarters of 2025, and a 39% increase in 2024 [4] - Selling, general, and administrative expenses surged by 48%, 41.7%, and 31.5% in the first three quarters of 2025, with a 49.8% increase in 2024 [5] - The company's long-term notes payable reached $1.73 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2025, up from zero at the end of 2024, primarily due to strategic investments and expansion activities [6] Valuation Concerns - AXON's forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 71.25X, significantly higher than the industry average of 42.55X, making it vulnerable to market sentiment shifts [9] Growth Prospects - The Connected Devices segment is a key growth driver, with revenues increasing by 26% year over year in the first nine months of 2025, supported by the popularity of the TASER 10 products [10] - The introduction of the Axon Body 4 camera in April 2023 has generated significant demand, contributing to a 17% year-over-year revenue increase from the TASER product line [11] - The Software & Services segment also showed strong growth, with a 39.6% revenue increase in the first nine months of 2025, driven by digital evidence management and premium features [12] - Axon raised its revenue guidance for 2025 to approximately $2.74 billion, indicating a growth of about 31% year over year [13] Return on Equity - Axon's trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) was 20.84%, significantly higher than the industry's 9.44%, reflecting efficient use of shareholder funds [14] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is $6.35 per share, reflecting a decrease of 8.1% in the past 60 days but indicating a year-over-year growth of 6.9% [17]