Core Viewpoint - Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ:PEGA) is identified as an overlooked AI stock with a potential upside, supported by a positive outlook from analysts and expected strong revenue growth from its cloud offerings [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company is set to report its third-quarter earnings on October 21, with expectations of strong adoption of its Blueprint offering, which is projected to drive approximately 18% growth in cloud revenue for the year, contributing up to 45% of total revenue [2]. - Pegasystems' cloud annual contract value (ACV) increased by 28% year-over-year on a constant currency basis in the second quarter, with total ACV reaching $1,514 million, indicating a 16% year-over-year growth [3]. Analyst Ratings - Rosenblatt has reiterated a 'Buy' rating on Pegasystems and raised the price target from $61 to $65, suggesting a potential upside of about 16% [1].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pegasystems reported record results in Q3 2025, with Pega Cloud annual contract value (ACV), revenue, and free cash flow all reaching new highs, reflecting a 14% year-over-year growth in ACV [29][30] - Free cash flow increased by 38% year-over-year, totaling $338 million for the first nine months of 2025 [35][36] - Pega Cloud ACV grew 27% year-over-year, indicating strong demand for cloud-native architectures and solutions [30][31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The standout performer was Pega Cloud, which significantly contributed to the overall ACV growth, with over 85% of ACV growth this year generated from Pega Cloud [30][38] - The company’s unique approach of utilizing AI in the design phase while leveraging predictable workflows at runtime continues to differentiate it in the market [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is experiencing accelerated growth and momentum as clients migrate to Pega Cloud, with margins approaching 80% in Q3 [31] - The federal sector has seen changes due to government shutdowns, but long-term projects remain strategic and are expected to continue despite short-term disruptions [42][91] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Pegasystems aims to be the workflow automation and AI orchestration platform of choice for enterprises, leveraging its unique architecture and AI strategy [15][24] - The introduction of Pega Blueprint is seen as a game changer, enhancing client engagement and accelerating the time from design to production [17][20] - The company is focused on application modernization and legacy transformation, with significant energy around new features that facilitate these processes [66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the future, citing strong momentum as clients shift from experimentation to execution with Pega Blueprint [15][27] - The company is confident in its business model and strategy, emphasizing the importance of ACV as a measure of business momentum and durability [63][64] Other Important Information - Pegasystems completed its largest share repurchase quarter ever, purchasing approximately $393 million worth of stock [36] - The company remains debt-free after repaying its convertible senior notes in March 2025 [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: What drove the much better ACV and acceleration versus expectations? - Management indicated that the positive impact of Pega Blueprint on business performance was a key driver of the better-than-expected ACV growth [41] Question: What is the deal environment on the federal side? - Management noted that while the federal space has faced challenges, long-term projects remain strategic and are expected to continue [42] Question: Can you discuss the early feedback on the new Predictable AI agents? - Management highlighted that the differentiation of their agents is resonating with customers, emphasizing predictability and efficiency in design and execution [46][47] Question: How is pricing evolving in the industry? - Management stated that Pegasystems is ahead of competitors by moving towards work-based pricing, aligning vendor and customer incentives [70][72] Question: Are you seeing any new players in the space? - Management acknowledged the presence of new players but emphasized the importance of a comprehensive orchestration layer that Pegasystems provides [75] Question: Are customers integrating the new Blueprint capabilities into production? - Management confirmed that Blueprint is responsible for many new implementations, with numerous clients already in production [80][82]

Financial Performance - Pegasystems Inc. reported quarterly earnings of 28 cents per share, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of 23 cents per share [1] - The company achieved quarterly sales of $384.512 million, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $362.588 million [1] AI Strategy - The company's unique approach to AI was highlighted as a key driver of strong first-half results, focusing on workflow design with Pega Blueprint and operational consistency through the Pega Infinity workflow engine [2] - Pega's Predictable AI approach aims to provide enterprises with both innovation and operational consistency [2] Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - Following the earnings announcement, Pegasystems shares fell by 1.1% to trade at $57.40 [2] - Analysts have adjusted their price targets for Pegasystems, with Rosenblatt raising it from $59 to $61, Wedbush from $68 to $70, Citigroup from $66 to $70, and DA Davidson from $50 to $60 [8]

Core Insights - Pegasystems (PEGA) is experiencing accelerated growth in its cloud segment, with Pega Cloud's Annual Contract Value (ACV) increasing by 23% year-over-year to $701 million in Q1 2025, driven by demand for AI-powered, cloud-native solutions [1][3] - The company's cloud revenues rose 15% year-over-year to $151.1 million, highlighting the strength of its recurring revenue model [1][9] - Pegasystems aims to grow Cloud ACV by 20% or more, supported by successful cross-selling, upselling, and new client acquisitions [3][9] Cloud Momentum - There is a clear shift among enterprises towards scalable and intelligent automation, with PEGA's AI-infused platforms simplifying digital transformation and enhancing client retention [2] - The increase in ACV indicates deeper customer engagement and more durable multi-year contracts as workloads transition from legacy systems to the cloud [2] Competitive Landscape - Salesforce (CRM) is a strong competitor in cloud-native CRM and low-code workflows, leveraging its extensive integrations and partnerships to enhance its market position [5] - Oracle (ORCL) competes with PEGA in process automation, excelling in infrastructure and large-scale deployments, while PEGA stands out in BPM usability and AI-driven decision-making [6] Stock Performance and Valuation - Pegasystems shares have gained 16% year-to-date, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which returned 8.2%, and the Computer-Software industry, which rose 17% [7][9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PEGA's earnings is $1.88 per share for 2025, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 24.5% [11]