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History Says the Nasdaq Will Soar: 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy Before 2026, According to Wall Street
The Motley Fool· 2025-12-01 08:30
Group 1: Nasdaq Bull Market Overview - The Nasdaq Composite entered a new bull market on April 8, advancing by 53% since then, with historical data suggesting further upside is likely over the next year [1] - Historically, the Nasdaq has returned an average of 281% during bull markets, compounding at 31% annually since 1990 [1] Group 2: Nvidia Overview - Nvidia reported a 62% increase in revenue to $57 billion in the third quarter, with non-GAAP net income climbing 60% to $1.30 per diluted share [4][11] - The investment thesis for Nvidia is based on its leadership in data center GPUs and generative AI networking gear, supported by its CUDA software platform [5][6] - Analysts estimate Nvidia will maintain a 70% to 90% revenue share in AI accelerators through the end of the decade, with spending in this market forecast to grow at 29% annually through 2033 [7] - Nvidia's earnings are expected to grow at 37% annually over the next three years, making its current valuation of 44 times earnings appear relatively cheap [7] - Among 71 analysts, Nvidia has a median target price of $250 per share, implying a 41% upside from the current price of $177 [8] Group 3: Zscaler Overview - Zscaler specializes in zero trust network access and cloud protection, modernizing corporate networks through its security service edge (SSE) platform [9] - The company processes trillions of signals daily, enhancing its threat detection capabilities, and was ranked as a leader in the SSE market by Gartner [10] - Zscaler reported a 26% increase in revenue to $788 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with non-GAAP earnings increasing 25% to $0.96 per diluted share [11] - Revenue from AI security products increased by 80% in the first quarter, indicating strong growth potential [12] - Wall Street expects adjusted earnings to grow at 17% annually through the fiscal year ending in July 2028, with a current valuation of 72 times adjusted earnings [13] - Among 51 analysts, Zscaler has a median target price of $330 per share, implying a 31% upside from its current price of $251 [8]
ZS vs. PANW: Which Cybersecurity Stock is the Smarter Pick Now?
ZACKS· 2025-05-07 15:25
Industry Overview - The cybersecurity market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63% from 2025 to 2030, driven by the rise of complex attacks such as credential theft and social engineering [2] Zscaler (ZS) Analysis - Zscaler offers a comprehensive range of enterprise network security solutions, including web security, antivirus, and control over user activity in various environments [4] - The company is benefiting from the increasing demand for privileged access security amid digital transformation and cloud migration strategies [5] - Zscaler is integrating artificial intelligence into its offerings, enhancing its capabilities in real-time anomaly detection and threat mitigation [6] - In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Zscaler reported a revenue increase of 23.4% year over year and earnings growth of 23.8% [7] Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Analysis - Palo Alto Networks is recognized for its solutions in network security, cloud security, and endpoint protection, with a strong customer base and innovative product offerings [8][9] - The company has enhanced its Prisma Cloud platform with generative AI features, improving efficiency for security analysts [10] - In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Palo Alto Networks experienced an 11% increase in earnings and a 14.3% rise in revenues [11] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past year, Palo Alto Networks has returned 23.5%, while Zscaler shares have gained 31.7% [13] - PANW is trading at a forward sales multiple of 12.29X, while Zscaler is at 11.84X, both below the Zacks Security industry's forward sales multiple of 14.11X [14] Conclusion - Zscaler is currently viewed as a more attractive investment due to its innovative offerings and trading at a discount compared to Palo Alto Networks, which is facing near-term macroeconomic challenges [15]