Palo Alto(US:PANW)2025-11-19 22:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO) grew 24% year-over-year to $15.5 billion, indicating strong long-term revenue predictability [24] - Next-Generation Security (NGS) Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) reached $5.85 billion, up 29% year-over-year, exceeding guidance [24] - Total revenue for Q1 was $2.47 billion, representing a 16% increase, surpassing the high end of guidance [25] - Diluted non-GAAP EPS was $0.93, exceeding guidance, with adjusted free cash flow of $1.7 billion, up 17% [30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - SASE ARR grew 34% year-over-year, surpassing $1.3 billion, making the company the fastest-growing SASE provider at scale [8] - Product revenue increased by 23% year-over-year, with 44% of trailing 12-month product revenue coming from software form factors, up from 38% [25] - Software firewalls saw significant growth, with nearly half of product revenues driven by software [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas region grew 14%, EMEA increased by 18%, and JPAC grew by 22%, indicating broad-based strength across all major markets [26] - The company has approximately 6,800 SASE customers, including one-third of the Fortune 500 [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on platformization to address the evolving threat landscape, emphasizing the need for unified security solutions [6] - The acquisition of CyberArk and Kronosphere is expected to enhance identity security and observability capabilities, respectively [21][22] - The company aims to achieve $20 billion in NGS ARR by fiscal year 2030, raising expectations from a previous target of $15 billion [21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted the urgency for real-time visibility and security due to the evolving threat landscape, particularly with the rise of AI-driven attacks [5] - The company is optimistic about the future, expecting continued growth in software firewalls and strong demand for AI security solutions [10][21] - Management reiterated a commitment to maintaining a free cash flow margin of at least 37% for fiscal year 2026, with a target of 40%+ by 2028 [32] Other Important Information - The company launched Prisma AIRS 2.0, a comprehensive platform for AI security, and is integrating Protect AI into its offerings [10] - The company is also focusing on quantum readiness, with plans to deliver a complete quantum-safe strategy [12][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the company ensuring success in the AI and quantum future? - Management emphasized the importance of network inspection and the sustained demand for bit inspection technologies, which will not diminish with the rise of AI and quantum [36] Question: What is the company's perspective on the convergence of security and observability? - Management noted that Kronosphere's capabilities in observability are crucial for securing large-scale AI deployments and that they see significant potential in this area [41][44] Question: How does the company plan to manage the integration of CyberArk and Kronosphere? - Management indicated that both acquisitions will be managed to maintain their operational independence while leveraging synergies where possible [52] Question: What are the expectations for AI adoption among customers? - Management observed that while AI adoption is still in early stages, there is a growing urgency for security measures to keep pace with AI deployments [55]