Tenable(US:TENB)2025-12-02 22:57Tenable Conference Call Summary Company Overview - Company: Tenable (NasdaqGS:TENB) - Industry: Cybersecurity Key Points and Arguments AI and Security Landscape - The AI threat landscape is challenging traditional reactive security approaches, necessitating a shift towards proactive measures, termed "fireproofing" rather than "firefighting" [5][11][13] - Companies are increasingly focused on three questions regarding AI: integration into products, internal productivity, and safeguarding AI usage [5][7] - Tenable's product, AI-Aware, provides visibility into AI usage within customer environments, helping to protect against misuse and ensuring compliance with policies [7][8] Customer Growth and Tenable One - In Q3, Tenable added nearly 450 new enterprise customers, with 40% of new business growth attributed to Tenable One, the company's exposure management platform [14][16] - Tenable One allows customers to assess vulnerabilities across their environments, providing risk ranking and prioritization tools for overwhelmed security teams [16][17] - The company is optimistic about future growth as more customers transition from point solutions to the comprehensive Tenable One platform [18][32] Market Dynamics and Competitive Landscape - Tenable is experiencing strong win rates against competitors, particularly in transitioning existing VM customers to Tenable One [19][22] - The company sees significant opportunities in both greenfield (new AI and cloud opportunities) and brownfield (existing customer transitions) markets [21][22] - The net retention rate is stable in the 105%-107% range, with expectations of slight declines in the near term due to historical growth comparisons [25][28] Federal Sector Performance - Tenable's public sector business accounts for approximately 15% of revenue, with federal customers representing about half of that [64][66] - The company has successfully navigated uncertainties in the federal sector and expects continued opportunities, especially with FedRAMP certification for Tenable One [71] Operational Efficiency and Margin Expansion - In Q3, Tenable achieved a 23% operating margin, up 350 basis points year-over-year, despite an 18% increase in R&D spending [75][76] - The company is focused on improving sales and marketing efficiency while continuing to invest in product development [87][88] Future Outlook and Demand Environment - Tenable is optimistic about the cybersecurity budget landscape, with a healthy pipeline and continued focus on AI and exposure management [93][96] - The company aims to expand its existing customer base onto Tenable One, which is expected to enhance retention and growth opportunities [96][98] Strategic Positioning - Tenable is well-positioned in the exposure management market, with recognition from industry analysts such as IDC, Forrester, and Gartner [101][102] - The management team is focused on execution and capitalizing on market opportunities, reinforcing confidence in the company's future [101][102] Additional Important Insights - The company is open to future acquisitions if they align with strategic goals, but currently focuses on maximizing the effectiveness of existing technologies [89][90] - Tenable's cloud security offerings are gaining traction, with efforts to increase awareness among potential customers [53][55][59]