On Tuesday, Loop Capital adjusted its price target for Zscaler (NASDAQ:ZS), a leader in cloud-based security, from $200 to $195 while maintaining a Hold rating on the stock. The revision reflects modestly lower cash flow estimates beginning in fiscal year 2026. According to InvestingPro data, analysts' price targets for Zscaler range from $177 to $270, with the current stock price suggesting the company is slightly overvalued based on InvestingPro's Fair Value analysis.
Zscaler's first-quarter billings showed a growth of over 20% year-over-year, slightly surpassing the company's own guidance. Despite challenges common in the current macroeconomic environment and significant changes to its sales approach, Zscaler has managed to maintain solid performance, with impressive revenue growth of 34.07% and gross profit margins of 78.08%. The company confirmed its billing guidance for fiscal year 2025, after accounting for the first-quarter performance.
The analyst from Loop Capital highlighted the risks associated with the company's high billing growth expectations from the second to the third quarter, which is considered unseasonably high. Additionally, concerns have been raised following the announcement of the Chief Financial Officer's retirement, which adds uncertainty to the company's ability to achieve its billing targets in the second half of the year.
Zscaler's emerging products accounted for more than 20% of its new Annual Contract Value (ACV) this quarter, aligning with its target mix for fiscal year 2025 and showing an increase from 22% the previous fiscal year. However, the company's ongoing transition in sales leadership and its shift towards a more account-centric sales model present execution risks. This is compounded by the company's dependence on securing large deals, particularly with new customers, which constitute about a third of its new ACV.
The firm acknowledges Zscaler's position as a standard in zero-trust security architecture for large organizations. Nonetheless, given the current transitions and the slower growth observed in core headcount products, particularly on renewals, the firm advises a cautious approach. Following the update, Zscaler's shares experienced an approximate 8% decline to $191 in after-hours trading.
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In other recent news, Zscaler has been the focus of several analyst firms following its strong first-quarter performance. The cybersecurity company reported a 13% year-over-year increase in total billings, surpassing expectations. Its revenue growth was also impressive, at 34.07%, and the company maintained a gross profit margin of 78.08%. However, Zscaler's CFO, Remo Canessa, announced his retirement, a development noted by multiple firms.
Citi raised its price target for Zscaler to $235, maintaining a Buy rating, following the company's first-quarter performance. Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) reiterated an outperform rating, raising the target to $205, while Canaccord Genuity kept a buy rating, increasing the price target to $230. Truist Securities also reiterated a buy rating with a target of $260. Despite the retirement of the CFO, these firms maintain a positive outlook for Zscaler's future growth and profitability.
These are recent developments, providing investors with a snapshot of Zscaler's current position according to several analyst firms. The company has demonstrated a robust financial performance and has received positive ratings from multiple analysts. Despite the retirement of the CFO, analysts believe that Zscaler will continue to perform well and maintain its strong position in the cybersecurity market.
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