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Palo Alto Networks target raised by Oppenheimer on strong FY24

EditorTanya Mishra
Published 08/20/2024, 09:10 AM
© Kfir Sivan, Palo Alto Networks PR
PANW
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Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:PANW) has seen its price target increased by Oppenheimer from $390.00 to $410.00, while the firm retained its Outperform rating on the stock.

The adjustment follows Palo Alto Networks' robust performance at the end of its fiscal year 2024, where it surpassed estimates with strong platform sales.

Palo Alto Networks demonstrated considerable growth with its Next-Generation Security (NGS) Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) surging by 43% year-over-year to $4.22 billion. The company's Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) also experienced a 20% increase from the previous year.

Moreover, the cybersecurity firm closed 90 platform deals during the period, which is a notable rise from the 65 deals closed in the third quarter.

Management at Palo Alto Networks has reaffirmed its guidance of securing between 2,500 to 3,500 platform deals as part of its strategy to achieve a $15 billion ARR by fiscal year 2030.

The company has already surpassed the milestone of closing over 1,000 platform deals. While the long-term success of this strategy is yet to be determined, the early indicators have been met with optimism.

Looking forward, the company's revenue guidance for fiscal year 2025 aligns with consensus expectations but does include revenue from recent acquisitions amounting to "tens of millions." Despite this factor, the forecast is seen as achievable, with potential for further upside driven by the continued adoption of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), cloud security, and Extended Security Information and Event Management (XSIAM) solutions.

In other recent news, cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks has been making strides following its robust fiscal Q4 2024 results. The company reported a total revenue of $2.19 billion, driven by significant growth in services revenue and Next Generation Security Annual Recurring Revenue (NGS ARR), despite a 5% decrease in product revenue.

InvestingPro Insights

As Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) continues to show robust performance and growth potential, insights from InvestingPro shed further light on the company's financial health and market positioning. The company's market capitalization stands strong at $111.18 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the cybersecurity sector. Additionally, Palo Alto Networks is trading at a high Price / Book multiple of 24.88 as of the last twelve months leading up to Q3 2024, which may indicate a premium valuation by the market due to its growth prospects and industry leadership.

An impressive revenue growth of 20.05% over the last twelve months as of Q3 2024, coupled with a gross profit margin of 74.43%, underscores the company's ability to not only increase sales but also to maintain profitability. InvestingPro Tips highlight that Palo Alto Networks is expected to see net income growth this year, which aligns with the positive outlook provided by analysts. Furthermore, with a high return of 63.75% over the last year, investors have been rewarded for their confidence in the company's strategy and execution.

For investors seeking a deeper understanding of Palo Alto Networks' financial metrics and market potential, InvestingPro offers additional tips, including insights on the company's debt levels, cash flow capabilities, and analysts' profitability predictions for the year. There are 15 more InvestingPro Tips available for Palo Alto Networks, which can be found at https://www.investing.com/pro/PANW, providing a comprehensive analysis for informed investment decisions.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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