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Investing.com - Piper Sandler upgraded Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) from Neutral to Overweight on Tuesday, while raising its price target to $225.00 from $200.00. According to InvestingPro data, the cybersecurity giant, currently valued at $112.3 billion, is trading near oversold territory based on technical indicators.
The upgrade reflects Piper Sandler’s confidence in Palo Alto Networks’ early platformization success, which has helped reaccelerate bookings and is expected to prove durable as XSIAM traction grows. The firm noted that channel feedback surrounding platformization has inflected positively heading into early 2025. This optimism is supported by the company’s robust revenue growth of ~14% and strong financial health score, as reported by InvestingPro.
Piper Sandler also cited expectations for more consistent free cash flow leverage moving forward, with annual payments and PAN-FS turning into tailwinds after creating pressure over the past two years. The company’s current levered free cash flow stands at $3 billion, demonstrating significant financial strength.
The acquisition of CYBR was highlighted as another positive factor, adding what the firm described as "a very high quality asset" to Palo Alto Networks’ portfolio while filling its largest gap in cybersecurity offerings.
These factors combined should help Palo Alto Networks achieve a low-teens compound annual growth rate and improved free cash flow margins, creating what Piper Sandler called "a favorable setup" for the cybersecurity company.
In other recent news, Palo Alto Networks has announced its intention to acquire CyberArk in a cash and equity deal valued at approximately $25 billion, which is a $5 billion premium over CyberArk’s pre-deal value. This acquisition has prompted mixed reactions from analysts. Stifel has reiterated a Buy rating on Palo Alto Networks, maintaining a positive outlook with a price target of $225. Meanwhile, Bernstein SocGen Group has lowered its price target for the company to $204, though it maintains an Outperform rating. Cantor Fitzgerald continues to see potential in the merger, reiterating an Overweight rating with a price target of $223, citing potential synergies between CyberArk’s identity capabilities and Palo Alto’s AI security platform. Conversely, KeyBanc has downgraded Palo Alto Networks from Overweight to Sector Weight, expressing concerns about the strategic fit of the acquisition. The Wall Street Journal reported that Palo Alto Networks is in active talks to acquire CyberArk, potentially at a price exceeding CyberArk’s $20 billion market value. These developments highlight the varied analyst expectations and strategic considerations surrounding Palo Alto Networks’ acquisition plans.
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