Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares tumble after conservatorship comments
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW), a prominent player in the software industry with annual revenue reaching $8.87 billion, has completed its acquisition of Protect AI, a company specializing in securing artificial intelligence applications and models, according to a press release statement issued Tuesday. InvestingPro data shows the company maintains strong financial health with a 73.56% gross profit margin.
The acquisition aims to strengthen Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma AIRS platform by incorporating Protect AI’s capabilities in model scanning, posture management, AI red teaming, runtime protection, and AI agent security. This integration is designed to provide comprehensive protection across the entire AI lifecycle. The move comes as the company demonstrates robust growth, with revenue increasing by 13.91% over the last twelve months. According to InvestingPro, which offers comprehensive analysis of 1,400+ stocks through its Pro Research Reports, the company’s stock is currently trading near its 52-week high of $208.39.
Ian Swanson, former CEO of Protect AI, has joined Palo Alto Networks as VP of Product for Prisma AIRS. The combined technologies will focus on securing the growing ecosystem of AI models, applications, and agents that organizations are increasingly deploying.
"The promise of AI is immense, but so are the security risks," said Anand Oswal, SVP and GM of Network Security at Palo Alto Networks. "Our customers are moving quickly to adopt AI and are asking for a partner who can secure their entire AI ecosystem at scale."
The acquisition addresses security concerns in AI implementation across various industries including finance, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. Early adopters of the technology include Leidos, which is working with government customers, and TELUS Digital.
Eric Moore, CTO of Digital Modernization Sector at Leidos, noted that "securing AI—from the model file to runtime behavior—requires a holistic, platform-based approach," highlighting the importance of comprehensive security measures for AI systems, particularly in regulated industries and national security environments.
The companies will showcase their AI security solutions at the upcoming Black Hat USA 2025 conference in Las Vegas from August 5-7. While the company’s market performance has been strong, InvestingPro’s Fair Value analysis suggests the stock may be currently overvalued, with 14 additional ProTips available to subscribers looking to make informed investment decisions.
In other recent news, Palo Alto Networks has been the focus of several analyst reviews following its financial results. Stifel maintained its buy rating with a $225 price target, noting a slight revision in its fiscal year 2026 revenue growth estimate to 12% year-over-year. Goldman Sachs also reiterated a Buy rating with a $231 price target, emphasizing the potential for the company to meet or exceed market expectations for next-generation security annual recurring revenue. UBS, however, maintained a Neutral rating with a $200 price target, expressing some concerns about the potential for accelerated growth in subscription and support revenues.
Scotiabank expressed optimism by maintaining a Sector Outperform rating with a $225 price target, highlighting the company’s commendable product revenue growth and strong Free Cash Flow targets. BNP Paribas Exane also kept an Outperform rating with a $220 target, acknowledging a slight miss in fiscal third-quarter Remaining Performance Obligations but noting the company’s strong overall performance. Analysts highlighted the success of Palo Alto Networks’ platformization efforts, particularly in the Security Information and Event Management space. These developments reflect the company’s strategic direction and its ability to navigate external economic pressures.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.