Qualys CEO Thakar sells $1.17 million in shares

Qualys, Inc. (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:QLYS), a $5 billion market cap company known for its impressive 81.79% gross profit margins, saw CEO and President Sumedh S. Thakar sell a total of $1.17 million in company stock on July 14, 2025. The sales, executed under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 trading plan, involved 8,500 shares of common stock sold at prices ranging from $136.2925 to $139.5037.

According to a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Thakar sold 400 shares at a weighted average price of $136.2925, for a total of $54,517. He then sold 3,000 shares at a weighted average price of $137.9176, totaling $413,752. An additional 4,774 shares were sold at an average price of $138.8087, for $662,658. The final sale consisted of 326 shares at an average price of $139.5037, amounting to $45,473.

On the same day, Thakar also exercised options to acquire 6,500 shares of Qualys common stock at an exercise price of $25.56, for a total value of $166,140.

Following these transactions, Thakar directly owns 215,962 shares of Qualys, Inc.

In other recent news, Qualys has reported its first-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing market expectations with an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.67, compared to the forecasted $1.47, and revenue reaching $159.9 million, exceeding the anticipated $157.11 million. This strong performance has led several analyst firms to adjust their outlooks on Qualys stock. RBC Capital Markets increased its price target to $140, citing a robust start to the year and a significant operating margin outperformance. Meanwhile, Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) raised its price target to $142, highlighting Qualys’ decision to significantly raise its 2025 EPS target despite facing a challenging environment for acquiring new business.

Canaccord Genuity adjusted its price target to $158 from $163, maintaining a Buy rating and emphasizing Qualys’ potential for mid-teens free cash flow growth. The firm noted the company’s strategic focus on channel partnerships and new growth drivers, such as the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) and TotalAI products. DA Davidson maintained a Neutral rating with a $130 price target, pointing out a slowdown in the growth of Qualys’ Core Customer Base and a revised revenue guidance for the remainder of the year due to increased deal scrutiny.

Despite these challenges, Qualys has demonstrated robust performance, with international revenue growing by 16% and channel partnerships contributing to 49% of the total revenue. The company’s strategic initiatives, such as the Risk Operations Center and upcoming FedRAMP High certification, are expected to drive future growth. Analysts have noted that while Qualys is navigating a difficult market, its growth prospects are seen as stable, with the potential for improvement as new products gain traction.

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