Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) Stock Price, News, Analysis

Technical Score (1D)

BUY

News Sentiment

BEARISH

Jim Cramer’s recent endorsement of Palo Alto Networks on Mad Money highlights the firm’s scale and strong revenue growth, noting a 34 % rise in fiscal Q4 2026 revenue to $3.41 billion and a 63 % jump in next‑generation security ARR to $9.10 billion. This bullish signal is likely to reinforce short‑term demand for PANW shares as investors weigh the company’s cash‑generating capacity. The same week, PANW reported a 40 % increase in fiscal 2026 SASE bookings, driven by growth in Access, SD‑WAN and secure‑browser segments, and it has displaced legacy vendors in roughly 100 accounts, adding over $400 million in contract value. The SASE momentum positions PANW as a potential market leader within five to seven years, which could translate into higher margin expansion and longer‑term revenue growth. Meanwhile, a sector rotation that saw semiconductor names tumble while cybersecurity names surged has lifted PANW by nearly 13 %, reflecting investor concern that rapid AI development may outpace security safeguards and prompting higher spending on cyber defenses. This defensive rally could provide a short‑term boost to PANW’s valuation as AI risk becomes a market theme. However, Bernstein’s downgrade to Market Perform, coupled with a price‑target adjustment—first to $351 from $253 and then a later increase to $351—signals caution about valuation risk and potential competitive pressure, even as long‑term fundamentals remain solid. The mixed analyst sentiment underscores uncertainty about PANW’s near‑term trajectory, so traders should monitor upcoming earnings guidance and any further analyst revisions. In the next 1–10 trading days, watch for the company’s Q4 earnings release, any updates on SASE deployment velocity, and how the broader AI‑driven security spend trend evolves.

PANW|Analyst Targets

LOW TARGET

$190 -47.7%

2 analysts

MEAN TARGET

$395 +8.8%

37 analysts

HIGH TARGET

$475 +30.6%

25 analysts

PRICE RANGE

$190.00 - $475.00

SB / B / H / S / SS

16/33/13/1/1

DAILYIQ EST.

$421.61 (+16.0%)

PANW|Company Info

Sector

Technology

Industry

Software - Infrastructure

Exchange

NMS

Country

United States

Website

paloaltonetworks.com

Symbol

PANW

Description

Palo Alto Networks is a global cybersecurity provider specializing in comprehensive solutions designed to protect organizations across diverse industries. The company's core value proposition centers on delivering advanced security through a multi-faceted platform that encompasses cloud-based access, network security management, and AI-driven threat detection. These offerings are complemented by a suite of security operation solutions, including AI-powered platforms for incident management and response. Palo Alto Networks distributes its products and services through channel partners and direct sales, catering to enterprises, service providers, and government entities, ensuring broad market reach and robust protection against evolving cyber threats.

PANW|Insider Trading

Bought (1Y)

0 shares

Sold (1Y)

113,943 shares

$31.7M

Bawa Aparna-

Sell500 shares2026-09-15

Bawa Aparna-

Sell1,000 shares2026-09-14

Key John P.-

Sell2,500 shares2026-09-14

Paul Josh D.Chief Accounting Officer

Sell900 shares2026-09-01

Thorning-Schmidt Helle-

Tax Withholding211 shares2026-09-01

PANW|Fundamentals

Bullish

Verdict: Bullish

✓Revenue growing year over year

✓Positive net margin

✓Positive operating cash flow

Gross Margin

70.4%

Net Margin

2.7%

Revenue CAGR

35.6%

Current Ratio

0.87x

Debt / Equity

0.07x

Return on Equity

1.1%

PANW|Earnings Snapshot

Earnings Summary

Palo Alto Networks is a global cybersecurity provider offering a multi‑faceted platform that combines cloud‑based access, network security management, and AI‑driven threat detection, serving enterprises, service providers, and government entities. The company operates in the technology sector, specifically within software infrastructure, and focuses on delivering advanced security solutions through its AI‑powered operations suite. In the most recent fiscal year, the company has consistently reported revenue growth, with Q4 2026 revenue reaching $3.41 billion, a 34 % increase from the prior year, while EPS rose to $1.02, beating estimates of $0.9959. Compared to Q3 2026, revenue grew modestly from $3.00 billion to $3.41 billion, and EPS increased from $0.85 to $1.02, indicating a slight acceleration in profitability. Over the last four quarters, PANW has beaten earnings estimates in three quarters (Q1, Q2, Q4 2025; Q4 2026) and missed in Q3 2025, demonstrating a generally positive earnings trend with occasional volatility. Historically, the company has maintained a YoY revenue growth trajectory above 20 % for the past three years, with EPS growth consistently outpacing revenue growth, reflecting efficient cost management and margin expansion. Notable beats include Q4 2026 revenue and EPS, while Q3 2025 EPS fell short of expectations, yet revenue remained strong. Recent news highlights a sector‑wide pullback in tech shares due to rising Treasury yields, which has pressured PANW’s valuation multiples, and a bullish endorsement from Jim Cramer citing a 63 % jump in next‑generation security ARR and a 40 % increase in SASE bookings, underscoring strong product momentum. Analysts have mixed views, with Bernstein downgrading the stock to Market Perform and adjusting the price target, signaling caution over valuation risk. Investors should watch for the upcoming Q1 2027 earnings release, any revisions to guidance, and the impact of Treasury yield movements on valuation, as well as the performance of the newly integrated Tenzai Cortex Exposure Management partnership, which could influence customer acquisition and retention dynamics.

Read full report

EPS

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q4'25	$0.94	-	-
Q4'26	$1.00	$1.02	+2.4%
Q3'26	$0.80	$0.85	+6.7%
Q2'26	$0.96	$1.03	+7.2%
Q3'25	$0.89	$0.93	+4.4%
Q2'25	$0.89	$0.95	+7.3%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q4'25	$2.6B	-	-
Q4'26	$3.4B	$3.4B	-0.3%
Q3'26	$3.0B	$3.0B	-0.0%
Q2'26	$2.6B	$2.6B	-1.5%
Q3'25	-	$2.5B	-
Q2'25	-	$2.5B	-

Full Earnings BreakdownEstimates, actuals, guidance, and historical context

→

PANW|Monthly Returns

Market Data

PANW Stock Snapshot

BUY68/100

$363.85+$0.27 (0.1%)

Market cap: 297.41B
P/E ratio: 968.8
Day range: $356.00 – $377.94
News sentiment: 37/100 · Bearish
Analyst target: $395.38 (+8.7%)
Consensus: Buy · 64 analysts

52-week range+160.7% off low · -8.9% from high

$139.57$399.50

Price $363.85 DailyIQ Est. $421.61

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. screens well technically, with price sitting in the upper part of its 52-week range. Liquidity at this scale means Technology rotation matters more to short-term price than any single headline.

Behaviour On Record

What PANW's own history says about today's numbers

Realized volatility (21d): 67.8% 96th pct
Below its peak: -8.2%
vs 200-day average: +51.8%
Up days (1y): 54%

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is currently running 67.8% annualised volatility over the last 21 sessions. Measured against PANW's own 13 years of daily returns rather than a market-wide average, that is the 96th percentile — an extreme by its own standards, against a typical reading of 32.6%. The distinction matters because a number that looks calm for one stock is turbulent for another, and the absolute figure on its own tells you neither.

PANW is trading -8.2% below its running peak. Across 12 full years on file, its median worst-drawdown-in-a-year was -28.7%, and the deepest was -46.6% in 2020. The current pullback is therefore shallower than what this stock gives back in a typical year, which is context worth having before treating it as a dislocation.

Price sits +51.8% from its 200-day moving average. Against every other day in its history, that gap ranks at the 98th percentile — a wider gap than this stock usually carries. Over the past year PANW closed higher on 54% of sessions, and it is currently 2 sessions into a falling streak.

On September specifically: over 13 years of records, PANW finished the month higher 7 of 13 times, with a median return of +2.4% and an average of +1.4%. Its strongest month historically has been May at +8.9% on average, its weakest March at -0.3%. Seasonality is a weak signal on its own — a decade is a small sample and regimes change — but it is a real distribution rather than a rule of thumb.

Overnight risk is measurable too: PANW has opened more than 2% away from the prior close in 119 of 3,267 sessions (3.6% of the time), with the largest gaps running +8.1% and -10.3%. For anyone holding through an event, that rate is a better guide to overnight exposure than the intraday range.

Across the last 4 dated reports on file, PANW moved an average of 4.5% in the session after earnings, closing higher 2 of those 4 times, with a median move of -1.8% and a largest of -7.0%.

All figures computed from 3,268 daily closes between 2013-09-20 and 2026-09-18, split-adjusted, recomputed daily. Percentiles are against PANW's own 13-year history, not a peer group or index.

Sector Rotation

Is money rotating into or out of PANW's sector?

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. sits in the Technology sector, currently ranked 1st of 11 GICS sectors by relative-strength rotation score (leading). Within its narrower Software industry group, PANW ranks 3rd of 15 tracked industries, leading.

Sector rank: #1 of 11
Sector state: Leading
Sector rotation score: 90
Industry rank: #3 of 15

Options Market

What is the options market pricing for PANW?

CallsPuts

For Palo Alto Networks, Inc.'s nearest expiry (2026-09-25, 5 days out), open interest is call-heavy, a bullish tilt (put/call ratio of 0.69), with at-the-money implied volatility around 50.8%. The options market is pricing roughly a ±6.4% move by that expiry — a range of about $349.64–$397.18.

Put/call ratio (2026-09-25): 0.69
ATM implied volatility: 50.8%
Total open interest: 12,810
Expected move by 2026-09-25: ±6.4% ($349.64–$397.18)

Analyst Rating Changes

Are analysts turning bullish or bearish on PANW?

Bernstein most recently downgraded Palo Alto Networks, Inc. to Market Perform on Sep 17, 2026 with a price target of $351 (from $253). Over the last 90 days, coverage has run 0 upgrades against 1 downgrade, a net bearish lean.

Latest action: Bernstein — Market Perform
90-day upgrades: 0
90-day downgrades: 1
Net rating momentum: -1

Date	Firm	Action	Rating	Price target
Sep 17, 2026	Bernstein	Downgrade	Outperform → Market Perform	$253 → $351
Sep 3, 2026	Argus Research	Reiterated	Buy	$425
Sep 2, 2026	Citigroup	Maintained	Buy	$400 → $410
Sep 2, 2026	Roth Capital	Maintained	Neutral	$210 → $300
Sep 2, 2026	Oppenheimer	Maintained	Outperform	$400 → $450
Sep 2, 2026	Piper Sandler	Reiterated	Overweight	$345 → $410
Sep 2, 2026	DA Davidson	Maintained	Buy	$345 → $420
Sep 2, 2026	Barclays	Maintained	Overweight	$370 → $375
Sep 2, 2026	RBC Capital	Maintained	Outperform	$434 → $475
Sep 2, 2026	Guggenheim	Reiterated	Neutral	-
Sep 2, 2026	Susquehanna	Maintained	Positive	$350 → $415
Sep 2, 2026	Morgan Stanley	Maintained	Overweight	$387 → $394

PANW Competitive Positioning

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) is tracked alongside these names in Software - Infrastructure on DailyIQ — ranked by market cap, with today's move alongside.

PANWyou're herePalo Alto Networks, Inc.$297.4B+0.07%
MSFTMicrosoft Corporation$3.67T+0.18%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc.$426.9B+0.50%
VRSNVeriSign, Inc.$27.4B+0.02%
FFIVF5, Inc.$24.5B0.00%
AKAMAkamai Technologies, Inc.$15.0B-0.14%

Held by These ETFs

PANW is a top holding in these ETFs tracked on DailyIQ — bar length shows portfolio weight.

News Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment gathered from recent headlines

37/100

Strong NegativeNeutralStrong Positive

BEARISH

Recent News Coverage

Most recent articles, ranked by recency (click to expand).

10+ articles

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks shares fell in the afternoon session as broader market volatility pushed tech stocks lower. The decline followed a cycle of profit‑taking after a brief rebound, driven by rising Treasury yields and tighter borrowing conditions. While the drop was part of a sector‑wide pullback, it signals heightened risk sentiment for high‑valuation software firms, including PANW. The market reaction may prompt investors to reassess valuation multiples and earnings guidance in the near term.

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks shares fell 4.5% early Friday after a week of gains driven by AI‑related hype. Bernstein analyst Peter Weed cautioned that the rally had pushed the stock beyond his upgraded target of $351, leaving only limited near‑term upside. The drop reflects a reassessment of the company’s valuation amid broader AI concerns, but no new fundamental or earnings news has emerged to justify a deeper correction.

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) has seen its stock double year‑to‑date, yet an AI safety scare has pushed the shares below Wall Street consensus, creating uncertainty about further upside. The scare has caused a pullback in valuation, aligning PANW’s price with analyst expectations and eroding some of the recent rally. Investors now question whether PANW still has room to run, especially as competitors like CrowdStrike face similar headwinds.

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks is flagged as a cautionary pick due to its high servicing costs reflected in a 70.4% gross margin and the need for aggressive sales and marketing spend in a crowded cybersecurity market. The analyst notes that AI could commoditize many software products, potentially eroding PANW’s pricing power. While the company remains a leading AI‑powered security platform, the combination of cost pressures and competitive intensity suggests a modest downside risk for investors.

What did this article say?

Jim Cramer, on his Mad Money show, publicly favored Palo Alto Networks (PANW) over SentinelOne, citing PANW’s larger scale and stronger revenue growth. He noted PANW’s fiscal Q4 2026 revenue rose 34% to $3.41 billion, with next‑generation security ARR up 63% to $9.10 billion. In contrast, SentinelOne’s fiscal Q2 2027 revenue increased only 21% to $292 million. The endorsement signals a bullish view on PANW’s market position and cash generation.

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) has reported a 40% rise in SASE bookings for fiscal 2026, driven by growth in Access, SD‑WAN and secure browser segments. The company has displaced legacy vendors in nearly 100 accounts, adding over $400 million in contract value—almost double the prior year’s displacement volume. Management views PANW as the No. 2 SASE player and targets market leadership within five to seven years, leveraging its integrated platform and CloudGenix acquisition. The momentum suggests a strengthening competitive position against Fortinet and Zscaler.

What did this article say?

The AI‑driven market rotation saw semiconductor stocks tumble while cybersecurity names surged, with Palo Alto Networks (PANW) climbing nearly 13%. The rally reflects investor concern that rapid AI development may outpace security safeguards, prompting higher spending on cyber defenses. PANW’s modest 0.16% gain amid a 13% sector lift underscores its positioning in this defensive shift. The move suggests a short‑term boost for cybersecurity firms as AI risk becomes a market theme.

What did this article say?

Bernstein has downgraded Palo Alto Networks (PANW) from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered its price target from $253 to $351. The move reflects concerns about the company’s valuation relative to peers and potential slowing growth. The downgrade may pressure the stock and signal a more cautious outlook for the cybersecurity sector. Investors should monitor subsequent analyst coverage and any changes in PANW’s earnings guidance.

What did this article say?

Bernstein’s Peter Weed has moved Palo Alto Networks from Outperform to Market Perform, signaling a more cautious view of the company’s near‑term prospects. The firm simultaneously lifted its price target from $253 to $351, reflecting confidence in long‑term growth and margin expansion. The downgrade suggests Bernstein sees higher valuation risk or competitive pressure, but the target hike indicates they still expect solid earnings momentum.

What did this article say?

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) announced a product integration with AI-native offensive security firm Tenzai, linking Tenzai’s autonomous testing capabilities to PANW’s Cortex Exposure Management platform. The partnership expands PANW’s ecosystem of technology partners, offering prebuilt integrations that aim to improve security outcomes for joint customers. The move positions PANW to deliver more comprehensive threat detection and validation services, potentially driving additional revenue from existing and new clients.

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

BUY

Technical indicators reflect the latest computed signal mix for this timeframe.

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Institutional & Hedge Fund Ownership

25 tracked managers · $111.60B combined position · 16 adding, 8 trimming, 1 unchanged (latest 13F filings)

Manager	Trend	Shares Held	% of Co.	Position Value	Filed
BlackRock, Inc.	▲ Buy	75,753,509	9.27%	$25.83B	2026-08-07
Vanguard Group Inc	▲ Buy	67,929,063	8.31%	$12.51B	2026-01-29
Morgan Stanley	▼ Sell	29,450,112	3.60%	$10.04B	2026-08-13
Invesco Ltd.	▲ Buy	25,665,446	3.14%	$8.75B	2026-08-14
Bank of America Corp	▲ Buy	22,681,876	2.77%	$7.73B	2026-08-14
JPMorgan Chase & Co	▲ Buy	22,374,478	2.74%	$7.43B	2026-08-12
FMR LLC (Fidelity)	▲ Buy	20,054,462	2.45%	$6.84B	2026-08-13
Geode Capital Management, LLC	▲ Buy	19,615,573	2.40%	$6.67B	2026-08-12
Susquehanna International Group, LLP	▲ Buy	13,801,072	1.69%	$4.71B	2026-08-14
Norges Bank	▲ Buy	9,750,674	1.19%	$3.33B	2026-08-12
Northern Trust Corp	▲ Buy	8,757,797	1.07%	$2.99B	2026-08-13
Goldman Sachs Group Inc	▲ Buy	8,514,268	1.04%	$2.90B	2026-08-14
Citadel Advisors LLC	• Hold	8,456,025	1.03%	$2.88B	2026-09-02
Wells Fargo & Company	▼ Sell	5,976,875	0.73%	$2.04B	2026-08-14
Fisher Asset Management, LLC	▲ Buy	5,755,989	0.70%	$1.96B	2026-08-04
Millennium Management LLC	▲ Buy	3,026,972	0.37%	$1.03B	2026-08-14
Wellington Management Group LLP	▲ Buy	2,774,225	0.34%	$946.07M	2026-08-14
Citigroup Inc	▲ Buy	2,612,450	0.32%	$890.90M	2026-08-03
Neuberger Berman Group LLC	▼ Sell	1,077,767	0.13%	$367.54M	2026-08-13
D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc.	▼ Sell	1,043,264	0.13%	$355.77M	2026-08-14
Capital Research Global Investors	▼ Sell	1,037,093	0.13%	$353.67M	2026-08-12
Point72 Asset Management, L.P.	▼ Sell	820,840	0.10%	$279.92M	2026-08-14
AQR Capital Management LLC	▼ Sell	780,792	0.10%	$265.66M	2026-08-14
Adage Capital Partners GP, L.L.C.	▼ Sell	768,300	0.09%	$262.01M	2026-08-14
Marshall Wace, LLP	▲ Buy	673,751	0.08%	$229.76M	2026-08-13

Q2 2026 flow:46.80M sh bought ($15.88B)5.07M sh sold ($1.73B)net +41.73M sh (+$14.15B)

Congressional Trading Activity

25 disclosed trades · ~$340.5K est. traded value · 12 buys, 13 sells

Member	Chamber	State	Type	Amount	Traded	Filed
John J Mr McGuire	House	VA05	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2026-07-31	2026-08-10
Josh Gottheimer	House	NJ05	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-07-16	2026-08-10
Dan Newhouse	House	WA04	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2026-07-10	2026-07-17
Josh Gottheimer	House	NJ05	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-05-14	2026-06-03
Gilbert Cisneros	House	CA31	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-04-14	2026-05-08
Jared Moskowitz	House	FL23	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-03-31	2026-04-30
Jared Moskowitz	House	FL23	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-03-23	2026-04-30
Gilbert Cisneros	House	CA31	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2026-03-13	2026-04-07
Josh Gottheimer	House	NJ05	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2026-02-27	2026-03-16
Jonathan Jackson	House	IL01	▼ Sell	$50K - $100K	2026-02-05	2026-03-12
Dan Newhouse	House	WA04	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2025-12-11	2026-01-15
Marjorie Taylor Greene	House	GA14	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2025-10-24	2025-10-28
Valerie Hoyle	House	OR04	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-08-19	2025-09-12
Lisa McClain	House	MI09	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-07-16	2025-08-13
Lisa McClain	House	MI09	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2025-07-10	2025-08-13
Lisa McClain	House	MI09	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-06-09	2025-08-13
Jefferson Shreve	House	IN06	▼ Sell	$15K - $50K	2025-05-12	2025-06-22
Jefferson Shreve	House	IN06	▲ Buy	$15K - $50K	2025-05-08	2025-06-22
Marjorie Taylor Greene	House	GA14	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2025-05-05	2025-05-06
Julie Johnson	House	TX32	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-04-07	2025-05-14
Jefferson Shreve	House	IN06	▼ Sell	$15K - $50K	2025-04-07	2025-05-08
Gilbert Cisneros	House	CA31	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-03-19	2025-04-07
Gilbert Cisneros	House	CA31	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-03-18	2025-04-07
Jonathan Jackson	House	IL01	▼ Sell	$1K - $15K	2025-03-17	2025-08-25
Valerie Hoyle	House	OR04	▲ Buy	$1K - $15K	2025-03-13	2025-09-12

PANW·Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

EPS

Revenue

PANW Stock Snapshot

What PANW's own history says about today's numbers

Is money rotating into or out of PANW's sector?

What is the options market pricing for PANW?

Are analysts turning bullish or bearish on PANW?

PANW Competitive Positioning

Held by These ETFs

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

Market Status

Recently Viewed

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Portfolio News

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Earnings Events

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PANW·Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

EPS

Revenue

PANW Stock Snapshot

What PANW's own history says about today's numbers

Is money rotating into or out of PANW's sector?

What is the options market pricing for PANW?

Are analysts turning bullish or bearish on PANW?

PANW Competitive Positioning

Held by These ETFs

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

Discover More

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

Discover More

Market Status

Recently Viewed

Portfolio

Email Alerts

Portfolio News

Economic Events

Earnings Events

Economic News