Research Analysts’ Recent Ratings Changes for Palo Alto Networks (PANW)

Several brokerages have updated their recommendations and price targets on shares of Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) in the last few weeks:

• 1/14/2025 – Palo Alto Networks had its “market outperform” rating reaffirmed by analysts at JMP Securities. They now have a $208.00 price target on the stock.
• 1/14/2025 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target lowered by analysts at Loop Capital from $385.00 to $180.00. They now have a “hold” rating on the stock.
• 1/8/2025 – Palo Alto Networks was downgraded by analysts at BTIG Research from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating.
• 1/8/2025 – Palo Alto Networks had its “hold” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft. They now have a $190.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $207.00.
• 1/6/2025 – Palo Alto Networks was downgraded by analysts at Guggenheim from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating. They now have a $130.00 price target on the stock.
• 1/3/2025 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target lowered by analysts at Scotiabank from $400.00 to $200.00. They now have a “sector outperform” rating on the stock.
• 12/31/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target lowered by analysts at Evercore ISI from $455.00 to $230.00. They now have an “outperform” rating on the stock.
• 12/24/2024 – Palo Alto Networks was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating.
• 12/19/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Jefferies Financial Group Inc. from $225.00 to $240.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 12/17/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target lowered by analysts at Barclays PLC from $425.00 to $213.00. They now have an “overweight” rating on the stock.
• 12/16/2024 – Palo Alto Networks was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating.
• 11/22/2024 – Palo Alto Networks was downgraded by analysts at HSBC Holdings plc from a “hold” rating to a “reduce” rating. They now have a $145.50 price target on the stock, down previously from $152.00.
• 11/22/2024 – Palo Alto Networks was downgraded by analysts at Hsbc Global Res from a “hold” rating to a “moderate sell” rating.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Susquehanna from $210.00 to $217.50. They now have a “positive” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its “overweight” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald. They now have a $222.50 price target on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $208.00 to $225.00. They now have an “overweight” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Robert W. Baird from $212.50 to $217.50. They now have an “outperform” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its “outperform” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.. They now have a $225.00 price target on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its “outperform” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada. They now have a $225.00 price target on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $195.00 to $212.50. They now have an “outperform” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Piper Sandler from $165.00 to $192.50. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Bank of America Co. from $200.00 to $215.00. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its “market perform” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Northland Securities. They now have a $185.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $175.00.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at JMP Securities from $190.00 to $207.50. They now have a “market outperform” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its “hold” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Westpark Capital.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $197.50 to $207.50. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at TD Cowen from $200.00 to $210.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at BTIG Research from $197.50 to $207.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $197.50 to $216.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $192.50 to $225.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/21/2024 – Palo Alto Networks was upgraded by analysts at Rosenblatt Securities from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating. They now have a $215.00 price target on the stock, up previously from $195.00.
• 11/19/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Jefferies Financial Group Inc. from $200.00 to $225.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.
• 11/18/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $193.50 to $224.50. They now have an “overweight” rating on the stock.
• 11/18/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Evercore ISI from $197.50 to $227.50. They now have an “outperform” rating on the stock.
• 11/18/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Rosenblatt Securities from $172.50 to $195.00. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock.
• 11/18/2024 – Palo Alto Networks had its price target raised by analysts at Truist Financial Co. from $200.00 to $212.50. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.

Palo Alto Networks Stock Up 1.9 %

Shares of Palo Alto Networks stock traded up $3.35 on Thursday, hitting $177.54. The stock had a trading volume of 3,126,334 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,217,545. The business’s 50 day moving average is $190.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $178.55. The stock has a market cap of $116.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 1.14. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. has a twelve month low of $130.04 and a twelve month high of $207.24.

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The network technology company reported $0.78 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.04. Palo Alto Networks had a net margin of 32.99% and a return on equity of 23.36%. The firm had revenue of $2.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.32 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 13.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Palo Alto Networks, Inc. will post 1.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Lee Klarich sold 120,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $179.70, for a total transaction of $21,564,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 365,856 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $65,744,323.20. This trade represents a 24.70 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Nikesh Arora sold 235,492 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $183.32, for a total transaction of $43,170,393.44. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,086,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $199,159,581.28. The trade was a 17.81 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 867,734 shares of company stock worth $161,546,523. Company insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Palo Alto Networks

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Palo Alto Networks by 3.0% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,656,968 shares of the network technology company’s stock worth $2,609,486,000 after buying an additional 220,900 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks by 34,318.2% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,259,063 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $1,113,948,000 after buying an additional 3,249,594 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc grew its stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks by 8.5% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,243,457 shares of the network technology company’s stock worth $1,099,564,000 after acquiring an additional 255,060 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in Palo Alto Networks by 50.1% in the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,147,215 shares of the network technology company’s stock worth $1,075,718,000 after acquiring an additional 1,050,173 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its stake in Palo Alto Networks by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 2,233,918 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $757,321,000 after acquiring an additional 114,742 shares during the period. 79.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; and Panorama, a security management solution for the global control of network security platform as a virtual or a physical appliance. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention.