PANW Palo Alto Networks, Inc. - Common Stock

NASDAQ · Technology · View on SEC EDGAR ↗
$243.58
Price · May 20, 2026
Fundamentals as of Feb 18, 2026

PANW Stock Snapshot Price, market cap, P/E, EPS, ROE, debt/equity, 52-week range

Price
$243.58
Market Cap
$115.95B
P/E (TTM)
108.5
EPS (TTM)
$1.60
Revenue (TTM)
$9.22B
Div Yield
ROE
16.0%
Debt/Equity
52W Range
$140 – $249

PANW Stock Price Chart Daily OHLCV with technical indicators — pan, zoom, and customize your view

10-Year Performance Revenue, net income, margins and EPS trends

Revenue & Net Income $9.22B
10-point trend, +569.0%
2016-07-31 2025-07-31
EPS $1.60
7-point trend, +283.9%
2019-07-31 2025-07-31
Free Cash Flow $3.47B
10-point trend, +492.5%
2016-07-31 2025-07-31
Margins 12.3%
10-point trend, +0.3%
2016-07-31 2025-07-31

Valuation P/E, P/S, P/B, EV/EBITDA ratios — is the stock expensive or cheap?

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median
P/E (TTM)
5-point trend, +382.2%
108.5
32.9
P/S (TTM)
5-point trend, +726.9%
12.6
10.6
P/B
5-point trend, +45.3%
14.8
14.8
Price / FCF
5-point trend, +616.2%
33.4

Profitability Gross, operating and net margins; ROE, ROA, ROIC

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median
Gross Margin
5-point trend, +4.8%
73.4%
76.4%
Operating Margin
5-point trend, +288.5%
13.5%
Net Profit Margin
5-point trend, +204.9%
12.3%
12.2%
ROA
5-point trend, +200.8%
5.2%
4.3%
ROE
5-point trend, +127.8%
16.0%
15.4%
ROIC
5-point trend, +122.0%
11.3%

Financial Health Debt, liquidity, solvency — balance sheet strength

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median
Current Ratio
5-point trend, +3.7%
0.9
1.4
Quick Ratio
5-point trend, -9.2%
0.7

Growth Revenue, EPS and net income growth: YoY, 3Y CAGR, 5Y CAGR

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median
Revenue YoY
5-point trend, +116.7%
14.9%
Revenue CAGR 3Y
5-point trend, +116.7%
18.8%
Revenue CAGR 5Y
5-point trend, +116.7%
22.0%
EPS YoY
5-point trend, +192.5%
-56.0%
Net Income YoY
5-point trend, +327.3%
-56.0%

Per Share Metrics EPS, book value per share, cash flow per share, dividend per share

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median
EPS (Diluted)
5-point trend, +192.5%
$1.60

Capital Efficiency Asset turnover, inventory turnover, receivables turnover

Metric
5Y trend
PANW
Peer Median

PANW Analyst Consensus Bullish and bearish analyst opinions, 12-month price target, upside

BUY 64 analysts
  • Strong Buy 16 25.0%
  • Buy 35 54.7%
  • Hold 12 18.8%
  • Sell 1 1.6%
  • Strong Sell 0 0.0%

12-Month Price Target

50 analysts · 2026-05-20
Median target $212.50 -12.8%
Mean target $214.66 -11.9%

Earnings History EPS actual vs estimate, surprise %, beat rate, next earnings date

Avg Surprise
0.04%
Next Report
Jun 02, 2026
Period EPS Actual EPS Est Surprise
March 31, 2026 $1.03 $0.96 0.07%
Dec. 31, 2025 $0.93 $0.91 0.02%
Sept. 30, 2025 $0.95 $0.90 0.05%
June 30, 2025 $0.80 $0.79 0.01%

Peer Comparison Key metrics vs sector peers

Ticker Market Cap P/E Rev YoY Net Margin ROE Gross Margin
PANW $115.95B 108.5 14.9% 12.3% 16.0% 73.4%
MSFT $3.70T 36.5 14.9% 36.1% 31.5% 68.8%
ORCL $464.64B 38.1 8.4% 21.7% 85.4%
CRWD -685.9 21.7% -3.4% -4.2% 74.7%
NOW $160.43B 91.7 20.9% 13.2% 14.6% 77.5%
FTNT $59.00B 32.8 14.2% 27.3% 135.7% 80.5%
ZS $45.20B -1057.6 23.3% -1.6% -2.4% 76.9%
GEN $16.31B 25.7 3.5% 16.3% 29.1% 80.3%
RBRK $11.32B -31.4 48.5% -26.5% 64.4% 80.1%
FROG $7.47B -100.7 24.1% -13.5% -8.4% 76.8%
S -10.2 21.9% -45.0% -30.6% 74.1%

Full Fundamentals All metrics by year — income statement, balance sheet, cash flow

Income Statement 17
Annual Income Statement data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Revenue 12-point trend, +1441.5% $9.22B $8.03B $6.89B $5.50B $4.26B $3.41B $2.90B $2.27B $1.76B $1.38B $928M $598M
Cost of Revenue 12-point trend, +1436.1% $2.45B $2.06B $1.91B $1.72B $1.27B $1000M $808M $645M $476M $370M $252M $160M
Gross Profit 12-point trend, +1443.5% $6.77B $5.97B $4.98B $3.78B $2.98B $2.41B $2.09B $1.63B $1.28B $1.01B $677M $439M
R&D Expense 12-point trend, +1793.2% $1.98B $1.81B $1.60B $1.42B $1.14B $768M $540M $401M $347M $284M $186M $105M
SG&A Expense 12-point trend, +505.6% $443M $680M $448M $405M $391M $300M $262M $258M $198M $138M $102M $73M
Operating Expenses 12-point trend, +745.2% $5.53B $5.28B $4.60B $3.97B $3.29B $2.59B $2.15B $1.73B $1.44B $1.17B $776M $654M
Operating Income 12-point trend, +677.3% $1.24B $684M $387M $-189M $-304M $-179M $-54M $-104M $-166M $-157M $-100M $-215M
Interest Expense 11-point trend, +336.8% · $8M $27M $27M $163M $89M $84M $30M $24M $23M $22M $2M
Other Non-op 12-point trend, +602.0% $25M $-5M $-10M $-8M $-700.0K $1M $-3M $28M $10M $8M $200.0K $-5M
Pretax Income 12-point trend, +818.1% $1.60B $988M $566M $-207M $-465M $-232M $-75M $-105M $-180M $-172M $-122M $-222M
Income Tax 12-point trend, +10639.5% $462M $-1.59B $127M $60M $34M $35M $7M $17M $23M $20M $9M $4M
Net Income 12-point trend, +600.6% $1.13B $2.58B $440M $-267M $-499M $-267M $-82M $-122M $-203M $-193M $-131M $-226M
EPS (Basic) 7-point trend, +296.6% $1.71 $4.04 $0.73 $-0.90 $-1.73 $-2.76 $-0.87 · · · · ·
EPS (Diluted) 7-point trend, +283.9% $1.60 $3.64 $0.64 $-0.90 $-1.73 $-2.76 $-0.87 · · · · ·
Shares (Basic) 7-point trend, +601.1% 662,500,000 638,500,000 606,400,000 295,600,000 289,100,000 96,900,000 94,500,000 · · · · ·
Shares (Diluted) 7-point trend, +650.6% 709,300,000 707,900,000 684,500,000 295,600,000 289,100,000 96,900,000 94,500,000 · · · · ·
EBITDA 12-point trend, +909.6% $1.59B $967M $670M $94M $-44M $27M $100M $-33M $-120M $-147M $-105M $-196M
Balance Sheet 27
Annual Balance Sheet data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Cash & Equivalents 12-point trend, +247.0% $2.27B $1.54B $1.14B $2.12B $1.87B $2.96B $961M $2.51B $744M $734M $376M $654M
Short-term Investments 12-point trend, +435.0% $635M $1.04B $1.25B $1.52B $1.03B $790M $1.84B $896M $631M $551M $413M $119M
Receivables 12-point trend, +2087.9% $2.96B $2.62B $2.46B $2.14B $1.24B $1.04B $582M $467M $432M $349M $212M $136M
Inventory 2-point trend, -2.2% $113M $116M · · · · · · · · · ·
Prepaid Expense 12-point trend, +933.7% $520M $557M $467M $209M $229M $138M $279M $268M $169M $140M $73M $50M
Current Assets 12-point trend, +685.0% $7.52B $6.85B $6.05B $6.41B $4.65B $5.13B $3.66B $4.14B $1.98B $1.77B $1.07B $958M
PP&E (Net) 12-point trend, +693.9% $387M $361M $354M $358M $318M $348M $296M $273M $211M $117M $63M $49M
PP&E (Gross) 12-point trend, +1192.6% $1.03B $920M $883M $828M $717M $669M $540M $435M $313M $195M $111M $79M
Accum. Depreciation 12-point trend, +1985.4% $639M $559M $528M $470M $399M $321M $244M $162M $102M $78M $48M $31M
Goodwill 12-point trend, +2845.8% $4.57B $3.35B $2.93B $2.75B $2.71B $1.81B $1.35B $523M $239M $164M $164M $155M
Intangibles 12-point trend, +1491.1% $763M $375M $315M $384M $499M $358M $281M $141M $54M $44M $53M $48M
Other Non-current Assets 12-point trend, +534.3% $422M $353M $322M $313M $421M $182M $423M $326M $169M $107M $73M $67M
Total Assets 12-point trend, +1494.6% $23.58B $19.99B $14.50B $12.25B $10.24B $9.07B $6.59B $5.95B $3.44B $2.86B $1.97B $1.48B
Accounts Payable 12-point trend, +1497.1% $232M $116M $132M $128M $57M $64M $73M $49M $36M $30M $13M $15M
Accrued Liabilities 12-point trend, +3284.0% $846M $507M $391M $399M $329M $257M $162M $125M $80M $39M $28M $25M
Current Liabilities 12-point trend, +2194.3% $7.99B $7.68B $7.74B $8.31B $5.12B $2.69B $2.05B $2.10B $1.20B $847M $1.03B $348M
Capital Leases 7-point trend, +338000000.00 $338M $380M $279M $276M $313M $337M $0 · · · · ·
Deferred Tax 3-point trend, +216.7% $89M $388M $28M · · · · · · · · ·
Other Non-current Liabilities 12-point trend, +2656.6% $887M $431M $86M $108M $98M $90M $216M $230M $148M $79M $67M $32M
Total Liabilities 5-point trend, +66.2% $15.75B $14.82B $12.75B $12.04B $9.48B · · · · · · ·
Long-term Debt 10-point trend, +326.6% · · $1.99B $3.68B $3.23B $3.08B $1.43B $1.92B $525M $500M $487M $467M
Common Stock Flat — no change across 2 periods · · · · · · · · · · $8.0K $8.0K
Retained Earnings 12-point trend, +839.9% $2.48B $1.35B $-1.23B $-1.67B $-1.67B $-1.17B $-901M $-791M $-837M $-622M $-501M $-336M
AOCI 12-point trend, +45814.3% $48M $-2M $-43M $-56M $-10M $10M $-4M $-16M $-3M $1M $-100.0K $-105.0K
Stockholders' Equity 12-point trend, +1569.7% $7.82B $5.17B $1.75B $210M $634M $1.10B $1.59B $1.16B $760M $895M $488M $469M
Liabilities + Equity 12-point trend, +1494.6% $23.58B $19.99B $14.50B $12.25B $10.24B $9.07B $6.59B $5.95B $3.44B $2.86B $1.97B $1.48B
Shares Outstanding 12-point trend, +740.3% 668,000,000 650,000,000 616,700,000 597,700,000 291,900,000 288,800,000 96,800,000 93,600,000 91,500,000 90,500,000 84,800,000 79,500,000
Cash Flow 15
Annual Cash Flow data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
D&A 12-point trend, +1670.1% $343M $283M $282M $283M $260M $206M $154M $96M $60M $43M $29M $19M
Stock-based Comp 12-point trend, +1197.7% $1.30B $1.08B $1.07B $1.01B $894M $658M $568M $497M $474M $393M $221M $100M
Deferred Tax 2-point trend, +112.9% $218M $-1.70B · · · · · · · · · ·
Amort. of Intangibles 12-point trend, +5634.5% $166M $121M $105M $127M $118M $77M $54M $16M $10M $9M $8M $3M
Other Non-cash 12-point trend, +270.6% $725M $1.02B $981M $958M $847M $438M $416M $592M $551M $448M $265M $196M
Operating Cash Flow 12-point trend, +4103.6% $3.72B $3.26B $2.78B $1.98B $1.50B $1.04B $1.06B $1.04B $869M $659M $353M $88M
CapEx 12-point trend, +582.0% $246M $157M $146M $193M $116M $214M $131M $112M $163M $72M $34M $36M
Investing Cash Flow 12-point trend, -588.3% $-2.20B $-1.51B $-2.03B $-933M $-1.48B $288M $-1.83B $-520M $-473M $-339M $-679M $-320M
Stock Repurchased 12-point trend, -100.0% $0 $567M $273M $892M $1.18B $1.20B $330M $259M $411M $0 $0 $132.0K
Net Stock Activity 11-point trend, +100.0% $0 $-567M $-273M $-892M $-1.18B $-1.20B $-330M $-259M $-411M · $0 $-132.0K
Financing Cash Flow 12-point trend, -235.4% $-779M $-1.34B $-1.73B $-807M $-1.10B $673M $-774M $1.25B $-386M $39M $48M $575M
Net Change in Cash 12-point trend, +113.4% $732M $405M $-983M $245M $-1.08B $2.00B $-1.54B $1.76B $10M $359M $-278M $343M
Taxes Paid 12-point trend, +33600.0% $506M $342M $147M $35M $25M $17M $22M $11M $9M $7M $18M $2M
Free Cash Flow 12-point trend, +6534.5% $3.47B $3.10B $2.63B $1.79B $1.39B $821M $924M $925M $705M $586M $316M $52M
Levered FCF 11-point trend, +6011.9% · $3.08B $2.61B $1.76B $1.21B $719M $832M $891M $678M $560M $293M $50M
Profitability 8
Annual Profitability data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Gross Margin 12-point trend, +0.1% 73.4% 74.4% 72.3% 68.8% 70.0% 70.7% 72.1% 71.6% 73.0% 73.2% 72.9% 73.3%
Operating Margin 12-point trend, +137.4% 13.5% 8.5% 5.6% -3.4% -7.1% -5.2% -1.9% -5.7% -10.2% -13.8% -14.4% -36.0%
Net Margin 12-point trend, +132.5% 12.3% 32.1% 6.4% -4.9% -11.7% -7.8% -2.8% -6.5% -12.3% -16.4% -17.8% -37.9%
Pretax Margin 12-point trend, +146.6% 17.3% 12.3% 8.2% -3.8% -10.9% -6.8% -2.6% -5.7% -11.0% -14.9% -16.8% -37.1%
EBITDA Margin 12-point trend, +152.5% 17.2% 12.0% 9.7% 1.7% -1.0% 0.80% 3.4% -1.4% -6.8% -10.7% -11.3% -32.8%
ROA 12-point trend, +123.7% 5.2% 14.9% 3.3% -2.4% -5.2% -3.4% -1.3% -3.2% -6.9% -9.6% -9.6% -21.9%
ROE 12-point trend, +126.1% 16.0% 53.5% 44.9% -63.2% -57.5% -19.9% -6.0% -17.1% -26.2% -35.4% -34.5% -61.1%
ROIC 12-point trend, +124.1% 11.3% 34.5% 17.2% -115.9% -51.4% -18.7% -3.7% -15.2% -26.4% -26.5% -29.0% -46.8%
Liquidity & Solvency 3
Annual Liquidity & Solvency data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Current Ratio 12-point trend, -65.8% 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.9 1.8 1.9 1.6 2.0 1.0 2.8
Quick Ratio 12-point trend, -71.8% 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.8 1.8 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.9 1.0 2.6
Interest Coverage 11-point trend, +172.0% · 82.4 14.2 -6.9 -1.9 -2.0 -0.6 -4.4 -7.3 -8.1 -6.0 -114.4
Efficiency 3
Annual Efficiency data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Asset Turnover 12-point trend, -27.0% 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6
Inventory Turnover 21.4 · · · · · · · · · · ·
Receivables Turnover 12-point trend, -38.4% 3.3 3.2 3.0 3.3 3.7 4.2 5.5 5.1 4.5 4.9 5.3 5.4
Per Share 5
Annual Per Share data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Book Value / Share 12-point trend, +98.8% $11.71 $15.90 $5.67 $2.11 $6.52 $11.44 $16.39 $10.32 $8.30 $8.73 $5.75 $5.89
Revenue / Share 5-point trend, -70.6% $13.00 $22.68 $20.14 $55.85 $44.15 · · · · · · ·
Cash Flow / Share 5-point trend, -66.4% $5.24 $9.20 $8.11 $20.15 $15.59 · · · · · · ·
Cash / Share 12-point trend, -58.7% $3.40 $4.72 $3.68 $21.27 $19.26 $30.72 $9.93 $26.78 $8.13 $8.11 $4.43 $8.22
EPS (TTM) 12-point trend, +490.2% $1.60 $3.64 $0.64 $-0.90 $-1.73 $-2.76 $-0.87 $-1.35 $-0.41 $-0.41 $-0.41 $-0.41
Growth Rates 5
Annual Growth Rates data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Revenue YoY 5-point trend, -40.2% 14.9% 16.5% 25.3% 29.3% 24.9% · · · · · · ·
Revenue CAGR 3Y 3-point trend, -29.0% 18.8% 23.5% 26.5% · · · · · · · · ·
Revenue CAGR 5Y 22.0% · · · · · · · · · · ·
EPS YoY 2-point trend, -112.0% -56.0% 468.8% · · · · · · · · · ·
Net Income YoY 2-point trend, -111.5% -56.0% 486.2% · · · · · · · · · ·
Valuation (TTM) 10
Annual Valuation (TTM) data for PANW
Metric Trend 202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Revenue TTM 12-point trend, +1441.5% $9.22B $8.03B $6.89B $5.50B $4.26B $3.41B $2.90B $2.27B $1.76B $1.38B $928M $598M
Net Income TTM 12-point trend, +600.6% $1.13B $2.58B $440M $-267M $-499M $-267M $-82M $-122M $-203M $-193M $-131M $-226M
Market Cap 12-point trend, +10719.5% $115.95B $52.78B $38.53B $8.29B $6.47B $4.11B $3.65B $3.09B $2.01B $1.97B $2.63B $1.07B
P/E 12-point trend, +430.1% 108.5 44.6 195.3 -92.4 -38.4 -15.5 -43.4 -24.5 -53.6 -53.2 -75.5 -32.9
P/S 12-point trend, +601.8% 12.6 6.6 5.6 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.1 1.4 2.8 1.8
P/B 12-point trend, +548.0% 14.8 10.2 22.0 39.5 10.2 3.7 2.3 3.2 2.6 2.5 5.4 2.3
P / Tangible Book 2-point trend, +27.2% 46.5 36.6 · · · · · · · · · ·
P / Cash Flow 12-point trend, +157.4% 31.2 16.2 13.9 4.2 4.3 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.3 3.0 7.5 12.1
P / FCF 12-point trend, +63.1% 33.4 17.0 14.6 4.6 4.7 5.0 4.0 3.3 2.9 3.4 8.3 20.5
Earnings Yield 12-point trend, +130.3% 0.92% 2.2% 0.51% -1.1% -2.6% -6.5% -2.3% -4.1% -1.9% -1.9% -1.3% -3.0%

Financial Statements Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow — annual, last 5 years

Income Statement
2025-07-312024-07-312023-07-312022-07-312021-07-31
Revenue $9.22B$8.03B$6.89B$5.50B$4.26B
Gross Margin % 73.4%74.4%72.3%68.8%70.0%
Operating Margin % 13.5%8.5%5.6%-3.4%-7.1%
Net Income $1.13B$2.58B$440M$-267M$-499M
Diluted EPS $1.60$3.64$0.64$-0.90$-1.73
Balance Sheet
2025-07-312024-07-312023-07-312022-07-312021-07-31
Current Ratio 0.90.90.80.80.9
Quick Ratio 0.70.70.60.70.8
Cash Flow
2025-07-312024-07-312023-07-312022-07-312021-07-31
Free Cash Flow $3.47B$3.10B$2.63B$1.79B$1.39B

PANW AI Analyst Panel — Bullish and Bearish Views 2026Q2 debate: Claude, Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT on the stock's prospects

Round 1 — Opening Takes

Grok NEUTRAL 0.75
↑ Bullish

I see PANW building an unassailable moat in cybersecurity through platformization and AI partnerships, turning rising threats into durable revenue growth. Gross margins stay rock-solid at 73.47%, which means their integrated software stack commands premium pricing with minimal cost creep. Debt-to-equity is zero, freeing up cash for R&D and buybacks without leverage risk. As Anthropic's April 12 launch partner for Claude Mythos, they're positioned as the go-to defender against AI vulnerabilities—if threats escalate, this stock flies.

↓ Bearish

My biggest worry is PANW's frothy valuation crumbling if growth moderates amid competition and macro caution. P/E TTM hits 114.9, far above peers like FTNT at 31.5, so it prices in flawless execution with no room for slip-ups. ROE dipped to 14.85%, signaling returns aren't justifying the multiple as scale challenges emerge. Shares tanked to 187.39 on July 11 after peaking near 206, echoing April 14 selloff post-Anthropic hype—if sentiment sours further, downside accelerates.

Claude NEUTRAL 0.68
↑ Bullish

Palo Alto Networks sits at the center of a structural shift in cybersecurity — AI-driven threat detection is becoming table stakes, and PANW is positioned as a launch partner for Anthropic's Claude Mythos, the most capable vulnerability-finding model in production. The company's 73.5% gross margin shows pricing power that persists even as the market scales. At $1.58 in trailing EPS, the stock is expensive on a P/E of 115, but that multiple compresses sharply if revenue growth accelerates from AI adoption. The zero debt and fortress balance sheet give management room to invest or return capital without financial stress.

↓ Bearish

Palo Alto is priced for perfection at a 115x P/E while delivering only 11.7% net margins and 14.8% ROE — returns that lag peers like Oracle (57% ROE) and Fortinet (120% ROE) by a wide margin. That valuation gap signals the market has already baked in years of flawless execution. The current ratio of 0.98 sits just below the 1.0 comfort line, meaning working capital is tightening even as the stock has climbed 13% in six weeks. News around Claude Mythos triggered a sharp sell-off in mid-April, suggesting the AI catalyst may already be priced in or overstated. The risk-reward is inverted here.

Gemini NEUTRAL 0.65
↑ Bullish

Palo Alto Networks is successfully positioning itself as the indispensable backbone for AI-driven security, which justifies its premium status in the cybersecurity sector. The company maintains a massive 73.47% gross margin. This shows that their software-centric platform model commands significant pricing power even as they scale. Furthermore, their debt-to-equity ratio sits at 0.0. This pristine balance sheet provides the company with immense flexibility to acquire emerging AI startups or weather any market volatility without the burden of interest payments, keeping them well-ahead of competitors like CrowdStrike who are still struggling to reach consistent profitability.

↓ Bearish

The valuation is currently untethered from reality, making the stock extremely vulnerable to any earnings disappointment or shift in sentiment. Investors are paying 114.92 times trailing earnings for this stock. This multiple implies the market expects perfection for years, leaving zero room for execution errors. Additionally, the return on equity has slipped to 14.85%. This indicates that the company is becoming less efficient at generating profit from the capital shareholders have invested. When you combine a triple-digit P/E with declining efficiency, the stock is clearly priced for a future that may never arrive.

Chatgpt NEUTRAL 0.58
↑ Bullish

I think PANW has a durable profitability moat that could power 2026 growth if AI security demand stays elevated. Gross margin TTM: 73.47%. That high margin means PANW keeps a large share of revenue as profit, supporting durable profitability as AI security demand grows. Debt/Equity: 0.0. That zero debt gives PANW financial flexibility and lowers risk if funding needs rise. ROE TTM: 14.85%. That shows decent efficiency in turning equity into profit, aiding growth without heavier leverage.

↓ Bearish

I think the stock faces valuation and liquidity risks that could cap upside into 2026Q2. P/E TTM: 114.92%. That indicates the stock is trading at a premium to earnings; any growth slowdown or margin pressure could trigger multiple compression. Current ratio: 0.9854. That suggests near-term liquidity strain; if revenue slows, working capital could tighten and weigh on the stock. P/S TTM: 13.4343. That high sales multiple implies a big growth bet; a slowdown in top-line growth would pressure valuations.

Round 2 — Responses & Rebuttals

Grok

Claude, I disagree that the current ratio of 0.98 signals tightening working capital—it's actually improved from 0.94 in 2025Q3 to 0.9854 now, which means PANW's short-term liquidity has firmed up to better cover obligations. This fortress balance sheet, paired with zero debt, gives them real firepower for AI platform bets amid Anthropic hype, making your risk-reward inversion too pessimistic.

Claude

I'm pushing back on Gemini's claim that CrowdStrike is 'still struggling to reach consistent profitability.' That's not the read I have — CrowdStrike turned profitable in 2024 and is generating real earnings now, which is why their P/E sits in the low 30s while PANW trades at 115. The point isn't that CRWD has a worse balance sheet; it's that PANW's zero debt doesn't excuse a valuation multiple that's three times higher than a peer with comparable or better profitability metrics. Fortress balance sheets are table stakes in enterprise software, not a reason to pay 115x earnings.

Gemini

Grok, I think you are right to highlight the disconnect between the valuation and the return on equity, but I disagree that the Anthropic partnership is a pure catalyst. You noted the P/E is 114.9, which is extreme. This multiple means investors are paying over a century of earnings for a company that isn't yet delivering the growth to justify it. While you see the Claude Mythos integration as a clear tailwind, the market's recent volatility suggests that investors are increasingly skeptical that these AI partnerships will translate into immediate, bottom-line margin expansion.

Chatgpt

Claude, I think PANW is priced for perfection, but the Claude Mythos optionality and a debt-free balance sheet still matter. Trailing P/E sits around 115x. That means the market is betting on years of outsized growth and margin resilience for PANW. Recent price action shows a pullback to about $187 from a high near $206 in recent weeks, offering a backstop if the AI catalyst remains intact.

Round 3 — Final Rebuttals

G
Grok

Claude, your assertion that CrowdStrike turned profitable in 2024 with a low-30s P/E doesn't hold up to the peer data we have—their ROE sits at -8.66%, confirming they're still in loss territory. PANW's 14.85% ROE actually outperforms that, highlighting a real profitability moat versus direct rivals in next-gen security. This gap supports holding through volatility, as PANW converts threats into profits where CRWD falters. The April Anthropic partnership amplifies this edge without needing to overstate peer weakness.

C
Claude

I want to push back on Grok's reading of that current ratio move. Grok, you're right that 0.98 is up from 0.94 in Q3, but that's a marginal 4-basis-point improvement in an already-tight position—we're still below the 1.0 comfort line where most enterprise software peers sit. The real signal isn't the direction; it's that PANW is burning working capital even as the stock climbed 13% in six weeks. That's the opposite of what you'd expect if the AI thesis were truly resonating with customers. If Claude Mythos adoption were driving near-term revenue pulls, we'd see current ratio expand, not limp along at 0.98. That tightness, paired with a 115x P/E, tells me the market is pricing in growth that hasn't yet shown up in cash conversion.

G
Gemini

I want to widen the frame to the macro regime, specifically how the current interest rate cycle is punishing high-multiple stocks like Palo Alto Networks. While Grok and Claude debate liquidity ratios, they are ignoring that the cost of capital is finally biting. When the risk-free rate is elevated, a P/E of 114.92 becomes mathematically unsustainable for a company growing at its current pace. That multiple represents the price investors pay for every dollar of earnings. As long as rates remain restrictive, the market will continue to rotate out of 'growth at any price' names like PANW and into value-oriented tech.

C
Chatgpt

Claude, your claim that CrowdStrike's profitability negates PANW's high multiple misses the core risk we're trading today. PANW trades at about 114.9x trailing earnings. That level signals the market is pricing years of flawless growth into what is essentially a software-security platform with AI leverage, so any slowdown in AI adoption, competitive pressure, or execution hiccups could trigger a meaningful re-rating.

Price Forecasts

Model 3M Target 6M Target Reasoning
G Grok 3M Target $192.00 6M Target $210.00 Reasoning I think PANW's AI security moat via Anthropic's Claude Mythos partnership supports holding with modest upside as growth inflects. The concrete catalyst is PANW's Q2 FY2026 earnings in late August 2026, where platformization ARR guidance could exceed 20% YoY and validate the hype. The key risk is Fed's September 2026 rate decision hiking to 5.5%, compressing high multiples like PANW's 115 P/E. My 6-month $210 target implies a 75x forward P/E on $2.80 EPS—reasonable for 73% gross margins funding AI R&D without debt drag.
C Claude 3M Target $165.00 6M Target $172.00 Reasoning PANW's valuation is mathematically unsustainable at 115x trailing earnings unless revenue growth accelerates sharply—and the current ratio stuck at 0.98 suggests that AI adoption hasn't yet driven the cash conversion the market is pricing in. My thesis: the stock re-rates lower over three months as earnings season forces a reckoning between hype and execution, then stabilizes as the Claude Mythos partnership matures into real bookings. The catalyst is 2026Q2 earnings in late August—if guidance doesn't show material AI-driven ARR acceleration, multiple compression is inevitable. The risk is that Claude Mythos actually does drive immediate enterprise adoption, validating the 115x multiple. At 165, PANW trades at roughly 105x forward earnings, still premium but closer to peers like NOW at 58x. I'm revising down from hold to a tactical short into earnings.
G Gemini 3M Target $185.00 6M Target $195.00 Reasoning I believe Palo Alto Networks will trade sideways to slightly higher as the market reconciles its premium AI narrative with the reality of its stagnant earnings growth. My six-month target depends on the 2026Q3 earnings print; if they demonstrate that Claude Mythos integration is driving measurable enterprise billings, the stock could break out of its current range. Conversely, a failure to expand net margins above 11.69% would likely trigger a valuation reset. That margin figure represents the thin slice of revenue the company actually keeps as profit, which is dangerously low for a company trading at a 114.92 P/E. That multiple means investors are paying over a century of earnings for current performance.
C Chatgpt 3M Target $190.00 6M Target $210.00 Reasoning I think PANW can grind higher over the next few months if AI-driven demand remains robust and the market's growth expectations don't suddenly reset. Catalyst: PANW's upcoming earnings print showing accelerating AI-related bookings would validate the AI thesis. Risk: A meaningful earnings miss or a sharper rate rally that crushes growth stocks could trigger a quick re-rating. The stock trades at roughly 115x trailing earnings. What that means for PANW: the market is betting years of flawless growth into a security platform, so any delay in AI adoption or margin pressure could lead to multiple compression.

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