Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) Issues FY 2027 Earnings Guidance

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) issued an update on its FY 2027 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 4.160-4.190 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 2.010. The company issued revenue guidance of $14.1 billion-$14.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $13.8 billion. Palo Alto Networks also updated its Q1 2027 guidance to 0.960-0.980 EPS.

Palo Alto Networks Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:PANW traded down $20.04 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $362.09. 8,363,757 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,557,258. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $346.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $250.56. The company has a market cap of $295.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 296.80, a PEG ratio of 11.74 and a beta of 0.91. Palo Alto Networks has a 52-week low of $139.57 and a 52-week high of $398.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.86.

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, September 1st. The network technology company reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by ($0.45). Palo Alto Networks had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 7.95%.Palo Alto Networks has set its FY 2027 guidance at 4.160-4.190 EPS and its Q1 2027 guidance at 0.960-0.980 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Palo Alto Networks will post 2.01 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have commented on PANW. Mizuho set a $415.00 price target on shares of Palo Alto Networks and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $415.00 price objective on Palo Alto Networks and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Loop Capital lifted their target price on Palo Alto Networks from $160.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Citigroup reiterated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Palo Alto Networks in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $434.00 price target (up from $330.00) on shares of Palo Alto Networks in a research note on Friday, August 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty have assigned a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $370.87.

Insider Transactions at Palo Alto Networks

In other news, Director Aparna Bawa sold 290 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $348.74, for a total transaction of $101,134.60. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 6,437 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,244,839.38. This trade represents a 4.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director James J. Goetz sold 20,000 shares of Palo Alto Networks stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $279.90, for a total transaction of $5,598,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 20,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,598,000. The trade was a 50.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 37,735 shares of company stock worth $10,814,266. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Palo Alto Networks

Here are the key news stories impacting Palo Alto Networks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies expects Palo Alto Networks to exceed consensus forecasts for remaining performance obligations, annual recurring revenue and total revenue, with product growth potentially reaching 18% year over year. Palo Alto Networks set to beat fiscal Q4 metrics, guide above consensus
• Positive Sentiment: Scotiabank raised its price target to $430 from $320 and maintained a “sector outperform” rating, implying continued upside based on its outlook for the cybersecurity provider.
• Positive Sentiment: Longer term, rising cyber threats and increasing adoption of artificial intelligence support demand for Palo Alto Networks’ AI-enabled security platforms. Top AI-Powered Security Stocks Worth Buying Amid Rising Cyber Threats
• Neutral Sentiment: PANW has climbed about 30% since its prior quarterly results, substantially outperforming the broader software sector. That momentum reflects optimism but also sets a high bar for the upcoming report. Big Software Names Bounced Back in August
• Negative Sentiment: A broad software-stock selloff is pressuring Palo Alto Networks despite favorable company-specific developments, suggesting investors are focusing on high valuation multiples and macroeconomic risks rather than fundamentals. CrowdStrike Falls Despite Optiv Milestone, Palo Alto Drops
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also contending with higher oil prices, inflation concerns and rising Treasury yields, all of which can weigh on growth-stock valuations. The company’s results and guidance after the close may therefore determine whether the recent rally can continue. Market Open: Inflation and Treasury Yields

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Palo Alto Networks

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Palo Alto Networks during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks in the third quarter valued at about $33,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. J.Safra Asset Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Palo Alto Networks in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Finally, Ankerstar Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Palo Alto Networks during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. 79.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Palo Alto Networks Company Profile

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) is a cybersecurity company founded in 2005 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California. The firm develops a broad suite of security products and services designed to prevent successful cyberattacks and protect enterprise networks, clouds, and endpoints. Built around a platform strategy, its offerings target threat prevention, detection, response and governance across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

The company’s product portfolio includes next‑generation firewalls as a core on‑premises capability, alongside cloud‑delivered security services and software for securing public and private clouds.