Right. Palo Alto Networks. PANW. It’s been…a week. Shares dipped, as much as 11.3% at one point, according to those people who track these things (S&P Global Market Intelligence, if you must know). As of this afternoon, still down nearly 10%. It’s enough to make one question all life choices, really. Like, should I have taken up pottery? Would my portfolio be doing better if I’d just invested in scented candles?
The trigger? Earnings. Naturally. They were…fine. Perfectly adequate, even. My colleague Keith apparently detailed all the numbers yesterday (I skimmed it, honestly. Numbers make my head ache), so I won’t bore you with the minutiae. But the forecast. Oh, the forecast. It wasn’t quite the dazzling, utopian vision of growth investors dream of. It fell short. Significantly. And Wall Street doesn’t do disappointing forecasts. It’s like offering a vegan a steak. Just…wrong.
At least eleven analysts have downgraded their price targets. Eleven! It’s like a chorus of doom. One chap, Keith Bachman at BMO Capital (apparently, analysts have names), lowered his target to $200, down from $230. Still thinks it’s a ‘buy’, though. Which is…reassuring? I suppose? It’s all so terribly subjective. He mentioned “uncertainty surrounding the broader software segment.” Which is a polite way of saying, “Everything feels a bit wobbly.”
There’s this whole panic about artificial intelligence eating the lunch of software companies. Honestly? I think it’s a bit overdone. Especially when it comes to cybersecurity. I mean, people aren’t going to suddenly stop needing to protect their data just because a robot can write a poem. In fact, securing data is more crucial than ever. It’s like needing a better lock on your door when there’s a sudden surge in neighbourhood cats. Obvious, really.
Current list of things I’m trying to rationalise:
- Why I keep checking the stock price every five minutes.
- The fact that I still believe in ‘long-term growth’ despite this minor blip.
- Whether I should really invest in a robot to manage my portfolio. (Irony not lost.)
PANW is still trading at 36 times next year’s earnings. Which is…a premium. A rather substantial one. But honestly? I think it’s justified. It’s a company with a track record. A history of actually growing. And in this market, that’s a rare and precious thing. So, despite the wobbly week, I’m still holding. Still believing. Still clinging to the hope that my long-term growth strategy won’t end in a spectacular, scented-candle-fueled disaster. It’s a buy. (At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.)
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2026-02-19 21:32