Investing

Earnings Previews: GitLab, Zscaler

nadla / iStock via Getty Images

U.S. markets are closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

After markets close Tuesday afternoon, two technology companies are scheduled to report results.

GitLab

GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ: GTLB) provides a collaborative software development platform in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Since its IPO in October of 2021, the stock has shed more than 55% of its value. The artificial intelligence boom has lifted the share price by more than 80% since the stock’s all-time low set in early May. The stock jumped when the company reported first-quarter results, and the company raised its basic subscription price by $10 a month and said it would charge $9 a month more for its generative AI add-on. Over the past 12 months, GitLab has cut its cash burn from $36.3 million to $11 million in the first quarter of the 2024 fiscal year. Analysts have set a pretty low bar for second-quarter results, and a beat could send the stock shooting higher.

Of 17 brokerages covering the company, 12 have given the stock a Buy or Strong Buy rating, with a Hold rating from the other 5. At a current price of around $49.00, the upside potential based on a median price target of $59.00 is 20.4%. At the high price target of $70.00, the upside potential is 42.9%.

Second-quarter revenue is forecast at $129.79 million, up 2.3% sequentially and up more than 28% year over year. Analysts have a consensus estimate for an adjusted per-share loss of $0.03, better than the prior quarter’s loss of $0.06 per share and much better than the year-ago loss of $0.15. For the full 2024 fiscal year ending in January, GitLab is expected to post an adjusted loss of $0.14 per share compared to last year’s loss per share of $0.46. Revenue is forecast to rise 28% to $542.99 million.

GitLab is not expected to post a profit in 2024. The consensus estimate calls for earnings per share (EPS) of $0.03 in 2025 and $0.35 in 2026. The company’s enterprise value to sales multiple for 2024 is 12.2. For 2025, the multiple is 9.5 on estimated sales of $700.44 million, and for 2026 the multiple is 7.4 on sales of $900.3 million. The stock’s 52-week range is $26.24 to $62.12. The company does not pay a dividend. Total shareholder return for the past year was negative 2.69%.

Zscaler

Shares of cloud security company Zscaler Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS) have added more than 41% so far in 2023 and are up nearly 9% for the past 12 months. Since posting an all-time high in November of 2021, the stock is down by about 57%. The latest bump in the company’s recovery road came when Microsoft announced a competing product in mid-July. Zscaler’s stock has recovered about 15% since then, but the path has been fairly bumpy.

Of 42 analysts covering the stock, 28 rate the shares a Buy or Strong Buy, and the rest give the stock a Hold rating. At a current price of around $158.00, the upside potential based on a median price target of $170.00 is 7.6%. At the high price target of $225.00, the upside potential is 42.4%.

Analysts are expecting fourth-quarter revenue of $430.59 million, up 2.8% sequentially and up 35.4% year over year. Adjusted EPS is forecast to reach $0.49, up 2.5% sequentially, and up 96% year over year. For the 2023 fiscal year that ended in July, Zscaler is expected to post EPS of $1.63, up 136.8%, on sales of $1.59 billion, up 45.8% year over year.

At the current share price, the stock trades at a multiple of 96.9 times expected 2023 EPS, 75 times estimated 2024 earnings of $2.11, and 58.5 times estimated 2025 earnings of $2.71 a share. The stock’s 52-week range is $84.93 to $194.21. Zscaler does not pay a dividend. Total shareholder return for the past year was 8.80%.

100 Million Americans Are Missing This Crucial Retirement Tool

The thought of burdening your family with a financial disaster is most Americans’ nightmare. However, recent studies show that over 100 million Americans still don’t have proper life insurance in the event they pass away.

Life insurance can bring peace of mind – ensuring your loved ones are safeguarded against unforeseen expenses and debts. With premiums often lower than expected and a variety of plans tailored to different life stages and health conditions, securing a policy is more accessible than ever.

A quick, no-obligation quote can provide valuable insight into what’s available and what might best suit your family’s needs. Life insurance is a simple step you can take today to help secure peace of mind for your loved ones tomorrow.

Click here to learn how to get a quote in just a few minutes.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.