Is Palo Alto Networks a Buy After Q1 Earnings?

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By Chris Lange Published
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Is Palo Alto Networks a Buy After Q1 Earnings?

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Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NYSE: PANW | PANW Price Prediction) released fiscal first-quarter financial results before markets opened Monday. The firm said that it had $1.62 in earnings per share (EPS) and $946.0 million in revenue, which exceeded consensus estimates of $1.33 in EPS and $921.64 million in revenue. The same period from last year had $1.05 in EPS and $771.9 million in revenue.

Management noted that the firm delivered another consecutive strong quarter of solid results. Both the firewall transformation and the Next-Generation Security services continue to make great progress, giving management confidence in the future.

Overall revenues grew 23% year over year. Product revenues increased 2.6% year over year to $237.3 million, while subscription and support revenues grew 31.1% to $708.7 million.

During the quarter, billings grew 21% year over year to $1.1 billion. Deferred revenue increased 31% year over year to $3.9 billion.

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Palo Alto Networks cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $2.14 billion at the end of the quarter, down from $2.96 billion at the end of the previous fiscal year.

Looking ahead to the fiscal second quarter, the company expects to see EPS in the range of $1.42 to $1.44 and revenue between $975 million and $990 million. Analysts are calling for $1.35 in EPS and $970.96 million in revenue for the quarter.

Shares of Palo Alto Networks traded up more than 5% early Monday to $272.66, in a 52-week range of $125.47 to $275.03. The consensus price target is $297.53.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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