Palo Alto Networks vs CrowdStrike

This page compares Palo Alto Networks, Inc. and CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. across business models, financial performance, and market context. It presents how each company approaches security, growth strategy, and competitive positioning in the industry, described in clear, neutral terms for readers seeking context and understanding. Educational content, not financial advice.

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

PANW

Metric

CRWD

$128.40B

Market Cap

$118.07B

25.16%

Potential Profit

14.34%

Buy

Analyst Rating

Buy

Why It's Moving

PANW Dips Amid Insider Selling but Institutional Buying Signals Confidence

Insider sales pressure: Executives offloaded 382,016 shares worth $76.4M in the last three months, with ownership at just 1.4%, contributing to the recent 1.1% drop to $180.18.
Institutional vote of confidence: Lbp Am Sa increased its PANW position by 17.7% to 305,744 shares valued at $62M on January 26, highlighting appeal in a portfolio where it ranks as the 22nd-largest holding.
Analyst optimism persists: Consensus 'Moderate Buy' rating with $229 average target, backed by recent beats like Q1 EPS $0.93 vs. $0.89 expected and revenue up 15.7% YoY.

Sentiment:

⚖️Neutral

CrowdStrike Shares Climb After Earnings Beat Signals Robust Cloud Security Demand

Q4 EPS hit $0.96, topping the $0.94 consensus by $0.02, while revenue jumped 21.8% year-over-year to $1.23 billion.
Management issued upbeat FY2026 EPS guidance of $3.70–$3.72 and Q4 at $1.09–$1.11, underscoring sustained momentum in cybersecurity services.
Stock rose 1.8% to $453.77 on lighter volume, reflecting market approval even as it trades under 50- and 200-day averages.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

PANW Dips Amid Insider Selling but Institutional Buying Signals Confidence

Insider sales pressure: Executives offloaded 382,016 shares worth $76.4M in the last three months, with ownership at just 1.4%, contributing to the recent 1.1% drop to $180.18.
Institutional vote of confidence: Lbp Am Sa increased its PANW position by 17.7% to 305,744 shares valued at $62M on January 26, highlighting appeal in a portfolio where it ranks as the 22nd-largest holding.
Analyst optimism persists: Consensus 'Moderate Buy' rating with $229 average target, backed by recent beats like Q1 EPS $0.93 vs. $0.89 expected and revenue up 15.7% YoY.

Sentiment:

⚖️Neutral

CrowdStrike Shares Climb After Earnings Beat Signals Robust Cloud Security Demand

Q4 EPS hit $0.96, topping the $0.94 consensus by $0.02, while revenue jumped 21.8% year-over-year to $1.23 billion.
Management issued upbeat FY2026 EPS guidance of $3.70–$3.72 and Q4 at $1.09–$1.11, underscoring sustained momentum in cybersecurity services.
Stock rose 1.8% to $453.77 on lighter volume, reflecting market approval even as it trades under 50- and 200-day averages.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Investment Analysis

Palo Alto Networks

PANW

Pros

Palo Alto Networks is a market leader in integrated cybersecurity solutions with a strong focus on cloud-native and AI-driven security growth.
The company posted $9.22 billion in revenue for 2025, a 14.87% increase year over year, demonstrating solid top-line growth.
Palo Alto Networks maintains strong analyst support, with a consensus rating of 'Moderate Buy' and price targets indicating modest upside potential.

Considerations

Despite revenue growth, earnings fell sharply by 56.01% in 2025, highlighting potential margin or cost pressures.
Palo Alto Networks trades at a relatively high valuation with a price-to-sales ratio above the industry average, limiting valuation appeal.
The company faces increasing competition in the cybersecurity sector, which may pressure margins and market share despite its scale.

CrowdStrike

CRWD

Pros

CrowdStrike has achieved an impressive compound annual revenue growth rate of about 60% over the past five years, indicating strong expansion momentum.
The company is growing rapidly in the cybersecurity space and could potentially catch up to larger peers like Palo Alto Networks in revenue scale.
CrowdStrike benefits from its focus on endpoint security and cloud-delivered protection, aligning well with current market demand trends.

Considerations

CrowdStrike's valuation is considerably higher than Palo Alto’s, with a price-to-sales ratio around 25, signaling elevated investor expectations and risk.
The company has a higher beta than Palo Alto Networks, indicating greater stock price volatility and market sensitivity.
CrowdStrike’s earnings and profitability metrics remain under pressure, reflecting ongoing investments and costs associated with rapid growth.

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