CrowdStrike (CRWD) is in focus after Loop Capital dubbed it "simply the best positioned cybersecurity vendor in the emerging agentic artificial intelligence (AI) era." In his research note this morning, **** yst Yun Kim announced a Buy rating on CRWD, with a $230 price target, indicating potential upside of more than 25% from current levels.
Kim's call is significant given that CrowdStrike stock is already trading at more than 2x its price in late February.
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#Stock #crowdstrike #crwd #capital

Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT), headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, provides cybersecurity and convergence of networking and security solutions. Valued at $111.6 billion by market cap, the company offers network security appliances, software, and subscription services. Fortinet systems integrate the industry's broadest suite of security technologies, including firewall, VPN, antivirus, intrusion prevention (IPS), web filtering, antispam, and traffic shaping.
Shares of this cybersecurity giant have outperformed the broader market over the past year. FTNT has gained 43% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 16.3%. In 2026, FTNT stock is up 88.9%, surpassing SPX's 8.5% rise on a YTD basis.
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#security #fortinet

AI is now greatly advancing both sides of the cybersecurity war, with data increasingly favoring attackers. This isn't an isolated data point, as Check Point's 2026 Cyber Security Report, its 14th annual study, found that organizations fell victim to an average of 1,968 cyberattacks per week back in 2025, a 70% increase from 2023, as attackers increasingly make use of automation and AI to move more quickly and operate across a number of attack surfaces at the same time. Meanwhile, Mandiant's M-Trends 2026 report further highlights the timeframe problem: 28.3% of revealed vulnerabilities are now exploited in less than 24 hours, with time-to-exploit effectively negative when ******* aults arrive before patches.
That narrow window between vulnerability discovery and attack is exactly the dynamic that is altering business security budgets, and Wall Street sees CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) as one of the companies best positioned to gain from it. In fiscal Q1 2027, the company's revenue reached $1.39 billion, up 26% year-over-year, while ending ARR was a record $5.51 billion, up 24%, with net new ARR of $256 million increasing 32% year-over-year, indicating an acceleration rather than a slowing in the pace of new business. Profitability scaled alongside the expansion, with non-GAAP net income growing to $283 million from $184.7 million the year before.
Although CrowdStrike's underlying trajectory remains robust, its valuation multiple is the key source of concern for institutional investors. Shares are currently trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 119.92x, which is a significant premium above prominent cybersecurity rivals such as Palo Alto Networks (84.74x), SentinelOne (39x), and Zscaler (32.72x). At almost 120x forward earnings, the current stock price requires sustained mid-to-high 20% annual revenue growth and continued margin improvement over several years to justify trading levels in hindsight.
Against this backdrop, Stifel's July 17 price target increase to $230 from $220, following investor meetings with CrowdStrike's CFO on AI tailwinds, fiscal 2027 confidence, and Falcon Flex traction, reads as sell-side confirmation of a growth story already supported by the company's own numbers, rather than primary evidence for it.
The firm also cited a growing sales pipeline supporting confidence in CrowdStrike's net-new annual recurring revenue guidance increase issued last quarter, as well as management's stated willingness to increase the size and pace of acquisitions, which would be funded with a combination of stock and debt.

#revenue

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., came under fire after claiming the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would "merge parts of our military with the Israel Defense Forces," drawing accusations that she distorted what the legislation actually does.
The fight centers on Section 219 of the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act, a provision that calls for deeper U.S.-Israel defense integration through expanded cooperation on military technology, supply chains, research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and joint exercises.
On Wednesday, the House passed its version of the FY2027 NDAA in a 219-206 vote, leaving Section 219 intact.
But ahead of the vote, Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X that the NDAA "includes a provision to merge parts of our military with the IDF."
The Us-israel Strategic Alliance – Partnership, Not Charity

#passed #national #authorization

This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter.
With no sign of innovation in payments slowing down, five podcasts below might help listeners keep up on the latest trends in payments and provide insights to fine tune plans for 2027.
Already in the first half of this year, stablecoins took a big step toward becoming a mainstream payment option, payments providers advanced their artificial intelligence strategies and cybersecurity firms pursued stronger data security tools to thwart criminals.
While most of the podcasts reviewed below avoid sponsored content, some of those commercials do show up, usually with disclosures.
For the rest of the summer, maybe you want to ditch a book and take one of these five payments industry podcasts to the beach instead.

#payments

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.09%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.29%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are down -0.07%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.22%.
Stock indexes are under modest today amid weakness in software and cybersecurity stocks. The markets are waiting for earnings results after the close today from Alphabet to see evidence that the company's investments in artificial intelligence are generating returns, as it plans to more than double capital spending from 2025 to as much as $190 billion this year. On the positive side, energy producers and service providers are moving higher with today's rally in WTI crude oil to a 6-week high.
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#mini

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.13%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.15%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.48%. September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) are down -0.10%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) are down -0.47%.
Stock indexes are under pressure today amid weakness in software and cybersecurity stocks. The markets are waiting for earnings results after the close today from Alphabet to see evidence that the company's investments in artificial intelligence are generating returns, as it plans to more than double capital spending from 2025 to as much as $190 billion this year.
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#september #futures #jones

Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM), headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, provides security, delivery, and cloud computing solutions. Valued at $17.9 billion by market cap, the company provides services for accelerating and improving the delivery of content and applications over the internet, ranging from live and on-demand streaming video capabilities to conventional content on websites, to tools that help people transact business and reach out to new and existing customers. The cybersecurity and cloud computing company is expected to announce its fiscal second-quarter earnings for 2026 after the market closes on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Ahead of the event, ******* ysts expect AKAM to report a profit of $0.90 per share on a diluted basis, down 18.2% from $1.10 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
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Micron Stock Is Near Bear-Market Territory. Here's Why ASML's Guidance Says Buy the Dip.

#market #akam #Stock

By Courtney Rozen
WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - TikTok U.S. chief security officer Will Farrell will testify before ‌a U.S. House committee on September 15, according ‌to a Congressional aide.
Farrell, who oversees "data privacy and cybersecurity" according to the company's website, will answer questions from members of the U.S. House Select Committee on China.
This is the first time a TikTok U.S. executive will testify publicly ‌in the U.S. House ⁠since the company's Chinese owner, ByteDance, finalized a deal to split the U.S. app ⁠from its global business. ByteDance has disclosed few details about the deal, and a hearing would allow lawmakers to ask questions about U.S. President Donald Trump's role in ‌brokering the split and Chinese involvement in the U.S. app.
The U.S. enacted a law in 2024 requiring ByteDance to sell the app or see it shut in the country. The U.S. Congress passed the law after ‌lawmakers expressed concerns that the company's management was beholden to the Chinese government, posing a national security risk.

#security

Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is a global digital safety company providing cybersecurity, online privacy, identity protection, reputation management, and financial wellness solutions through brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, and MoneyLion. Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, the company serves nearly 500 million users worldwide and uses AI to deliver personalized, trusted digital and financial protection. It currently has a market capitalization of about $16.1 billion.
GEN is set to report its Q1 earnings on Thursday, August 6, 2026, after the market closes. Ahead of the release, **** ysts expect the company to report a diluted EPS of $0.62, up 14.8% from $0.54 in the year-ago quarter. However, GEN has missed Wall Street's EPS estimates in each of the past four trailing quarters.
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#ahead

What a time for tech investors. Quantum computing looks like a remarkable follow-up to artificial intelligence (AI). Researchers at McKinsey estimate that quantum computing could create up to $2.7 trillion in economic value for companies worldwide by 2040. Quantum computers could unlock new possibilities across applications, ranging from drug discovery to cybersecurity and AI.
D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) is a promising quantum computing company. Its quantum annealing systems are already commercially available, and the acquisition of Quantum Circuits earlier this year gives it a pathway to gate-model systems. As a result, the company can pursue a broad range of commercial opportunities.
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But is D-Wave Quantum stock actually a millionaire-maker? Investors may want to temper their expectations.
Many millionaire-maker stocks start out really small. That's because it's usually much easier for a stock's market cap to grow from $500 million to $5 billion than it is to go from $50 billion to $500 billion. It's just difficult to grow large numbers for all but the most exceptional businesses. D-Wave Quantum's current market cap of $6.2 billion doesn't seem huge at first glance. That's until you look at the actual business, which is still in its infancy.

#wave #NVIDIA #computing #company

By Courtney Rozen
WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - TikTok U.S. chief security officer Will Farrell will testify before ‌a U.S. House committee on September 15, according ‌to a Congressional aide.
Farrell, who oversees "data privacy and cybersecurity" according to the company's website, will answer questions from members of the U.S. House Select Committee on China.
This is the first time a TikTok U.S. executive will testify publicly ‌in the U.S. House ⁠since the company's Chinese owner, ByteDance, finalized a deal to split the U.S. app ⁠from its global business. ByteDance has disclosed few details about the deal, and a hearing would allow lawmakers to ask questions about U.S. President Donald Trump's role in ‌brokering the split and Chinese involvement in the U.S. app.
The U.S. enacted a law in 2024 requiring ByteDance to sell the app or see it shut in the country. The U.S. Congress passed the law after ‌lawmakers expressed concerns that the company's management was beholden to the Chinese government, posing a national security risk.

#according

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) lost 25.2% on July 14, erasing about $68 billion in market value in the stock's worst session on record. At first glance, the sell-off appears contradictory amid the still-robust AI investment cycle. Gartner expects worldwide AI spending to jump 47% to $2.59 trillion in 2026, with $1.43 trillion going to infrastructure. So IBM didn't crash because of any weakening in AI spending, but because that spending shifted toward hardware just as the company missed mainframe targets and couldn't close major deals.
IBM revealed the damage eight days before its scheduled earnings report. Preliminary second-quarter revenue rose just 1% to $17.2 billion, about $660 million below the LSEG consensus, while adjusted earnings of $2.93 per share missed the $3.02 estimate. Software growth slowed to 5%, Consulting was flat, and Infrastructure fell 7%. However, the numbers alone did not look bad enough to wipe out a quarter of IBM's value; it was the unscheduled warning and CEO Arvind Krishna's blunt admission that the company had "faltered".
JuliusKielaitis / Shutterstock.com
In his July 14 investor letter, Krishna said clients spent the final weeks of June rushing to secure supply-constrained servers, storage and memory before expected price increases. Cybersecurity concerns also competed for budgets and attention. IBM did capture some of that spending: Distributed Infrastructure revenue jumped 37%. But that strength was overwhelmed by weakness elsewhere. Several large deals slipped beyond the quarter, while IBM Z and its related Transaction Processing software missed expectations. To sum it up, the AI boom didn't really miss IBM; it's just that the money hit the wrong side of its portfolio at the wrong time.
That timing hit a stock priced for reinvention. Reuters Breakingviews noted that IBM has spent more than $50 billion since 2018 on buying Red Hat, HashiCorp, and Confluent. Before IBM released the preliminary figures, its shares traded at roughly 26 times forward earnings after more than doubling in five years. Its generative AI book had reached $12.5 billion, while first-quarter software revenue grew 11%. The second quarter's 5% growth therefore challenged the premise supporting IBM's rerating. Oppenheimer, which had modeled 12% software growth, responded by downgrading the stock and abandoning its $350 target.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) stock has surged 113.5% over the past three months, fueled by strong recurring revenue growth, rising adoption of its unified cybersecurity platform, and increasing enterprise investment in artificial intelligence (AI).
As AI deployments expand and AI data centers rise, demand for cybersecurity is accelerating, positioning Palo Alto for sustained long-term growth.
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July 17 (Reuters) - Clover Health Investments said in a regulatory filing on Friday that it ‌detected unusual login activity on some of its ‌information systems on July 4 and later found a hacker had gained access to three employee accounts through social engineering.
• The health insurer said the affected accounts belonged to non-managerial health plan employees who handled member visit ‌scheduling and broker-facing sales ⁠work.
• These accounts could access some personal and protected health information, according to the ⁠company, but not corporate financial or claims systems.
• Clover began an investigation with external cybersecurity experts, took steps to contain the activity and notified law enforcement, it ‌said.
• The investigation is ongoing and the company is still reviewing what information may have been accessed or taken. Clover believes its response curbed and ended the unauthorized access.

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is reshaping corporate technology spending in unexpected ways. On Tuesday, July 14, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) announced its preliminary Q2 FY2026 adjusted earnings of $2.93 per share on $17.2 billion in revenue, missing Wall Street estimates and sending its shares sharply lower.
The company revealed that the AI-driven memory shortage prompted enterprise customers to redirect a larger share of their technology budgets toward infrastructure, while higher cybersecurity spending weighed on its own results. These changing priorities contributed to IBM's weaker-than-expected performance.
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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a key quantum computing stock through its Azure Quantum, which is a cloud platform that gives access to multiple quantum hardware providers. The stock also ranks as one of the Best Quantum Computing Stocks to buy and Hold Forever.
Recently, on July 9, Citi noted that the firm's Q2 2026 survey of 100 IT decision makers found Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) as the top vendor CIOs are considering increasing AI spend with, ahead of Amazon and Google. The survey also found an improving spending backdrop compared to the previous quarter. This was evident as both the US and EMEA IT budgets for the next 12 months accelerated as AI investment continued to gain priority.
More specifically, forward IT budget growth expectations rose to 3.3%, up from 2.6% in the March 2026 survey, a figure Citi said sits 0.8 percentage points above the seven-year historical average. Moreover, EMEA budget growth climbed to 3.9%, while US growth rose to 3.0%. The firm noted that Data **** ytics and AI remained the top investment priority and gained further share, followed by cybersecurity, digital transformation, and customer-facing applications. Citi noted web security jumped into the top-priority group, driven by a surge in bot and agentic internet traffic along with expanding API surfaces.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops and sells a wide range of software, cloud services, devices, and business solutions, serving both individual users and enterprise customers worldwide. Its flagship products include Windows, Microsoft 365, Azure, LinkedIn, and Xbox.
While we acknowledge the risk and potential of MSFT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MSFT and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) is one of the Best ****** e Technology Stocks to Buy Now. Recently, on July 1, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) announced receiving an FAA contract to upgrade and operate the nation's aircraft tracking network through 2045.
Management noted that under this contract, the company will modernize more than 700 ground stations. These stations provide real-time, satellite-based flight positioning data to air traffic controllers nationwide. Moreover, the company will also deploy advanced cybersecurity to protect airspace data and expand surveillance to track new types of aircraft entering the National Airspace System.
Management also highlighted that the company already runs the world's largest terrestrial air traffic surveillance network. The company also integrates thousands of data sources for hundreds of FAA and government facilities.
That said, the Street remains bullish on the stock, with ****** ysts' 12-month price target suggesting more than 28.4% upside from the current level.
While we acknowledge the potential of LHX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is one of the 10 Best Stocks to Buy in 2026 According to Billionaire D.E. Shaw.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s shares are up by 103% over the past year and 13% year-to-date. Over the course of the past year, the firm has managed to transform itself from operating under the threat of action by the Justice Department to being one of the most indomitable forces in the technology industry. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) made key inroads in the fast growing agentic artificial intelligence sector on July 7th. The firm announced that it had partnered with consulting firm Accenture to expand market access to its Google Cloud products. Through the partnership, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Accenture will provide cybersecurity, workforce management, and other products.
Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash
Banking giant Wells Fargo discussed Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s shares on July 2nd. It cut the share price target to $416 from $435 and kept an Overweight rating on the stock. While it cut the share price target, the financial firm expressed enthusiasm about Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s ability to grow Google Search, and more importantly, Google Cloud revenue.
While we acknowledge the risk and potential of GOOGL as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GOOGL and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

Kyndryl Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KD) is one of the best up and coming tech stocks to buy now. On June 18, Kyndryl and Amazon Web Services/AWS announced an expanded strategic collaboration agreement designed to help enterprise customers move beyond AI experimentation to the deployment of agentic AI. Through increased investment in talent development and joint solution engineering, the partners aim to help organizations automate operations and modernize mission-critical workloads on AWS.
The collaboration focuses on creating industry-specific modernization blueprints that leverage agentic AI to reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency. This initiative addresses a common challenge identified in the Kyndryl Readiness Report, where many businesses struggle to realize tangible benefits from their heavy AI investments.
Photo by Jefferson Santos on Unsplash
By combining Kyndryl Holdings Inc.'s (NYSE:KD) expertise in mission-critical IT services with AWS's cloud infrastructure, the companies plan to accelerate business transformation for global customers. The agreement also supports their collaborative efforts in Europe, specifically regarding the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, ensuring that organizations can modernize their environments while maintaining data control and system reliability.
Kyndryl Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KD) provides IT infrastructure services, including cloud migration, network management, cybersecurity, and digital workplace solutions. The company was spun off from IBM in 2021 and operates globally with a focus on modernizing legacy systems and supporting digital transformation.

We recently published Bill Miller Portfolio: Top 10 Stock Picks. Conduent Incorporated (NASDAQ:CNDT) is one of the top stock picks.
Conduent Incorporated (NASDAQ:CNDT) is a business process technology company. Its shares are down by 44% over the past year and by 20% year-to-date. The firm has been in the news several times in 2026. For instance, in February, cybersecurity firm MalwareBytes reported that Conduent Incorporated (NASDAQ:CNDT)'s data breach, first reported in October 2025, was worse than initially believed. It estimates that 25 million people across the US were affected and added that not only was the breach one of the largest in US history, but the stolen data covered details such as social security numbers, legal names and health insurance data.
photo by Business-laptop-campaign-creators on Unsplash
On June 30th, Conduent Incorporated (NASDAQ:CNDT) announced that it was selling its tolling business to a Canadian firm for a $70 million price tag. The deal is expected to close before the end of this year and the firm's CEO outlined that it was part of his firm's effort to simplify its business and focus on core operations.
While we acknowledge the potential of CNDT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is one of the best QQQ Stocks to invest in. On July 2, Cisco and the College Board announced that a new AP Cybersecurity course will launch for the 2026-2027 school year as part of the AP Career Kickstart program. Cisco Networking Academy will support this initiative by providing schools with industry-aligned curriculum, hands-on laboratory exercises, and professional development resources for educators.
The course is designed to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional readiness. Students can earn college credit through AP exam performance while simultaneously preparing for the industry-recognized Cisco Certified Support Technician/CCST Cybersecurity certification, providing them with a competitive advantage for future careers.
This collaboration aims to address the global cybersecurity workforce shortage by streamlining how schools implement technical training. Following a successful pilot program that engaged 3,100 students across 30 states, the national rollout seeks to establish a more accessible and sustainable pipeline of talent for the cybersecurity industry.
Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is involved in the manufacture, design, and sale of Internet Protocol-based networking products and services **** ociated with the communications and IT industry.
While we acknowledge the potential of CSCO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

Ethiopia's national payment switch, EthSwitch, is exploring expanded cooperation with Huawei on artificial intelligence, payment infrastructure and cross-border payment connectivity with China. The discussions signal EthSwitch's growing engagement with global financial technology partners as Ethiopia expands its interoperable payments ecosystem. Specifically, Ethiopia is committed to boosting mobile banking innovation, resilient payment infrastructure, AI applications to improve efficiency and security, cross-border payment collaboration with China's payment and clearing ecosystem, and technical capacity building for Ethiopia's financial technology sector.
The timing is significant. EthSwitch recently reported processing 387 million interoperable transactions worth ETB 1.26tn during the 2025/26 fiscal year, while posting ETB 2.6bn in pre-tax profit. The figures underscore the rapid expansion of Ethiopia's digital payments market and the increasingly strategic role of the national switch in connecting banks and payment service providers across the country.
Established to deliver interoperable payment infrastructure, EthSwitch has become the backbone of Ethiopia's electronic payments ecosystem, supporting ATM, point-of-sale, QR code, instant payment and gateway services that enable seamless transactions across financial institutions. As Ethiopia continues to liberalise and modernise its financial sector, the institution is playing an increasingly central role in supporting digital financial services and financial inclusion.
Huawei, meanwhile, has steadily expanded its digital finance business globally, positioning itself as a technology partner to banks, central banks and national payment infrastructure operators. The company provides cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital banking solutions to financial institutions in more than 60 countries and says it serves thousands of financial-sector customers worldwide.
EthSwitch regards the discussions on cross-border payment cooperation with China's payment and clearing ecosystem as particularly noteworthy. Closer connectivity could eventually facilitate faster and more efficient payment flows supporting trade, tourism and commercial transactions between Ethiopia and China, Ethiopia's largest bilateral trading partner.
"EthSwitch explores Huawei partnership on AI and China payment connectivity" was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 53.12%, SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 17, SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) announced the general availability of Purple AI Agentic Investigation alongside the introduction of Singularity Credits, a unified consumption model for AI-powered capabilities across the Singularity Platform. Customers can now access a complimentary trial of Purple AI's newest autonomous security reasoning capability, which enables zero-click investigations that automatically detect, investigate, validate, and respond to cyber threats without requiring human intervention. When suspicious activity exceeds predefined thresholds, the system independently ******* yzes incidents, reaches a verdict, and initiates responses at machine speed while maintaining full transparency and oversight for security teams.
On May 29, Scotiabank ******* yst Patrick Colville raised the firm's price target on SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) to $16 from $15 while maintaining a Sector Perform rating on the shares. Although the firm continues to view SentinelOne as a top-tier cybersecurity company with a strong technology platform, it remains cautious due to limited evidence that the company is generating sufficient customer wins to significantly accelerate annual recurring revenue growth.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) protects enterprise IT systems using AI-powered behavioral ******* ysis. It operates as a cybersecurity stock by offering autonomous platforms that detect, prevent, and respond to cyberattacks across devices, cloud workloads, and networks.
While we acknowledge the potential of S as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 37.88%, Backblaze, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLZE) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 24, Lake Street ***** yst Eric Martinuzzi raised the firm's price target on Backblaze, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLZE) to $14 from $11 while maintaining a Buy rating after the company announced a $335 million total contract value agreement with CoreWeave to provide hard-disk-drive cloud storage for AI workloads. The firm described the agreement as a significant validation of Backblaze's AI storage strategy, highlighting the company's competitive positioning and its ability to support large-scale AI infrastructure customers.
On the same day, B. Riley raised its price target on Backblaze, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLZE) to $16 from $7 while reiterating a Buy rating on the shares. The firm believes the multi-year cloud storage agreement with CoreWeave represents a meaningful endorsement of Backblaze's neocloud strategy to become a leading provider of hard-disk-drive storage for AI cloud infrastructure. B. Riley estimates that the CoreWeave partnership could account for approximately one-quarter of Backblaze's B2 business by the end of fiscal 2027, with the potential for further expansion beyond that period.
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, Backblaze, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLZE) provides essential ransomware protection, data immutability, zero-knowledge encryption, and automated disaster recovery, ensuring businesses and individuals can securely store and recover their critical data. The company is one of the best cybersecurity stocks to buy and hold for the long term.
While we acknowledge the potential of BLZE as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 37.61%, Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 25, Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) announced that Velocity Network is investing in Calix Agent Workforce Cloud on the AI-native Calix One platform to accelerate revenue growth while reducing operational expenses. Building on its success in serving residential and business customers through differentiated subscriber experiences, Velocity Network is also deploying SmartMDU to further expand its market reach and support continued growth.
On June 10, Rosenblatt ******* yst Mike Genovese reiterated a Buy rating on Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) with a $70 price target following discussions with management. The firm believes growing customer adoption of the Calix One platform will continue to drive remaining performance obligations and support future revenue growth. Rosenblatt also noted that increasing interest in broadband services, partly driven by the anticipated ******* eX initial public offering and competitive dynamics in rural connectivity, is creating additional opportunities for Calix. The firm expects the company to maintain double-digit revenue growth and believes its remaining performance obligations and margins are likely to recover quickly following the recent share price weakness.
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) provides cloud and AI-driven software platforms to broadband service providers. It acts as a cybersecurity stock by enabling these providers to deliver integrated, subscription-based security services that protect consumer and business networks directly at the subscriber's home or community Wi-Fi level.
While we acknowledge the potential of CALX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 33.59%, Nayax Ltd. (NASDAQ:NYAX) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 24, UBS raised its price target on Nayax Ltd. (NASDAQ:NYAX) to $75 from $68 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the shares. The revised target reflects the firm's updated valuation outlook and confidence in the company's continued execution within the rapidly expanding digital payments and unattended commerce markets.
On June 23, Nayax Ltd. (NASDAQ:NYAX) announced a strategic partnership with Tellus Power to integrate its AC Level 2 EV charger with Nayax's payment and management platform. The combined solution is expected to provide operators with a unified offering that incorporates EV charging, payment processing, and management capabilities while maintaining compatibility with existing vendors through open industry standards. The partnership is designed to simplify deployment and improve the user experience for EV charging operators.
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, Nayax Ltd. (NASDAQ:NYAX) is a global fintech company that develops cashless payment, telemetry, and management software for unattended retail, like vending machines and EV chargers.
While we acknowledge the potential of NYAX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 32.44%, Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 17, Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) announced the launch of its Cloudflare One Design Partner Designation, a new high-priority partner program focused on the Cloudflare One security platform. The initiative equips a select group of global partners, including Arctiq, Consortium, CMT, Presidio, and The Missing Link, with advanced technical expertise to accelerate the deployment of secure AI solutions and help customers strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure.
On June 10, BTIG raised its price target on Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) to $269 from $243 while maintaining a Buy rating on the shares. The firm stated that management presented a highly optimistic outlook during Investor Day 2026, raising its long-term financial targets and outlining a clear path toward achieving the "Rule of 50" by 2027. Although the planned retirement of President of Revenue Mark Anderson attracted attention, BTIG believes the company continues to improve sales productivity while maintaining strong momentum across its enterprise customer base.
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) operates a global cloud platform that speeds up and protects internet properties. Its massive network inherently intercepts and neutralizes malicious traffic, offering critical defenses like DDoS mitigation, web application firewalls, and Zero Trust access control.
Cloudflare continues to strengthen its competitive position by expanding its cybersecurity ecosystem and enabling secure AI adoption through strategic partner initiatives. In addition, the company's improving enterprise execution, higher long-term financial targets, and positive ****** yst sentiment reinforce its ability to deliver sustained growth as demand for cloud security and Zero Trust solutions continues to increase.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 29.19%, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 16, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) and Grant Thornton Advisors announced that Grant Thornton will standardize its managed security services on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform through the Falcon Complete for Service Providers program. As part of the expanded relationship, Grant Thornton is enhancing its global managed security capabilities by introducing a broader portfolio of cybersecurity offerings, including tiered managed detection and response services and managed engineering solutions. The agreement further reinforces CrowdStrike's position as a preferred cybersecurity platform for enterprise service providers seeking to deliver advanced threat protection through cloud-native technologies.
On June 10, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) announced that it had joined both the OpenID Foundation as a Sustaining Corporate Member, the organization's highest level of membership, and IDPro to accelerate the adoption of continuous, risk-aware identity security standards across the cybersecurity industry. As AI agents and non-human identities become increasingly prevalent, CrowdStrike emphasized the need to replace traditional static identity models with dynamic, real-time risk ***** sments. Through these partnerships, the company will contribute Falcon platform intelligence to help identity providers, SaaS platforms, and security solutions make more informed, real-time access decisions based on evolving threat conditions.
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) is one of the best cybersecurity stocks to buy and hold for the long term. It protects businesses by stopping data breaches, using AI and behavioral ***** ytics to secure endpoints, cloud workloads, and digital identities.
While we acknowledge the potential of CRWD as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

With a 5-year EPS growth forecasted at 26.80%, Samsara Inc. (NYSE:IOT) is among the 12 Best Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Term.
On June 8, Piper Sandler raised its price target on Samsara Inc. (NYSE:IOT) to $40 from $39 while maintaining an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm noted that the company's quarterly results and increased guidance largely met investor expectations, with favorable foreign exchange movements providing a modest benefit. Piper Sandler also observed that gross profit margins were slightly lower due to continued investments supporting the company's long-term growth strategy.
On June 5, RBC Capital raised its price target on Samsara Inc. (NYSE:IOT) to $42 from $41 while reiterating an Outperform rating following the company's first-quarter earnings beat. The firm highlighted Samsara's 30% annualized recurring revenue growth, supported by broad-based business strength and continued momentum in acquiring and expanding relationships with large enterprise customers.
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, Samsara Inc. (NYSE:IOT) operates a Connected Operations Cloud that uses IoT sensors and AI to digitize physical operations like trucking and logistics. It is treated as a cybersecurity play because it actively protects and secures enterprise networks through strict cloud infrastructure compliance and enterprise-grade data security.
Samsara continues to demonstrate strong operating momentum through accelerating recurring revenue growth, expanding enterprise customer adoption, and disciplined investment in its platform. Combined with positive ******* yst sentiment and its AI-driven connected operations ecosystem, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for intelligent, secure, and cloud-based operational solutions.