Time to Buy Palantir and CrowdStrike?
Yessir. AI is a double edged sword. Like any technology, it will be leveraged by both the "good" and the "bad". It will be used for offense and for defense. As the world becomes more digital and thus subject to AI armageddon, one thing is crystal clear: the demand for cybersecurity will only increase in the next years.
Regardless of whether the Israel / Iran conflict escalates or de-escalates, cyber security will remain in high focus. Cyberwarfare, cyberterrorism, and cyber crimes will continue gaining relevance as worldwide threats regardless of how peaceful or violent the world becomes. Crime doesn't pay, but you can always bet on it.
Crime has been a constant feature of human societies throughout history, evolving alongside civilization itself. From ancient theft and tribal raids to modern cybercrime, the drive to exploit others for personal gain has never disappeared and will never disappear, at least from a human controlled Earth.
Many companies stand to benefit from cybercrime (i.e. fighting it, preventing it, and selling "solutions"). Two stocks that many benefit in a huge way are two: Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD). We recognize that Palantir is not a traditional cybersecurity firm, but we think it fits well in picture as a company standing to benefit from governments instituting surveillance (Big Brother) digital governments in response to real or fake threats. Both PLTR and CRWD leaders in the digital security apparatus of the 21st century. As we become more bellicose in the Middle East and elsewhere, these two stocks should continue flourishing.
Unnecessary disclaimer: we're not financial advisors and we're long on Palantir, Crowdstrike, and all other companies and ETFs mentioned in this post.
π°️ Palantir: The A-eye (AI) of the Surveillance State
Palantir is no longer another Peter Thiel successful venture. It’s become the operating system of the modern security state, offering data fusion platforms for military command, intelligence agencies, border enforcement, and law enforcement.
Why Palantir now:
-
Middle East surveillance & targeting: Its Gotham platform is already used by U.S. military units to detect insurgents, monitor movements, and coordinate strikes. Rising Iran-Israel conflict? More government contracts worldwide.
-
Immigration enforcement: As we continue our fake war against poor illegal aliens (to further exploit their labor under the threat of deportation, and further eroding opportunities for poor Americans), Palantir is printing money milking the system offering AI data-driven tracking of non-citizens.
-
Big Brother infrastructure: As we become a fearcracy, the government keeps expanding the surveillance state to control everything. The "enemy within" politics means money left and right and more right to the big pockets of Palantir's analytics platform.
Bottom line: As the Western world drifts away from freedom towards preemptive data policing and global intervention, Palantir becomes the digital skeleton of a hyper-vigilant and hyper-profitable national security apparatus.
π‘️ CrowdStrike: The Cyber Shield of the West
CrowdStrike is the frontline defender in America’s cyberwarfare strategy. Its Falcon platform protects corporations, critical infrastructure, and government networks from malware, ransomware, and nation-state hacks.
Why CrowdStrike now:
-
Iranian and Chinese cyberthreats: In a world where diplomacy crumbles, cyberattacks become the first strike. CrowdStrike is a go-to for zero-day defense.
-
Military and defense contractor security: If the defense budget surges, so will cybersecurity spending. CrowdStrike already works with the DoD and contractors like Lockheed and Raytheon.
-
Public-private escalation: As attacks increasingly target hospitals, power grids, and financial institutions, U.S. policy will likely mandate private sector cyber-hardening—boosting CrowdStrike’s customer base.
π§ The Strategic Play: Surveillance + Defense = Compound Growth
Together, Palantir and CrowdStrike offer a two-pronged bet on the militarization of data and defense:
-
Palantir controls how information is collected and interpreted.
-
CrowdStrike protects the infrastructure that keeps it all functioning.
They are not just tech companies; they are critical infrastructure for an anxious empire—especially under a Trump doctrine that prioritizes preemptive power, border control, and domestic security.
π The Market Case
Company | Revenue Growth (2024) | Government Contracts | Sector Tailwind |
---|---|---|---|
Palantir (PLTR) | +20% YoY | Yes – military, DHS, ICE | Military AI, analytics |
CrowdStrike (CRWD) | +35% YoY | Yes – federal, defense | Cyberwarfare, AI security |
Both companies are cash-flow positive, riding structural trends in AI and national security. If war expands—digital or kinetic—expect their valuations to follow.
π¨ Conclusion: Betting on a Nervous World
Whether you support Trump’s policies or not, the geopolitical reality of rising global conflict and domestic unrest is hard to ignore. In that environment, data becomes weaponized, networks become battlefields, and companies like Palantir and CrowdStrike become indispensable.
In the age of Trump Wars, where every byte and every border matters, these two stocks may not just survive—they may dominate.
The market will reward whoever builds the tools that watch, protect, and predict.
Palantir and CrowdStrike are doing all three.
Stock Market Forecasts for Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR)
- Palantir Technologies Inc is a equity in the USA market.
- The price is 139.92 USD currently with a change of 2.62 USD (0.02%) from the previous close.
- The latest open price was 138.66 USD and the intraday volume is 65125022.
- The intraday high is 142.09 USD and the intraday low is 136.07 USD.
- The latest trade time is Monday, June 23, 16:04:28 EDT.
π§ Analyst Forecasts & Price Targets
-
Wall Street consensus (17–23 analysts) rates Palantir as a Hold/Average:
-
Price targets range from $40 to $160, clustering around $90–$110 (stockanalysis.com).
-
Average/median targets:
-
~$101–$105 (TipRanks, AlphaSpread, Yahoo, Zacks) .
-
~$107 (MarketWatch / TradingView median) .
-
~$89 (Marketbeat) .
-
-
The resulting outlook implies a 20–35% downside from the current ~$140 price.
-
-
Bullish outlier:
-
Wedbush (Daniel Ives) holds an Outperform rating with a $140 target, citing strong momentum from government AI contracts and defense deals (marketbeat.com, barrons.com).
-
-
Cautious views:
-
Analysts like Jefferies and Morgan Stanley are skeptical: Jefferies labels the valuation “irrational” with a $60 target, while Morgan Stanley is neutral at $98 (investopedia.com).
-
π Key Themes Driving Forecasts
-
Strengths
-
Booming AI demand and defense contracts (Army, DHS, NATO) support bullish sentiment .
-
Congratulations on hitting record highs driven by AI and geostrategic tailwinds (barrons.com).
-
-
Risks
-
Elevated valuation: trading at 203× forward earnings, far above the S&P average (barrons.com).
-
Vulnerability to government spending cuts—20% decline after DoD budget concerns earlier this year (markets.businessinsider.com).
-
π Summary Table
Analyst/Service | Rating | Target | Implied Move |
---|---|---|---|
Consensus (17–23 firms) | Hold | $90–110 | –20% to –35% |
Wedbush (Ives) | Outperform | $140 | ~0% to +3% |
Jefferies | Underperform | $60 | –57% |
Morgan Stanley | Neutral | $98 | –30% |
✅ Final Take
-
Median analyst view sees downside from today’s levels—$90–110 range indicating valuation pressures.
-
Bull case (Wedbush) holds flat near $140, expecting continued contract wins.
-
Bear case highlights risk of a sharp pullback based on Jefferies' $60 target.
If you're bullish on AI and government spending in defense/cyber, Wedbush’s view supports staying in. But if you’re cautious on valuation, trimming into catalysts may be wise.
Would you like a breakdown of upcoming catalysts (earnings events, defense budgets) or comparisons with other AI/defense stocks?
Stock market Forecasts for Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (CRWD)
- Crowdstrike Holdings Inc is a equity in the USA market.
- The price is 491.81 USD currently with a change of 15.51 USD (0.03%) from the previous close.
- The latest open price was 471.225 USD and the intraday volume is 4396055.
- The intraday high is 494.3 USD and the intraday low is 461.96 USD.
- The latest trade time is Monday, June 23, 16:04:41 EDT.
π Analyst Price Targets
-
High-end target: ~$550
-
Median/average: ~$480–$482
-
Low-end: ~$350 (marketwatch.com, stockanalysis.com)
Major brokerages show:
-
MarketWatch reports: High $550, Median $500, Low $350; average $481.95 (marketwatch.com)
-
Yahoo Finance shows a low of $330, average around $472, high of $550 (finance.yahoo.com)
-
TradingView consensus: Target $481.95 (range $350–$550) (tradingview.com)
π Twelve-Month Forecast / Consensus
-
MarketBeat (45 analysts): Average target $453.17, implying ~8% downside from today's ~$492 (marketbeat.com).
-
StockAnalysis (47 analysts): Consensus target $451.68, indicating ~8–9% potential decline over the next year (stockanalysis.com).
-
Benzinga summary: High $550, low $347, average around $474.32 (benzinga.com).
Analyst ratings trend: Moderate Buy / Strong Buy, highlighting bullish sentiment despite wide target dispersion (marketbeat.com).
π Short-Term & Long-Term Forecasts
-
LongForecast.com: Forecasts $476 start in July 2025, with ceiling around $572 and floor at $431 (longforecast.com).
-
CoinPriceForecast.com: Projects $500 by mid-2025, rising to $700 by end of 2026 (coinpriceforecast.com).
-
CoinCodex: Predicts slight rise: average $486.83 in June, reaching $504 in July, and up to $524.65 by October—implying ~10–11% growth per quarter .
π§ Recent Analyst Notes
-
Despite a Q1 revenue miss, analysts from BofA, Deutsche Bank, Jefferies, and Oppenheimer raised targets to $470–$520 (investopedia.com).
-
Bullish drivers: AI-driven TAM projected to grow from $116 B (2025) to $250 B (2029) (nasdaq.com).
-
Risks: The July 2024 outage lingered in sentiment, prompting temporary stock dips and causing a workforce reduction (~5%)—though analysts view this as productivity-driven rather than demand-related (investors.com).
✅ Summary Table
Time Horizon | Target Range | Upside/Downside from ~$492 |
---|---|---|
12 months average | $452–$482 | ↓ 3% to ↓ 8% |
Bear case low | $330–$350 | ↓ 29% to ↓ 33% |
Bull case high | $550 | ↑ ~12% |
Extended outlook | $700 (end '26) | ↑ ~42% |
π§ Bottom Line
-
Short to near-term: Expect limited upside (
10%) or slight downside (–8%), as analysts await stronger revenue execution to justify lofty valuations. -
High-end scenario: If CrowdStrike delivers on AI innovation and enterprise demand, pricing could reach ~$550 in 12 months.
-
Long-term potential: Analysts predicting $700+ hinge on continued dominance in cyber-AI and expanding global TAM.
π Better Buy than Palantir and Crowdstrike?
-
86% Buy/Strong Buy consensus across ~44 analysts (chartmill.com).
-
TipRanks ranks it a Strong Buy, supported by 27 buys and only 1 hold, zero sell ratings (tipranks.com).
-
Mean price target around $448–450, suggesting ~13–17% upside (tipranks.com).
π Cybersecurity is a Safe Bet
π’ CyberArk Profile
CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ: CYBR) is a cybersecurity firm specialized in identity security and in the protection of digital accounts across enterprise environments (en.wikipedia.org).
-
Founded in 1999 in Israel by Ehud Udi Mokady and Alon N. Cohen; headquartered in Newton, MA, with ~3,800 employees (en.wikipedia.org).
-
Targets sectors like financial services, energy, healthcare, and government to secure credentials and infrastructure (en.wikipedia.org).
-
Core offerings include Privileged Access Management (PAM), secrets management, identity governance, and AI-driven protection against identity theft. (globaldata.com).
π Financial & Operating Highlights
-
Market Cap: ~$20 billion; EV: ~$19 billion .
-
Q1 2025 revenue: $318 million, up 43% YoY; ARR: $1.215 billion (up 50% YoY) (cyberark.com).
-
Free cash flow for Q1: $96 million (30% margin); FY 2024 FCF: $221 million (22% margin) .
-
Profitability: Non-GAAP operating margin at 18%, non-GAAP net income $50 million (vs. $36 million in Q1 2024) .
-
Balance sheet: ~$776 million cash; no major debt .
π Strategic Moves & Positioning
-
Acquisitions: Venafi in 2024 (~$1.5 billion) for machine identity management; Zilla Security in Feb‑2025 to enhance identity governance (investors.cyberark.com).
-
AI-driven identity security: Expanding protection for "non-human" identities like bots and autonomous agents, crucial in today's AI-dense operations (kiplinger.com).
-
Market leadership: >10,000 global customers; strong prevalence in Fortune 500. Partnerships with AWS, Google, Microsoft, and CrowdStrike (cyberark.com).
π Growth & Valuation Metrics
-
Valuation multiples: EV/Sales ~17.5×; Forward P/S ~14.2×; P/FCF ~76× (stockanalysis.com).
-
Financial health: Current ratio ~1.3×; return on equity slightly negative but turning positive as profitability scales .
-
Stock performance: +54% over the last 12 months; strong technical ratings (IBD Composite 96/99); recently broke out above a cup-with-handle buy point (~$375) (investors.com).
✅ Investment Summary
CyberArk is a high-growth, AI-augmented cybersecurity firm with robust fundamentals:
-
AI momentum. Soaring demand for cyber security in the times of AI as criminal enterprises leverage the technology for sophisticated digital theft and all companies must invest in state of the art AI defense.
-
Fiscal strength: Solid revenue growth, expanding margins, and strong free-cash flow.
-
Strategic positioning: Leadership in privilege and machine identity, underpinned by major acquisitions and ecosystem partnerships.
-
Valuation risk: Premium valuation reflecting optimistic growth expectations, though justified by strong fundamentals and market leadership.
CyberArk Executive Leadership
Udi Mokady – Founder & Executive Chairman
-
Co‑founded CyberArk in 1999 and served as CEO from 2005 to March 2023. Now drives long-term identity security strategy from the board seat (cyberark.com).
-
Guided the 2014 IPO and oversaw strategic growth and acquisitions such as Venafi and Zilla (en.wikipedia.org).
Matt Cohen – President & CEO
-
Joined in 2019 as CRO, became COO in 2020, and was named CEO in April 2023 .
-
Led the transition to a subscription model and now oversees global go-to-market operations (cyberark.com).
Erica Smith – Chief Financial Officer
-
With CyberArk since 2015, appointed CFO in 2024; led FP&A, IR, ESG efforts, and oversaw Venafi acquisition (cyberark.com).
Eduarda Camacho – Chief Operating Officer
-
Joined in 2024 with extensive SaaS leadership experience; responsible for global customer success, sales, and field operations (cyberark.com).
Additional Team Members
-
Omer Grossman: CTO, spearheading R&D initiatives (marketscreener.com).
-
Peretz Regev: CTO alongside Grossman, also leading engineering efforts (marketscreener.com).
πͺ Board of Directors
CyberArk’s board combines founding visionaries with seasoned business leaders:
-
Udi Mokady – Executive Chairman (cyberark.com)
-
Matt Cohen – CEO & Board Member (cyberark.com)
-
Gadi Tirosh – Lead Independent Director since 2013 (investors.cyberark.com)
-
Amnon Shoshani – Member since 2009; brings cybersecurity and entrepreneurial experience (cyberark.com)
-
Ronald Gutler and Kim Perdikou – Long-serving independent board members since 2014 (marketscreener.com)
-
FranΓ§ois Auque – Appointed 2019; seasoned technology executive (marketscreener.com)
-
Avril England – Joined 2021, bringing additional governance expertise (marketscreener.com)
-
Mary Yang – Added in November 2023; ex-Ciena strategy executive with experience in cybersecurity and EV sectors (businesswire.com)
π₯ Public Sector Advisory Board
This advisory group includes distinguished former military and government leaders—providing strategic counsel on government cybersecurity needs (cyberark.com).
π Analyst Ratings & Price Targets
-
Consensus Rating:
-
TipRanks identifies a “Strong Buy”, with 27 Buys / 1 Hold (zero Sells) across 28 analysts (tipranks.com).
-
MarketBeat shows 27 Buys, 1 Hold among 28 analysts .
-
TradingView and MarketScreener both classify the consensus as Strong Buy (stockanalysis.com).
Brokerage Average Ratings:
-
Nasdaq sum-up: 29 Strong Buys + 2 Buys = ABR of 1.13 on a 1–5 scale (nasdaq.com).
π― Price Targets & Upside Potential
Source Avg. Target Price Upside from ~$397 TipRanks (27 analysts) $448.35 ~+13% (tipranks.com) MarketScreener / Investing.com (38–idx) $438.07 ~+10% MarketBeat (28 analysts) $416.79 ~+5% StockAnalysis (33 analysts) $408.18 ~+3% TradingView (34 analysts) $445.91 ~+12% -
High-end targets cluster around $500, while low-end forecasts dip to $300–$380 (tipranks.com).
π Revenue & EPS Outlook
-
Q2 revenue estimate: ~$316 million (consistent with actual Q1 results) .
-
2025 revenue: ~$1.10 billion, representing ~20% YoY growth, ahead of sector average (~11%) .
-
EPS turnaround: Analysts expect losses of ~$0.09/share in 2025, shifting to +$0.52 in 2026, and $1.32 in 2027 (wallstreetzen.com).
⏳ Short-Term & Technical Indicators
-
Investors’ Business Daily (IBD): Named CyberArk a Stock to Watch—broke out of a bullish cup-with-handle base around $375, now pushing ~$400 mark (investors.com).
-
Institutional accumulation: Evidenced by strong fund ownership and favorable flow .
✅ Verdict: Analyst View
-
Overall tone: Strong Buy consensus with limited dissent.
-
Price upside: Analysts project a moderate 5–13% rise, with some bullish estimates up to +25% if CyberArk hits high-end targets.
-
Growth fundamentals support: With strong +20–50% ARR growth, expected EPS improvement, and high margins, analysts believe CyberArk is well positioned.
-
Risks highlighted: Premium valuation—current EV/Sales ~17×; potential upside tied to continued execution and margin expansion (stockanalysis.com).
π Summary
-
Strong Buy consensus: Overwhelming analyst support, nearly unanimous.
-
Moderate upside: Average targets suggest a +5–13% increase from current levels (~$400).
-
Bull case potential: Some anticipate gains up to +25% toward $500.
-
Tailwinds: Strong revenue, EPS recovery, and technical breakouts.
-
Caution: Valuation remains elevated; execution is key.
-
π― Bottom line: If you're looking for a cybersecurity stock with broad analyst support, CyberArk emerges as a clear choice. It carries a Strong Buy rating across the board, higher upside projections, and minimal dissent—making it the top-rated pick among these cybersecurity alternatives.
Better alternative than CyberArk?
Cybersecurity exchange traded funds (ETFs) may be the smartest way to invest in the cybersecurity sector. The industry is poised for long-term growth, offering a powerful combination of exposure and risk management. Where there is money, there is crime. Money is digital these days and value is stored in cloud servers and computers. Hackers and bad actors will continue pursuing an edge, now leveraging AI for their exploitative pursuits. This is expanding market opportunities for cybersecurity firms worldwide.
As cyber threats escalate and AI-powered attacks grow more sophisticated, demand for advanced security solutions is accelerating across governments, corporations, and critical infrastructure. ETFs like CIBR, HACK, and BUG allow investors to tap into this trend without having to pick the individual winner.
ETFs satisfy the #1 strategy in investing, which is diversification. Cybersecurity ETFs provide diversification across top cybersecurity firms, from software providers to identity security and cloud defense leaders. This not only reduces the risk of betting on a single company, but also positions investors to benefit from the broad-based rise of digital defense as a core pillar of the global economy.
Here are some of the most widely supported cybersecurity ETFs, offering broad exposure across the sector and favored by analysts and investors alike:
π Top Cybersecurity ETFs
1. First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR)
-
Tracks the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index with ~33 holdings (e.g. Broadcom, CrowdStrike, Cisco) (nasdaq.com)
-
AUM ~$7 billion; expense ratio ~0.59% (nasdaq.com)
-
Analysts rate it a Moderate Buy, average 12-month target
$82.6 (+14%) (tipranks.com)
2. Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (HACK)
-
One of the first cybersecurity ETFs since 2014; includes hardware, software, and services firms (investopedia.com)
-
AUM ~$1.8 billion; expense ~0.60% (etfdb.com)
-
YTD performance ~31% over the past year (barrons.com)
3. Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG)
-
Tracks companies with ≥50% revenues in cybersecurity (~22 holdings) (nasdaq.com)
-
Expense ratio ~0.51%, AUM ~$787 million (nasdaq.com)
-
YTD performance ~21%
4. iShares Cybersecurity & Tech ETF (IHAK)
-
Broader global mandate, ~37 holdings including CyberArk, Check Point, Booz Allen (etfdb.com)
-
Expense ratio ~0.47%, AUM ~$918 million (etfdb.com)
-
Delivered ~19% YTD
5. WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (WCBR)
-
Smaller fund with focused holdings, expense ~0.45%, AUM ~$17 million
-
YTD gain ~9%
π‘ Why These ETFs Are Well-Supported
-
All have sizeable AUM (CIBR & HACK over $1B), ensuring liquidity and stability
-
Offer diversified exposure across cybersecurity subsectors (hardware, software, services)
-
Attractive expense ratios (0.47–0.60%), in line with thematic ETFs
-
Strong recent performance: CIBR and HACK both up ~31%; BUG, IHAK, WCBR also showing solid gains (nerdwallet.com)
-
Frequent analyst recommendations, with CIBR labeled “Moderate Buy” by multiple sources
✅ Quick Comparison
ETF | AUM | Expense | YTD Return | Analyst View |
---|---|---|---|---|
CIBR | $7B | 0.59% | ~31% | Moderate Buy |
HACK | $1.8B | 0.60% | ~31% | Widely recommended |
BUG | $787M | 0.51% | ~21% | Positive momentum |
IHAK | $918M | 0.47% | ~19% | Global, broad scope |
WCBR | $17M | 0.45% | ~9% | Smaller focused fund |
π§ Final Thoughts
For broad, well-supported exposure to the cybersecurity sector with strong analyst backing, CIBR and HACK are standout choices. BUG and IHAK offer competitive value with slightly lower fees, while WCBR is a niche option for more targeted allocation.
Now you know it. Go get 'em. Make us proud.
www.creatix.one
Comments
Post a Comment