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Investors heaved a collective sigh late Thursday, relieved that a slowdown in network security spending didn’t batter Palo Alto Networks ( PANW ), which delivered view-crushing fiscal Q2 earnings on its simplified platform approach. Midday on the stock market today , Palo Alto Networks stock was up 2%, near 143, after earlier rising as much as 9.7%. IBD’s 41-company Computer Software-Security industry group rose as much as 4% in early trading Friday. For its fiscal second quarter ended Jan. 31, Palo Alto reported 40 cents earnings per share ex items on $334.7 million in sales, up 110.5% and 54%, respectively, vs. the year-earlier quarter. Both metrics topped the consensus view for 39 cents and $318.3 million. Sales and EPS growth, however, decelerated for the second consecutive quarter. Billings Surge To Undercut EPS During Q2, Palo Alto reported record billings growth of 62% year over year to $459 million, vs. consensus expectation for $417 million, Needham analyst Scott Zeller wrote in a research report. Zeller maintained his buy rating but cut his price target on Palo Alto Networks stock to 171 from 202. Palo Alto Networks isn’t a “fad” in security, but the company will likely face some challenges in continuing billings acceleration, he wrote. Billings accelerated on 2,000 added customers and a 68% jump in subscription sales to $84.3 million. But Palo Alto Networks is a “victim of its own success,” Pacific Crest analyst Rob Owens wrote in a report. Palo Alto Networks cut its fiscal 2016 operating margin guidance to 18%-19% vs. earlier views for 22%-25%, noting commissions on subscription sales will impact sales-and-marketing expenses. Those expenses jumped by $16 million sequentially in Q2. “The upshot is strong free cash flow and free cash flow margin,” Owens wrote. The company expects 40% free cash flow margin in Q3, suggesting fiscal 2016 free cash flow should reach $730 million, according to Zeller. ‘Go-To’ Broad Purchase Current-quarter guidance for $335 million-$339 million in sales topped Wall Street views for $334.9 million. But the EPS outlook for 41-42 cents missed analysts’ consensus forecast for 45 cents. Sales and EPS would be up 44% and 80%, respectively, at the midpoints of Palo Alto Networks’ guidance and are expected to decelerate for the third consecutive quarter. Yet Palo Alto Networks’ Q2 sales increased by 50%-plus for the seventh consecutive quarter, and billings surged to the highest point in 11 straight quarters, amid concerns of a slowdown in security spending. A “paradigm shift” from legacy systems is buoying Palo Alto Networks, CEO Mark McLaughlin told analysts on the company’s earnings conference call late Thursday. He sees Palo Alto Networks taking share from Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), Check Point Software Technology ( CHKP ), Fortinet ( FTNT ) and Juniper Networks ( JNPR ). Some analysts tend to agree . “I think it’s very obvious we’re taking share from everyone in the space,” McLaughlin said. William Blair analyst Jonathan Ho sees Palo Alto Networks as on track to become the largest pure-play cybersecurity company. Currently, Check Point and Symantec ( SYMC ) have a narrow lead with $14.8 billion and $12.7 billion market values, respectively, to Palo Alto Networks’ $12.6 billion. Blair maintained his outperform rating on Palo Alto Networks stock. “Palo Alto continues to gain market share behind what we believe is flawless execution,” Piper Jaffray analyst Andrew Nowinski wrote in a report. Nowinski retained his overweight rating and 208 price target on Palo Alto Networks. The company’s platform vision is beginning to bear fruit, Zeller wrote. “Platform (is) an overused term, but it’s key to why we hear Palo Alto continues to grow 60%-plus (in billings) as others decelerate,” he wrote. “In an environment where there was much anxiousness about buying the point-solution of the moment, Palo Alto has crafted a position as the ‘go-to’ broad purchase for re-architecting security.” Image provided by Shutterstock . Scalper1 News
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