/AI%20(artificial%20intelligence)/Artificial%20intelligence%20and%20machine%20learning%20concept%20-%20by%20amgun%20via%20iStock.jpg)
As digital transformation marches ahead at full tilt, the call for ironclad cybersecurity has grown louder than ever. In response, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) has rolled out a formidable duo within its security operations center - Charlotte AI Agentic Response and Charlotte AI Agentic Workflows.
These latest additions fuse intelligent automation with seasoned cyber expertise, speeding up the detection, investigation, and response processes across its artificial intelligence (AI)-native SOC. Earlier, the company introduced Charlotte AI Agentic Detection Triage. Now, all three operate in concert, enabling autonomous reasoning and swift action across both first- and third-party data.
CrowdStrike further announced that its AI-native Falcon platform now stands as cybersecurity’s intelligent reasoning AI platform. Acting without human prompts and operating with bounded autonomy, it marks a bold new chapter for CRWD’s evolution in cyber defense. Here's a closer look at this leading cybersecurity stock.
About CrowdStrike Stock
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD), rooted in Austin, Texas, stands out in the cybersecurity arena with a market cap of $106.8 billion. Its unified platform, offered through a SaaS subscription, delivers robust cloud-based protection for endpoints, cloud workloads, identity, and data.
The company has recently sharpened its strategic lens, emphasizing advancements in AI-driven solutions while deepening its focus on cloud and SaaS security offerings.
Over the past 52 weeks, CRWD has enjoyed a powerful rally, climbing 46.6%. Year to date, the stock is up 25.3%, easily outperforming the broader equities market. But on March 4, reality gave the company a nudge.
After CRWD unveiled its fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter earnings, investor sentiment took a turn for the worse. The next trading day, its shares dropped over 6% due to guidance that did not quite measure up to the Street’s forecast.
Currently, CRWD trades at 124.85 times forward adjusted earnings and 22.3 times sales. While these figures tower over CrowdStrike's industry peers, both metrics represent a noticeable discount to their own five-year averages - suggesting CRWD shares aren't cheap, but they're also not as expensive as usual, either.
CrowdStrike Beats on Q4 Earnings
On March 4, CrowdStrike revealed its fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter earnings, surpassing Wall Street expectations. Revenue reached $1.06 billion, up 25.2% from the prior year and beating expectations of $1.03 billion.
A major engine behind this growth was subscription revenue, which soared 26.7% year over year to $1.01 billion. Meanwhile, annual recurring revenue (ARR) climbed to $4.24 billion, marking a 23% increase, with $224.3 million in net new ARR added during the quarter.
Non-GAAP earnings per share landed at $1.03, reflecting an 8.4% gain and comfortably surpassing the predicted $0.86. However, the GAAP figures painted a more sobering picture. The company reported a loss from operations of $85.3 million, reversing last year’s gain of $29.7 million.
Despite this, CrowdStrike delivered a strong fiscal year, with free cash flow rising 13.5% to $1.07 billion. Management expects net new ARR to pick up in the second half of fiscal 2026, alongside broader operating and free cash flow margins.
CrowdStrike issued fiscal 2026 revenue guidance of $4.74 billion to $4.81 billion. With a firm footing in AI and cloud security, management expects non-GAAP EPS between $3.33 and $3.45.
On average, analysts project CrowdStrike’s loss per share to widen by 171.4% year over year to $0.35 in fiscal 2026, reflecting pressure from rising investments. However, Wall Street expects a rebound to GAAP profitability the following year, with EPS projected at $0.17.
What Do Analysts Expect for CrowdStrike Stock?
Cantor Fitzgerald recently backed its bullish outlook on CRWD, maintaining an “Overweight” rating and setting the price target at $440.00. The firm pointed to the launch of new cybersecurity features and platform enhancements as clear signs of CrowdStrike’s steady commitment to innovation.
Most Wall Street analysts appear to be reading from the same playbook, as CRWD sports an overall rating of "Strong Buy." Out of 46 experts, 34 have assigned a “Strong Buy” rating, while three suggest a “Moderate Buy.” Eight recommend “Hold,” and only one carries a “Strong Sell.”
