Why is Palo Alto (PANW) up 10.2% since last earnings report?

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Palo Alto Networks. Shares have added about 10.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Palo Alto due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

How have estimates been moving since then?

It turns out, estimates review have trended upward during the past month.

VGM scores

At this time, Palo Alto has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the lowest quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Palo Alto has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an industry player

Palo Alto belongs to the Zacks Security industry. Another stock from the same industry, Qualys, has gained 1% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended March 2025.

Qualys reported revenues of $159.9 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +9.7%. EPS of $1.67 for the same period compares with $1.45 a year ago.

For the current quarter, Qualys is expected to post earnings of $1.47 per share, indicating a change of -3.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Qualys. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of C.

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