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Palo Alto Networks Tops Q1 Earnings and Buys AI Observability Firm, Stock Falls Anyway

MarketDash Editorial Team
18 days ago
Palo Alto Networks delivered solid first-quarter results for fiscal 2026 and announced an acquisition to bolster its AI capabilities, but investors weren't impressed as shares tumbled in after-hours trading.

Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW) reported first-quarter financial results for fiscal 2026 after Wednesday's closing bell, and while the numbers looked good on paper, the market had other ideas about where the stock should go.

The Quarter in Numbers

Palo Alto brought in $2.47 billion in revenue for the first quarter, edging past analyst expectations of $2.46 billion. Adjusted earnings hit 93 cents per share, beating the 89 cents per share consensus estimate. Total revenue climbed 16% year-over-year, a respectable showing for a company of this size.

The more interesting growth came from the company's next-generation security offerings. Annual recurring revenue in that segment surged 29% year-over-year to $5.9 billion. Remaining performance obligations, which give you a sense of future revenue already locked in, grew 24% year-over-year to $15.5 billion. The company closed the quarter sitting on approximately $3.07 billion in cash and cash equivalents.

Making Moves in the AI Space

Beyond the quarterly numbers, Palo Alto announced it's acquiring Chronosphere, a next-generation observability platform built specifically to scale with AI workloads. The deal is meant to strengthen the company's ability to help organizations build unified data and security foundations, which is increasingly important as everyone rushes to implement AI systems.

"Our strong start to the fiscal year was marked by excellent results across all metrics, and significant platformization wins," said Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks.

"Our robust innovation engine, paired with the strategic acquisitions of CyberArk and Chronosphere, positions us as the data and security partner of choice in the AI era," Arora added.

Looking Ahead

For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Palo Alto expects revenue between $2.57 billion and $2.59 billion, right in line with the analyst consensus of $2.575 billion. Adjusted earnings are expected to land between 93 cents and 95 cents per share, compared to estimates of 93 cents per share.

The company also bumped up its full-year guidance. Revenue for fiscal 2026 is now expected to come in between $10.50 billion and $10.54 billion, up from previous guidance of $10.48 billion to $10.53 billion. Analysts had been modeling $10.51 billion. Full-year adjusted earnings guidance got a lift too, moving from a range of $3.75 to $3.85 per share to a new range of $3.80 to $3.90 per share, versus estimates of $3.81 per share.

Board Changes

On the governance front, Palo Alto announced that Mary Pat McCarthy is retiring from the company's board, effective January 23, 2026. Mark Goodburn has been appointed to take her place.

Company executives were scheduled to discuss the quarter in more detail on an earnings call at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Market Reaction

Despite the beat on earnings and revenue plus raised guidance, Palo Alto shares fell 5.70% in after-hours trading to $188.50 at the time of publication on Wednesday. Sometimes the market wants more than just good news—it wants great news.

Back to News

Palo Alto Networks Tops Q1 Earnings and Buys AI Observability Firm, Stock Falls Anyway

MarketDash Editorial Team
18 days ago
Palo Alto Networks delivered solid first-quarter results for fiscal 2026 and announced an acquisition to bolster its AI capabilities, but investors weren't impressed as shares tumbled in after-hours trading.

Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW) reported first-quarter financial results for fiscal 2026 after Wednesday's closing bell, and while the numbers looked good on paper, the market had other ideas about where the stock should go.

The Quarter in Numbers

Palo Alto brought in $2.47 billion in revenue for the first quarter, edging past analyst expectations of $2.46 billion. Adjusted earnings hit 93 cents per share, beating the 89 cents per share consensus estimate. Total revenue climbed 16% year-over-year, a respectable showing for a company of this size.

The more interesting growth came from the company's next-generation security offerings. Annual recurring revenue in that segment surged 29% year-over-year to $5.9 billion. Remaining performance obligations, which give you a sense of future revenue already locked in, grew 24% year-over-year to $15.5 billion. The company closed the quarter sitting on approximately $3.07 billion in cash and cash equivalents.

Making Moves in the AI Space

Beyond the quarterly numbers, Palo Alto announced it's acquiring Chronosphere, a next-generation observability platform built specifically to scale with AI workloads. The deal is meant to strengthen the company's ability to help organizations build unified data and security foundations, which is increasingly important as everyone rushes to implement AI systems.

"Our strong start to the fiscal year was marked by excellent results across all metrics, and significant platformization wins," said Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks.

"Our robust innovation engine, paired with the strategic acquisitions of CyberArk and Chronosphere, positions us as the data and security partner of choice in the AI era," Arora added.

Looking Ahead

For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Palo Alto expects revenue between $2.57 billion and $2.59 billion, right in line with the analyst consensus of $2.575 billion. Adjusted earnings are expected to land between 93 cents and 95 cents per share, compared to estimates of 93 cents per share.

The company also bumped up its full-year guidance. Revenue for fiscal 2026 is now expected to come in between $10.50 billion and $10.54 billion, up from previous guidance of $10.48 billion to $10.53 billion. Analysts had been modeling $10.51 billion. Full-year adjusted earnings guidance got a lift too, moving from a range of $3.75 to $3.85 per share to a new range of $3.80 to $3.90 per share, versus estimates of $3.81 per share.

Board Changes

On the governance front, Palo Alto announced that Mary Pat McCarthy is retiring from the company's board, effective January 23, 2026. Mark Goodburn has been appointed to take her place.

Company executives were scheduled to discuss the quarter in more detail on an earnings call at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Market Reaction

Despite the beat on earnings and revenue plus raised guidance, Palo Alto shares fell 5.70% in after-hours trading to $188.50 at the time of publication on Wednesday. Sometimes the market wants more than just good news—it wants great news.