SentinelOne Inc. (S) reported third-quarter results Thursday that beat Wall Street's expectations, but the cybersecurity company's forward-looking guidance left investors wanting more.
The Numbers That Mattered
SentinelOne posted Q3 revenue of $258.91 million, edging past the consensus estimate of $257.7 million. The company also delivered adjusted earnings of 7 cents per share, topping analyst expectations of 5 cents per share.
The underlying growth story looks healthy. Total revenue climbed 23% year-over-year, while annualized recurring revenue (ARR) jumped 23% to hit $1.055 billion as of October 31. The company's customer base with ARR of $100,000 or more grew 20% to 1,572 customers, signaling continued traction with enterprise clients. SentinelOne ended the quarter sitting on $873.6 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments.
"Our third-quarter performance underscores the growing demand for our AI-native security platform that combines data, intelligence, and defense. Our early-mover advantage and approach for both AI for Security and Security for AI is resonating with customers," said CEO Tomer Weingarten.
The Guidance Problem
Here's where things got tricky. SentinelOne expects fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $271 million, which falls short of the $273.09 million analysts were anticipating. The company also tweaked its fiscal 2026 revenue guidance upward from a range of $998 million to $1.002 billion to a more precise $1.001 billion—still landing below the $1.002 billion consensus estimate.
Leadership Transition
Adding to the news, CFO Barbara Larson announced she'll step down in early 2026 to pursue an opportunity outside the cybersecurity industry. Chief Growth Officer Barry Padgett will serve as interim CFO while the company searches for a permanent replacement.
SentinelOne shares dropped 7.24% in after-hours trading to $15.75, according to market data. The company planned to discuss the results further during an earnings call at 4:30 p.m. ET.