Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Stock Just Hit a Record High. Is It Still a Buy?

TLDR

• Palo Alto Networks stock hit an all-time high of 399.03 USD on Wednesday.
• Shares are up 92% over the past year and 142% over six months.
• Q4 fiscal 2026 revenue came in at 3.41 billion USD, up 34% year over year.
• Analysts hold a “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of 390.47 USD, some as high as 475 USD.
• Insiders sold roughly 20.8 million USD in stock over the past three months.

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Palo Alto Networks stock touched a fresh all-time high this week, trading as high as 399.95 USD before settling near 399.03 USD. The cybersecurity company closed the prior session at 388.41 USD, meaning the move added a solid chunk of value in a single trading day.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc., PANW

The stock is now sitting just 1% below its 52-week high. Zoom out further and the numbers get even more eye-catching.

Over the past year, PANW is up 92%. Over just the last six months, it has returned 142%.

That run has been fueled by a strong earnings report. The company posted fiscal Q4 2026 revenue of 3.41 billion USD, beating consensus estimates by 1.8%.

Adjusted earnings per share came in at 1.02 USD, topping the 0.98 USD analysts had expected. Revenue was up 34% from the same quarter last year.

Wall Street Stays Bullish

Analysts have largely stayed positive on the stock following the print. MarketBeat data shows 38 Buy ratings against just 12 Hold ratings, adding up to a “Moderate Buy” consensus.

The average price target sits at 390.47 USD, though several firms are aiming higher. Wells Fargo set a target of 475 USD, while Capital One and Cantor Fitzgerald both landed at 428 and 425 USD respectively.

BTIG also raised its target to 425 USD from 404 USD, keeping a Buy rating intact. Wedbush started coverage with an outperform rating and a 400 USD target, adding PANW to its Best Ideas List.

Not everyone is fully convinced the stock is cheap here, though. InvestingPro’s fair value model flags the stock as overvalued at current levels, even with 34 analysts revising earnings estimates upward for the coming period.

Insider Selling Ticks Up

Despite the rally, some insiders have been trimming their positions. Director John Key sold 2,500 shares on September 14th at an average price of 376.03 USD, a 20% cut to his stake.

EVP Dipak Golechha sold a larger block on September 24th, offloading 27,500 shares at 391.60 USD. That sale reduced his position by nearly 19%.

In total, insiders have sold about 20.8 million USD worth of stock over the past three months. Corporate insiders still hold 1.40% of the company.

Institutional investors remain heavily involved, owning nearly 80% of shares outstanding. Several funds added to their positions last quarter.

State Street grew its stake by 4.2%, now holding almost 37 million shares worth over 12.6 billion USD. QRG Capital Management boosted its position by nearly 21%.

The stock is trading well above both its 50-day moving average of 357.81 USD and its 200-day moving average of 280.72 USD. Market cap now stands at roughly 330 billion USD.

Palo Alto Networks has guided for fiscal 2027 EPS between 4.160 and 4.190, with Q1 guidance set at 0.960 to 0.980. The company’s next quarterly report will be the first real test of whether this momentum can continue.