Rising Cyber Threats: Why SentinelOne (S) Could Be a Breakout Cybersecurity Stock

Cyber threats continue to grow in scale and sophistication, affecting businesses, governments, and individuals worldwide. In 2024, high-profile cyberattacks on multinational corporations and critical infrastructure highlighted vulnerabilities in existing security systems. According to recent reports, ransomware attacks alone have surged, with some estimates suggesting that global damages from cybercrime could surpass $12 trillion by 2025. With this escalating threat landscape, cybersecurity spending is expected to remain a priority for both private and public sectors.

Governments worldwide are ramping up their cybersecurity investments. The U.S. government has allocated billions toward cybersecurity initiatives, reinforcing national infrastructure and protecting against emerging threats. Similarly, businesses are increasing their security budgets to defend against sophisticated cyber adversaries. This environment creates a favorable backdrop for cybersecurity firms, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to provide real-time protection against evolving threats.

SentinelOne’s AI-Driven Cybersecurity Solutions Gain Traction

SentinelOne, Inc. (S) is gaining industry attention with its AI-powered Singularity Platform, which offers real-time autonomous threat detection and response. Unlike traditional endpoint security solutions that rely on human intervention, SentinelOne’s technology uses machine learning to preemptively identify and neutralize threats before they cause damage. This proactive approach significantly reduces the time required to detect and mitigate cyber incidents, making it an attractive option for enterprises seeking efficiency and reliability in their security operations.

As cyber threats evolve, SentinelOne continues to innovate. Its introduction of Purple AI, an AI-powered security analyst, enhances its threat-hunting capabilities by automating alert triage and investigative processes. Additionally, the company has expanded its cloud security offerings with AI Security Posture Management (AI-SPM), providing organizations with enhanced visibility into AI deployments and mitigating risks associated with AI-driven systems. These advancements are positioning SentinelOne as a leader in next-generation cybersecurity solutions.

Recent Developments: Partnerships, Product Launches, and Market Positioning

SentinelOne is making strategic moves to expand its market presence. Its recent partnership with Lenovo will integrate the Singularity Platform and Purple AI into enterprise PCs, providing millions of businesses with advanced endpoint protection. This collaboration not only broadens SentinelOne’s reach but also reinforces its position as a key player in the endpoint security market.

The company has also secured significant government contracts, further cementing its credibility in the public sector. Achieving FedRAMP High certification enables SentinelOne to engage with U.S. federal agencies, unlocking new revenue streams and solidifying its reputation as a trusted cybersecurity provider. Additionally, SentinelOne has expanded its alliance with Amazon Web Services (AWS), allowing customers to deploy Purple AI on Amazon Bedrock. This integration strengthens SentinelOne’s cloud security offerings and provides customers with a scalable and efficient security solution.

Competitive positioning is another area where SentinelOne continues to shine. While it faces competition from industry heavyweights like CrowdStrike (CRWD) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW), SentinelOne’s emphasis on AI-driven automation differentiates it from rivals. Its approach minimizes the reliance on human analysts, enabling organizations to detect and mitigate threats at unprecedented speeds. This advantage is becoming increasingly valuable as enterprises prioritize efficiency and proactive threat management.

Financial Performance and Growth Potential

SentinelOne’s latest financial results highlight its growth trajectory. In Q3 FY2025, revenue grew 28% year-over-year to $211 million, demonstrating strong customer demand for its AI-driven security solutions. Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) increased by 29%, reaching $860 million, reflecting its expanding customer base and consistent contract renewals. Notably, the number of customers with an ARR of $100,000 or more rose by 24% to 1,310, indicating strong traction among enterprise clients.

The company has also made significant strides in improving its margins. Its non-GAAP gross margin reached 80%, up from 79% in the previous year, and its non-GAAP operating margin improved to -5% from -11%. Furthermore, SentinelOne reported positive free cash flow on a trailing twelve-month basis for the first time, a milestone that underscores its progress toward sustainable profitability. With cash, cash equivalents, and investments totaling $1.1 billion as of October 2024, SentinelOne is well-positioned to continue investing in growth initiatives while maintaining financial stability.

Institutional investors have taken note of SentinelOne’s strong performance and growth potential. Major asset managers, including BlackRock and Vanguard, have increased their positions in the stock, signaling confidence in the company’s long-term outlook. As demand for AI-driven cybersecurity solutions grows, SentinelOne stands to benefit from favorable market dynamics and increasing enterprise adoption.

Risks and Challenges

Despite its promising trajectory, SentinelOne faces certain challenges. The cybersecurity industry is highly competitive, with major players such as CrowdStrike, Microsoft (MSFT), and Palo Alto Networks continuously enhancing their offerings. SentinelOne must sustain its innovation momentum to maintain a competitive edge and expand its market share.

Market volatility is another factor to consider. Growth stocks, including SentinelOne, remain sensitive to macroeconomic conditions such as interest rate changes and broader market fluctuations. Investors should be mindful of external economic factors that could influence stock performance in the near term.

Additionally, while SentinelOne has made significant progress toward profitability, it remains in the growth phase and has yet to achieve sustained profitability. Investors should closely monitor its financial performance and operational efficiency in the coming quarters to assess its long-term viability.

Investment Outlook: Buy or Watch?

SentinelOne’s strong revenue growth, expanding market presence, and AI-driven innovations make it a compelling investment opportunity. Its ability to secure high-value partnerships and government contracts, coupled with improving financial metrics, positions it well for continued expansion. For investors with a long-term perspective, SentinelOne presents an attractive buying opportunity, particularly during market pullbacks.

However, for those with a lower risk tolerance, a wait-and-see approach may be prudent. Monitoring its path to sustained profitability and assessing its ability to navigate competitive pressures could provide additional clarity before making an investment decision. As cybersecurity remains a top priority for enterprises and governments alike, SentinelOne’s prospects remain bright, making it a stock worth watching closely.

CPI Readings – The Market’s Blight

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has become the most influential and critical variable in today's market. The CPI readings directly impact monetary policy put forth by Federal Reserve via interest rate hikes, bond buying, and liquidity measures.

Inflation continues to be persistent throughout the economy and the Federal Reserve must balance curtailing inflation without destroying the economy. The impact of inflation is now flowing through to companies and consumers alike. Inflation has reared its ugly head and is now negatively impacting companies' gross margins and dampening consumer demand due to soaring prices, specifically gasoline.

The confluence of rising interest rates, inflation, China Covid lockdowns and the war in Ukraine has resulted in months of selling. The relentless, indiscriminate selling has pushed the Dow Jones and S&P 500 deep into correction territory while pushing the Nasdaq deep into a bear market.

As such, the market appears to be factoring in a worst-case scenario that may result in a Federal Reserve induced recession as a function of over-tightening on monetary policy and/or its inability to combat inflation responsibly to engineer an economic "soft landing". The overall market is in a precarious position, and it'll likely take successive downward CPI readings before rates will stabilize and the markets can appreciate higher.

Inflation – 40-Year Highs

Inflation pushed higher in May as prices rose 8.6% from a year ago for the fastest increase in nearly 40 years. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, core CPI was up 6%.

Both CPI and core CPI exceeded estimates and came in hotter than expected. Surging costs for shelter, gasoline and food prices all contributed to the increase. The latest CPI numbers cast doubt that inflation may have peaked, adding to fears that the U.S. economy is nearing a recession.

The CPI report comes at a time when the Federal Reserve is in the early stages of a rate-hiking campaign to slow growth and bring down prices. May's report likely locks in multiple 50 basis point interest rate increases ahead. With 75 basis points of rate rises already put in place, markets widely expect the Fed to continue tightening through 2022 and likely into 2023.

Target and Walmart Harbinger

Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT) warned that profits would take a hit from an inventory glut. Microsoft (MSFT) also issued a profit warning and said that revenue would be softer than expected due to unfavorable foreign exchange rates. Strategists say they expect to see more companies issuing profit warnings.

Inventories at some retailers have been building, as consumer demand shifted to different categories as Covid cases fell and consumers returned to social events and other activities. Higher costs also play a role, especially as consumers are pinched by record-high gasoline and rising food prices.

These profit warnings are two-fold:

1) margins will be squeezed by reduced demand and a stronger dollar
2) this may signal the peak of the inflation cycle via inventory glut and rising interest rates.

The former will take time to flow through quarterly earnings, while the latter may finally spur this bear market.

The Importance of CPI

The CPI is an important economic readout as this is a measure of price changes in a basket of consumer goods and services used to identify periods of inflation. Mild inflation can encourage economic growth and stimulate business investment and expansion.

High inflation reduces the buying power of the dollar and can reduce demand for goods and services. High inflation also drives interest rates higher while driving bond prices lower. By comparing the current cost of buying a basket of goods with the cost of buying the same basket a year ago indicates changes in the cost of living.

Thus, the CPI figure measures the rate of increase or decrease in a broad range of prices (i.e. food, housing, transportation, medical care, clothing, electricity, entertainment and services). As CPI numbers rage on and remain elevated, the Federal Reserve must act aggressively to tame inflation.

The CPI readings will become even more important moving forward and have directly impacted market movements and overall sentiment. These CPI reports are becoming more significant as the more robust CPI readings will translate into a stronger influence on the Federal Reserve's monetary policies and downstream interest rate hikes.

The Federal Reserve has reached an inflection point to where they were forced to curtail their stimulative easy monetary policies as inflation, unemployment and overall economy improved. Investors can expect increased volatility as these critically important CPI reports continue to be released through the remainder of 2022.

Conclusion

Inflation pushed higher in May as prices rose 8.6% from a year ago for the fastest increase in nearly 40 years. Both CPI and core CPI exceeded estimates and came in hotter than expected. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has become the most influential and critical variable in today's market. The CPI readings directly impact monetary policy put forth by Federal Reserve via interest rate hikes, bond buying, and liquidity measures. The impact of inflation is now flowing through to companies and consumers, with Target and Walmart issuing profit warnings.

The confluence of rising interest rates, inflation, China Covid lockdowns and the war in Ukraine has resulted in months of selling. The relentless, indiscriminate selling has pushed the Dow Jones and S&P 500 deep into correction territory while pushing the Nasdaq deep into a bear market.

As such, the market appears to be factoring in a worst-case scenario that may result in a Federal Reserve induced recession as a function of over-tightening on monetary policy and/or its inability to combat inflation responsibly to engineer an economic "soft landing". The overall market is in a precarious position, and it'll likely take successive downward CPI readings before rates will stabilize and the markets can appreciate higher.

However, these profit warnings' silver lining may signal the inflation cycle's peak via an inventory glut and rising interest rates. If this signals that inflation has peaked, then rates may normalize, and the market can appreciate higher over the long term.

Disclosure: Stock Options Dad LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) firm specializing in options-based services and education. There are no business relationships with any companies mentioned in this article. This article reflects the opinions of the RIA. Any recommendation contained in this article is subject to change at any time. No recommendation is intended to constitute an entire portfolio. The author encourages all investors to conduct their own research and due diligence prior to investing or taking any actions in options trading. Please feel free to comment and provide feedback; the author values all responses. The author is the founder and Managing Member of Stock Options Dad LLC – A Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) firm www.stockoptionsdad.com defining risk, leveraging a minimal amount of capital and maximizing return on investment. For more engaging, short-duration options-based content, visit Stock Options Dad LLC’s YouTube channel. Please direct all inquires to

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. The author holds shares of AAPL, ACN, ADBE, AMD, AMZN, ARKK, AXP, BA, BBY, C, CMG, CRM, DIA, DIS, FB, FDX, FXI, GOOGL, GS, HD, HON, IBB, INTC, IWM, JPM, MA, MS, MSFT, NKE, NVDA, PYPL, QCOM, QQQ, SBUX, SPY, SQ, TMO, and V.

Tech Earnings On Tap - Priced For Perfection?

Tech stocks continue to appreciate regardless of any ebb and flow in the COVID-19 backdrop or the prospect of rising interest rates. Albeit there was a minor sell-off in late February as a function of rising interest rates that has been quickly erased. Tech underpins the stay-at-home economy and the so-called back-to-normal economy. And now more than ever, technology serves as an integral part of every slice of the economy. These stocks have remained strong despite the massive rotation into value stocks throughout 2021. Considering many of these names have appreciated since their February lows and breaking through their 52-week highs, these large-cap tech companies are priced for perfection heading into earnings. Stocks such as Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and the broader index Powershares (QQQ) have appreciated double digits over a two-week period as we head into earnings.

The Value Rotation and Roaring Tech

The market has witnessed a massive sea change as the large-scale vaccination efforts in the US is coming to fruition. The Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq have rallied to all-time highs while recovery and value names have recaptured more of their lost market capitalization due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, many technology stocks that powered the market higher in the initial stages of this post-COVID-19 rally have stalled out early in 2021 to now rip higher as well. Once the value rotation began, many high-quality technology names fell from their highs and have traded sideways since their highs back in September. Now tech participation has been a major driver to propel the markets even higher and to even more lofty levels. Continue reading "Tech Earnings On Tap - Priced For Perfection?"

Update: GOOG, MSFT the Trade Triangles Got It Right Again

Yes, our Trade Triangles got it right again!
After earning announcement and after hours trading:
We were neutral on Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) coming into earning + .47% in after hours trading.
We were long Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) coming into earning + 2.29% in after hours trading.

 

PUBLISHED @ 2pm EST: In today's Trade School video, we're going to share with you exactly how we are positioned before Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) announce their first quarter earnings after the bell.

I will be analyzing both Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) with our market-proven Trade Triangle technology and will show you every trade since the beginning of the year.

I will share with you how you could have systematically made money in both stocks using a certain combination of our Trade Triangle technology. This approach has produced some very positive results for thousands of stocks and can be easily adapted for your own trading.

In this short x minute video on Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), I will show you how important a systematic approach can be to your bottom line.

Thanking you in advance for watching this video.

Adam Hewison
President, INO.com
Co-Creator, MarketClub

Google, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM all reported earnings. How did you do?

Google, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM all reported earnings after the bell...

Here were our positions going into the earnings reports based on MarketClub's Trade Triangle technology:

Google (GOOG) = SIDELINES
Microsoft (MSFT) = LONG
Intel (INTC) = LONG
IBM (IBM) = SIDELINES

Using our recommended approach of Continue reading "Google, Microsoft, Intel, and IBM all reported earnings. How did you do?"