I buy the thesis, but not necessarily the price after a 14% jump.
AI creates a strong structural tailwind for cybersecurity. More autonomous agents mean more identities, endpoints, cloud workloads and attack surfaces to monitor. Security is also one of the harder IT budgets to cut when the threat itself is getting stronger.
But cybersecurity cannot simply replace the semiconductor trade. The addressable spending pool is much smaller, and after CRWD and PANW jumped 13%+ in one session, a lot of enthusiasm has been pulled forward.
So I would buy the theme, not chase the spike. CRWD and PANW are my preferred names on a pullback. The real confirmation comes when AI-security fears translate into sustained ARR growth, larger contracts and higher guidance.
More dangerous AI = more security spending? Yes. More dangerous AI = cybersecurity stocks worth buying at any valuation? No.
Comments