ZS AI Stock Analysis – Buy, Hold, or Avoid?

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Zscaler, Inc. (ZS)

Fundamentals

Essentia
Essentia
Fundamental Analysis
BEARISH

Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) is a cloud security leader that operates in a fast-evolving sector, but recent financial performance and market dynamics indicate significant volatility and challenges. A wide disparity between its growth ambitions and realized profitability, coupled with current valuation pressures, underscores a complex investment case for ZS.

Financial Highlights

Q4 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025Q4 2025-$300.0M$0$300.0M$600.0M$900.0MRevenue & Net Income ($)-4.4%-3.3%-2.2%-1.1%0%Net Margin (%)
  • Revenue
  • Net Income
  • Net Margin (%)

Revenue

$815.75M

25.91% YoY

Q4 2025

Net Income

-$34.31M

-344.23% YoY

Q4 2025

Net Margin

-4.21%

Q4 2025

Growth Metrics

Revenue Growth YoY

25.91%

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Net Income Growth YoY

-344.23%

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Revenue Per Share Growth YoY

21.17%

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

EPS Growth YoY

-317.50%

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Book Value Per Share Growth YoY

31.48%

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

 Q4 2025Q3 2025Q2 2025Q1 2025Q4 2024Q3 2024Q2 2024Q1 2024
Revenue815.8M788.1M719.2M678.0M647.9M628.0M592.9M553.2M
Revenue Growth YoY+25.91%+25.50%+21.31%+22.57%+23.41%+26.42%+30.30%+32.09%
Net Income-34.3M-11.6M-17.6M-4.1M-7.7M-12.1M-14.9M19.1M
Net Income Growth YoY-344.23%+3.62%-18.15%-121.57%+72.87%+64.01%+51.50%+141.53%
EPS-$0.21-$0.07-$0.11-$0.03-$0.05-$0.08-$0.10$0.13
EPS Growth YoY-317.50%+11.39%-10.55%-120.46%+73.53%+65.65%+52.62%+140.63%

Profitability Metrics

Gross Margin

76.55%

TTM

Operating Margin

-6.35%

TTM

Net Margin

-4.21%

TTM

Return on Equity

-3.48%

TTM

Return on Assets

-1.22%

TTM

 Q4 2025Q3 2025Q2 2025Q1 2025Q4 2024Q3 2024Q2 2024Q1 2024
Gross Margin76.55%76.56%76.14%77.01%77.09%77.34%77.94%78.47%
Operating Margin-6.35%-4.61%-4.48%-3.31%-5.71%-5.08%-4.33%-0.80%
Net Margin-4.21%-1.47%-2.44%-0.61%-1.19%-1.92%-2.51%3.46%
Return on Equity (ROE)-1.56%-0.59%-0.98%-0.23%-0.48%-0.84%-1.17%1.75%
Return on Assets (ROA)-0.62%-0.22%-0.30%-0.08%-0.17%-0.28%-0.35%0.52%

Technical Analysis

Candela
Candela
Technical Analysis
BEARISH

Technical indicator data for ZS is currently unavailable, limiting the depth of quantitative technical analysis. However, based on recent price action around $118 with a significant volume spike and broader price context, the stock appears to be in a corrective phase after a sharp downtrend from its 52-week high near $337. Traders should watch key support and resistance zones closely for signs of trend reversal or continuation.

RSI
Buy
Oversold27

Potential bounce ahead

03070100
Trend
Sell
Strong Downtrend

Price in downtrend

-52.1% from 200 SMA
ADX
Buy
Strong Trend31

Strong trend active

Strong
MA Cross
Sell
Below 50/200

50 below 200 - bearish

50
200

Key Technical Values

Price
$118.05
50 SMA
$157.33
150 SMA
$233.20
200 SMA
$246.60
52W High
$336.99
52W Low
$114.63

Price with Moving Averages

50-day, 150-day and 200-day simple moving averages

Price
50 SMA
150 SMA
200 SMA

Relative Strength Index

Momentum oscillator measuring speed and magnitude of price changes

RSI (14)

≤30 Oversold
≥70 Overbought
27Oversold

Earnings

Essentia
Essentia
Fundamental Analysis
BEARISH

Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) is a cloud security leader that operates in a fast-evolving sector, but recent financial performance and market dynamics indicate significant volatility and challenges. A wide disparity between its growth ambitions and realized profitability, coupled with current valuation pressures, underscores a complex investment case for ZS.

Latest Earnings

Q4 2025 Earnings (Jan 31, 2026)

Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Beat

Actual

$1.01

Estimated

$0.89

Surprise

+$0.12

Surprise %

+12.98%

Revenue

Beat

Actual

$815.75M

Estimated

$798.33M

Surprise

+$17.42M

Surprise %

+2.18%

Historical Earnings

 Q4 2025Q3 2025Q2 2025Q1 2025Q4 2024Q3 2024Q2 2024Q1 2024
Earnings Per Share
EPS (Actual)$1.01$0.96$0.89$0.84$0.78$0.77$0.88$0.88
EPS (Estimated)$0.89$0.86$0.80$0.75$0.69$0.63$0.70$0.66
EPS Surprise+$0.12+$0.10+$0.09+$0.09+$0.09+$0.14+$0.18+$0.22
% Diff+13.0%+12.1%+11.2%+11.7%+13.5%+22.2%+25.0%+33.9%
Revenue
Revenue (Actual)$815.75M$788.11M$719.23M$678.03M$647.9M$627.96M$592.87M$553.2M
Revenue (Estimated)$798.33M$773.28M$706.94M$666.46M$634.38M$605.51M$567.46M$536.12M
Revenue Surprise+$17.42M+$14.83M+$12.28M+$11.58M+$13.52M+$22.44M+$25.4M+$17.08M
% Diff+2.2%+1.9%+1.7%+1.7%+2.1%+3.7%+4.5%+3.2%

Valuation

Valorem
Valorem
Valuation Analysis
FAIRLY VALUED

Zscaler (ZS) presents a complex valuation scenario with premium market multiples juxtaposed against ongoing profitability challenges. While the stock trades significantly below its 52-week highs amidst bearish technical signals, strong revenue growth and favorable analyst price targets suggest robust longer-term potential. The company appears moderately undervalued relative to its growth prospects when compared to sector peers, but risks remain considerable due to high valuation multiples and competitive pressures.

Valuation Metrics

Price to Earnings

-278.73

TTM

Price to Sales

6.32

TTM

Price to Book

8.58

TTM

Enterprise Value to EBITDA

142.65

TTM

Enterprise Value to Revenue

6.55

TTM

 Q4 2025Q3 2025Q2 2025Q1 2025Q4 2024Q3 2024Q2 2024Q1 2024
Price to Earnings-232.70-1130.38-635.58-2123.38-1007.65-572.17-450.80339.77
Price to Sales39.1566.6462.1351.6748.0543.9245.2546.98
Price to Book14.5426.4924.8419.4119.3719.3121.0623.78
Enterprise Value to EBITDA1124.871513.071270.87879.112114.541124.311156.99586.13
Enterprise Value to Revenue39.9667.2761.3150.5547.2543.4244.9446.94

Sentiment & Analyst Ratings

Pulse
Pulse
Sentiment Analysis
MIXED

Zscaler (ZS) exhibits a mixed to cautiously optimistic sentiment profile amid significant volatility and valuation pressures. While recent competition and growth moderation concerns have caused price softness, strong analyst buy ratings and positive long-term growth expectations, particularly around AI security, suggest underlying confidence in the stock's prospects. Social investor sentiment is divided, influenced by both positive fundamentals and fears around AI-driven industry disruption.

Analyst Recommendations

As of Apr 1, 2026
Strong SellSellHoldBuyStrong Buy
Buy
4.0 / 5.0
Based on 49 analyst ratings
Strong Sell
0
Sell
0
Hold
9
Buy
32
Strong Buy
8

Risk Assessment

Sentinel
Sentinel
Risk Assessment
HIGH

Zscaler demonstrates solid liquidity with ample short-term asset coverage and a moderate leverage profile, reflecting a balanced capital structure. However, the company faces notable operational risks emerging from the evolving cybersecurity landscape, particularly AI-driven threats and intensifying competition, which could pressure future earnings and growth sustainability.

Liquidity & Solvency

Current Ratio

1.90

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Quick Ratio

1.90

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Debt-to-Equity

0.85

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

Debt-to-Assets

0.28

Latest Quarter: Q4 2025

 Q4 2025Q3 2025Q2 2025Q1 2025Q4 2024Q3 2024Q2 2024Q1 2024
Liquidity Metrics
Current Ratio1.901.822.011.241.201.151.091.75
Quick Ratio1.901.822.011.241.201.151.091.75
Solvency Metrics
Debt-to-Equity0.850.931.000.680.770.870.971.13
Debt-to-Assets0.280.280.280.230.250.260.260.29

Liquidity Assessment

Current Ratio: 1.90(Strong)

Quick Ratio: 1.90(Strong)

The company has strong liquidity with sufficient short-term assets to cover liabilities.

Solvency Assessment

Debt-to-Equity: 0.85(Moderate)

Debt-to-Assets: 0.28(Low)

The company maintains a balanced capital structure with manageable debt levels.

Frequently Asked Questions about ZS

AI Answers: Common Questions About ZS

Get AI-powered answers to the questions investors ask most about Zscaler, Inc.

ZS is not a good buy right now for most investors: the stock trades at $118.05, near its 52-week low of $114.63 and far below its high of $336.99, reflecting persistent negative margins (P/E -274.53), slowing growth, and bearish technicals. While the long-term opportunity is compelling, the risk of further downside is elevated unless profitability improves or technicals stabilize.

Short-term traders should consider selling or reducing exposure given the strong downtrend, high volume on declines, and lack of reversal signals. Long-term holders may choose to hold if they believe in the secular cloud security story, but should monitor for further earnings misses or technical breakdowns below $114 support.

The biggest risks are ongoing operating losses (net and operating margins deeply negative), intensifying competition from peers like Cloudflare and Netskope, and high volatility (beta ~1.49) that could amplify losses if sector sentiment worsens. Debt is moderate (debt/equity ~0.85), but negative interest coverage and reliance on growth to justify valuation remain concerns.

Technical support is near $114.60, with downside risk to $110 or even $105 if selling persists; resistance is at $125-$135. Analyst median price targets are much higher (~$225), but these assume operational improvement and a reversal of current trends, which is not yet evident.

ZS is fairly valued relative to its growth profile, trading at high P/S and EV/EBITDA multiples that reflect investor optimism about future earnings. However, the negative P/E (-274.53) and ongoing losses mean the valuation premium is only justified if profitability improves; otherwise, multiples could compress further.

Fundamentally, ZS is strong in market position and revenue growth (historically >20% YoY), but weak in profitability, with negative margins, repeated earnings misses, and slowing sequential growth. Liquidity is solid (current ratio ~1.9), but the path to positive earnings remains unclear.

Technically, ZS is in a pronounced downtrend with high volume selling and no clear reversal; support is at $114.60, and a break below could trigger further declines. Momentum is negative, and the stock is likely below all key moving averages, signaling continued bearishness.

Key catalysts include upcoming earnings reports (potential for margin improvement or further misses), new product launches (especially in AI security), and macro events affecting IT spending. Watch for signs of operational turnaround or stabilization in technicals before considering new positions.

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