ZS AI Stock Analysis – Buy, Hold, or Avoid?
Zscaler, Inc. (ZS)
Fundamentals
Zscaler, Inc. is demonstrating strong revenue growth and improving profitability with a clear transition towards positive EPS and incremental operating income improvements. Despite continuing net losses, Zscaler’s expanding gross margins and increasing revenue highlight resilience in its cloud security platform business, positioning it well for scaling and long-term value creation.
Financial Highlights
- Revenue
- Net Income
- Net Margin (%)
Revenue
25.43% YoY
Q1 2026
Net Income
-236.56% YoY
Q1 2026
Net Margin
Q1 2026
Growth Metrics
Revenue Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Net Income Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Revenue Per Share Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
EPS Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Book Value Per Share Growth YoY
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 850.5M | 815.8M | 788.1M | 719.2M | 678.0M | 647.9M | 628.0M | 592.9M |
| Revenue Growth YoY | +25.43% | +25.91% | +25.50% | +21.31% | +22.57% | +23.41% | +26.42% | +30.30% |
| Net Income | -13.9M | -34.3M | -11.6M | -17.6M | -4.1M | -7.7M | -12.1M | -14.9M |
| Net Income Growth YoY | -236.56% | -344.23% | +3.62% | -18.15% | -121.57% | +72.87% | +64.01% | +51.50% |
| EPS | -$0.09 | -$0.21 | -$0.07 | -$0.11 | -$0.03 | -$0.05 | -$0.08 | -$0.10 |
| EPS Growth YoY | -238.35% | -317.50% | +11.39% | -10.55% | -120.46% | +73.53% | +65.65% | +52.62% |
Profitability Metrics
Gross Margin
TTM
Operating Margin
TTM
Net Margin
TTM
Return on Equity
TTM
Return on Assets
TTM
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 77.35% | 76.55% | 76.56% | 76.14% | 77.01% | 77.09% | 77.34% | 77.94% |
| Operating Margin | -3.49% | -6.35% | -4.61% | -4.48% | -3.31% | -5.71% | -5.08% | -4.33% |
| Net Margin | -1.63% | -4.21% | -1.47% | -2.44% | -0.61% | -1.19% | -1.92% | -2.51% |
| Return on Equity (ROE) | -0.59% | -1.56% | -0.59% | -0.98% | -0.23% | -0.48% | -0.84% | -1.17% |
| Return on Assets (ROA) | -0.24% | -0.62% | -0.22% | -0.30% | -0.08% | -0.17% | -0.28% | -0.35% |
Technical Analysis
Zscaler (ZS) currently shows a mixed technical profile with the price in a weak trend phase close to major moving averages, suggesting consolidation. Momentum indicators like MACD and recent moving average crossovers hint at early bullish potential, but the overall trend remains unclear with weak ADX and a death cross pattern still in place. Key support around $135 and resistance near $155 mark crucial levels for price action in the near term.
No extreme reading
Mixed signals
Range-bound market
Watching for cross
Key Technical Values
Price with Moving Averages
50-day, 150-day and 200-day simple moving averages
Relative Strength Index
Momentum oscillator measuring speed and magnitude of price changes
RSI (14)
Earnings
Zscaler, Inc. is demonstrating strong revenue growth and improving profitability with a clear transition towards positive EPS and incremental operating income improvements. Despite continuing net losses, Zscaler’s expanding gross margins and increasing revenue highlight resilience in its cloud security platform business, positioning it well for scaling and long-term value creation.
Latest Earnings
Q1 2026 Earnings (Apr 30, 2026)
Earnings Per Share (EPS)
Actual
$1.08
Estimated
$1.01
Surprise
+$0.07
Surprise %
+6.93%
Revenue
Actual
$850.48M
Estimated
$835.14M
Surprise
+$15.33M
Surprise %
+1.84%
Historical Earnings
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Per Share | ||||||||
| EPS (Actual) | $1.08 | $1.01 | $0.96 | $0.89 | $0.84 | $0.78 | $0.77 | $0.88 |
| EPS (Estimated) | $1.01 | $0.89 | $0.86 | $0.80 | $0.75 | $0.69 | $0.63 | $0.70 |
| EPS Surprise | +$0.07 | +$0.12 | +$0.10 | +$0.09 | +$0.09 | +$0.09 | +$0.14 | +$0.18 |
| % Diff | +6.9% | +13.0% | +12.1% | +11.2% | +11.7% | +13.5% | +22.2% | +25.0% |
| Revenue | ||||||||
| Revenue (Actual) | $850.48M | $815.75M | $788.11M | $719.23M | $678.03M | $647.9M | $627.96M | $592.87M |
| Revenue (Estimated) | $835.14M | $798.33M | $773.28M | $706.94M | $666.46M | $634.38M | $605.51M | $567.46M |
| Revenue Surprise | +$15.33M | +$17.42M | +$14.83M | +$12.28M | +$11.58M | +$13.52M | +$22.44M | +$25.4M |
| % Diff | +1.8% | +2.2% | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.7% | +2.1% | +3.7% | +4.5% |
Valuation
Zscaler is currently trading at a substantial discount to several analyst price targets which imply significant upside potential. Despite ongoing profitability challenges and elevated valuation multiples relative to traditional metrics, the company's strong revenue growth and positioning in the cloud security and AI security segments support a cautiously optimistic outlook. Market sentiment is mixed but leans positive with most analysts rating the stock a buy, though risks remain due to volatile stock performance and near-term execution uncertainties.
Valuation Metrics
Price to Earnings
TTM
Price to Sales
TTM
Price to Book
TTM
Enterprise Value to EBITDA
TTM
Enterprise Value to Revenue
TTM
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price to Earnings | -363.00 | -238.11 | -1182.64 | -649.00 | -2125.66 | -1006.91 | -572.12 | -450.63 |
| Price to Sales | 24.70 | 39.15 | 66.64 | 62.13 | 51.67 | 48.05 | 43.92 | 45.25 |
| Price to Book | 8.88 | 14.54 | 26.49 | 24.84 | 19.41 | 19.37 | 19.31 | 21.06 |
| Enterprise Value to EBITDA | 949.57 | 1124.87 | 1513.07 | 1270.87 | 879.11 | 2114.54 | 1124.31 | 1156.99 |
| Enterprise Value to Revenue | 25.73 | 39.96 | 67.27 | 61.31 | 50.55 | 47.25 | 43.42 | 44.94 |
Sentiment & Analyst Ratings
Zscaler's market sentiment reflects a cautiously optimistic view amid recent stock price declines and concerns over decelerating growth. Analysts generally maintain a 'Buy' consensus, supported by positive recent earnings and strategic partnerships, although insider selling and competitive pressures temper enthusiasm. Retail investor sentiment is mixed but shows signs of emerging confidence with recent technical signals indicating potential upside.
Analyst Recommendations
Risk Assessment
Zscaler (ZS) presents a moderate to high-risk profile driven by strong revenue growth in the cybersecurity sector, especially its leadership in AI security and zero trust solutions. Its balance sheet reveals improving liquidity but modest leverage and challenges in profitability, while market sentiment reflects cautious optimism amid competition and sales execution concerns.
Liquidity & Solvency
Current Ratio
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Quick Ratio
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Debt-to-Equity
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
Debt-to-Assets
Latest Quarter: Q1 2026
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q2 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidity Metrics | ||||||||
| Current Ratio | 1.86 | 1.90 | 1.82 | 2.01 | 1.24 | 1.20 | 1.15 | 1.09 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.86 | 1.90 | 1.82 | 2.01 | 1.24 | 1.20 | 1.15 | 1.09 |
| Solvency Metrics | ||||||||
| Debt-to-Equity | 0.79 | 0.85 | 0.93 | 1.00 | 0.68 | 0.77 | 0.87 | 0.97 |
| Debt-to-Assets | 0.26 | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.23 | 0.25 | 0.26 | 0.26 |
Liquidity Assessment
Current Ratio: 1.86(Strong)
Quick Ratio: 1.86(Strong)
The company has strong liquidity with sufficient short-term assets to cover liabilities.
Solvency Assessment
Debt-to-Equity: 0.79(Moderate)
Debt-to-Assets: 0.26(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.
Yes, Zscaler is a good buy for medium to long-term investors given its 14-15% YoY revenue growth, improving EPS now positive at $1.08, and strong market position in cloud security. However, short-term technicals suggest waiting for a breakout above $155 or a pullback to $135-$138.
Not recommended to sell currently unless the stock breaks down below key support at $135 or if earnings growth slows significantly. Insider selling and valuation risks exist but are balanced by strong fundamentals.
Key risks include intense competition from larger players, slowing sales growth, operational execution challenges including recent sales leadership changes, and macroeconomic impacts on IT budgets.
Analyst price targets average between $190 and $214, implying 25-40% upside from current levels around $151.20.
Zscaler trades at a premium with high price-to-sales and EV/EBITDA multiples reflecting growth expectations. Forward P/E in the low 30s is reasonable for a high-growth tech stock despite current unprofitability.
Fundamentals show strong revenue growth (~14.5% YoY), gross margins above 75%, improving operating margins nearing breakeven, and recent positive EPS of $1.08, indicating improving profitability and operational leverage.
Technicals show a longer-term downtrend with a death cross, but short-term momentum is building with bullish MACD crossover and 10-day MA crossing above 50-day MA. Key support is near $135 and resistance near $155; confirmation of breakout or breakdown is needed.
Positive catalysts include continued earnings beats, strategic partnerships expanding European presence, and growth in AI-driven security offerings. Negative catalysts include insider selling and potential deceleration in revenue growth.
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