Joe Terranova Check Point Software Tech CHKP-Q BUY Mar 03, 2025

In cyber security. Offers stable growth and is well-managed. Doesn't like that they pay no dividend. It's a mature company, good. Low beta. Perhaps buy this in a recession. Prefers this to Palo Alto. 

IT security solutions provider. Last year, rested on their laurels. Change in management, upped game. His 12-month price target is $151.50. No dividend.

Next to semiconductors, cybersecurity is one of the great secular growth areas. Hacks are proliferating. Making new highs. An area you have to own for the next several years. 

In the face of increasing competition, restructured its businesses. Reported extremely good numbers, stuck to guidance. Might explain why PANW selloff today not hurting them as much.

Likes this space (security), but his issue is its valuation. Tech is at highs now, so find a better entry level.

Cybersecurity has become such an important area. Governments around the world are looking as it. Huge investments in coming years at government and corporate levels. Strong secular growth. Need has increased because, since Covid, people no longer work in just one spot.

He used to own CHKP. Both PANW and FTNT are strong businesses, market leaders in the space and taking market share away from CHKP.

Challenge is that PANW and FTNT are really strong in this industry. Good for the consumer, but may not be good for the businesses in that space. At 46x PE, PANW is really expensive, growth needed to justify that valuation is substantial, high valuation keeps him on the sidelines.

Look at the space as a whole to see if you want to be involved, rather than choosing just one player. Does like the aspect of customer "stickiness" in that once a customer signs up, switching costs are high.

This sector has good secular growth, lots of cybersecurity issues, governments are investing a lot. Has done well.

Growth will come from the fact that identity access management is a huge player because of all the ransomware. Identifies both outside and inside players.