
Wolfe Research upgrades this cloud computing stock on AI growth opportunities
DataDog could be the latest beneficiary of the growth opportunity in artificial intelligence, according to Wolfe Research. The investment firm upgraded the cloud computing stock to an outperform rating from peer perform. Analyst Alex Zukin also set a price target of $150. Shares of DataDog have slumped 17% this year and 24% in the last three months alone, but Zukin's forecast implies a roughly 26% upside ahead. DDOG YTD mountain DDOG YTD chart Zukin wrote that he first downgraded DataDog in February after the company shared underwhelming growth expectations for its fiscal year 2025. However, he grew more optimistic after attending Datadog's 2025 DASH conference in New York City, where he surveyed more than 150 of the company's customers. "Well, after attending DASH in NYC where the vibes were sky-high with AI announcements aplenty, we are here to say that we believe those turbulent times are in the rearview and this dog isn't just hunting again, it's feasting!" he wrote. "We walked away from our time at DASH more confident in the near-term growth opportunity around AI and remain confident in DDOG's market leading products driving long-term success." Specifically, fears around the concentrated AI cohort "dissipated" after a key renewal, with at least 17 of the top 50 AI companies now DataDog customers. The analyst added that customers seem to have growing traction around DataDog's security offerings. "We now view DDOG as one of the best positioned names in our coverage to benefit from AI adoption from both an adjacent (more workloads to be observed) and direct (new AI offerings) point of view and with shares trading at 10x CY26 sales, we are upgrading to an Outperform rating with a $150 PT," Zukin added.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Datadog (DDOG) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market: What Investors Need to Know
In the latest close session, Datadog (DDOG) was down 1.95% at $127.50. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.22% loss on the day. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a rise of 0.08%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.51%. The data analytics and cloud monitoring company's stock has climbed by 12.42% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 2.98% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.45%. Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Datadog in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, Datadog is projected to report earnings of $0.41 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 4.65%. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $789.55 million, up 22.36% from the year-ago period. Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $1.69 per share and revenue of $3.23 billion. These totals would mark changes of -7.14% and +20.17%, respectively, from last year. Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Datadog should also be noted by investors. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook. Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system. The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 3.1% lower. Datadog is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). In terms of valuation, Datadog is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 76.76. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 27.94 of its industry. We can also see that DDOG currently has a PEG ratio of 9.51. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Internet - Software stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 2.11 based on yesterday's closing prices. The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 52, finds itself in the top 22% echelons of all 250+ industries. The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1. To follow DDOG in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Datadog, Inc. (DDOG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
1 AI Super Stock Is Starting to Rebound, but Shares Still Look Cheap
Datadog stock remains more than 35% below the all-time high it reached four years ago. Many organizations are rapidly adopting AI-powered tools, which presents an opportunity for Datadog. The shares are trading near their cheapest price-to-sales ratio ever. 10 stocks we like better than Datadog › The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is generating plenty of wealth on Wall Street -- and the winners won't be limited to just semiconductor stocks like Nvidia. Tech stocks across several subsectors will benefit, too. Let's take a look at one such stock, Datadog (NASDAQ: DDOG). Between 2019 and 2021, Datadog was one of the hottest names in the stock market. Shares advanced by more than 400% in only three years. However, as the stock market soured on tech stocks and speculative companies in 2022, Datadog shares plummeted. All told, the shares cratered by 68%, erasing the majority of their earlier gains. As of this writing, Datadog stock remains more than 35% off of the all-time high it touched in late 2021. Yet sentiment regarding the stock appears to have shifted. Datadog, which provides cloud monitoring services for enterprises, now boasts strong ratings from the analyst community. According to data compiled by Yahoo! Finance, there are 46 analysts covering Datadog. Of those, 10 rate it as a strong buy, 28 rate it a buy, and eight call it a hold. None of them rate it a sell or strong sell. Moreover, the average 12-month price target for Datadog shares is nearly $139. That's about 9% higher than the stock trades as of this writing. Datadog's business model is to sell monitoring services to organizations with significant cloud assets. This type of monitoring is critical to enterprises today, as operational downtime can result in serious consequences, including lost revenue, customer dissatisfaction, and even legal action. It already serves tens of thousands of clients across a range of industries, including e-commerce, gaming, and finance. While the type of monitoring that Datadog offers isn't new, what it is monitoring is changing. New large language models (LLMs) powered by AI algorithms have become much more important to organizations. Use of these models is rapidly spreading into the day-to-day operations of countless organizations. As this happens, their performance must be monitored, too. That has created a new source of revenue for Datadog, which is helping boost its growth. Consider the company's first-quarter results. Datadog noted that about 8.5% of its total revenue came from AI-native customers. That was up from 3.5% one year earlier -- showing meaningful growth for this new source of revenue. Management also raised its revenue guidance for the year by about $40 million, or 1%, on the back of this fast-growing new source of sales. Ultimately, these figures aren't game changers for Datadog, but they demonstrate that the AI revolution is benefiting the company. If it can continue to deliver on its higher guidance -- or even surpass it -- the stock should respond positively. In part, that's because Datadog's valuation remains near multiyear lows. Though Datadog's stock price has recovered significantly from its 2022 low point, its valuation -- as measured by its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio -- remains near the bottom of its range. As of this writing, Datadog shares trade at a P/S ratio of around 16. That's well below the peak levels above 60 that it reached in 2020 and 2021. It's also far below the stock's average of 28. Granted, a P/S ratio of 16 is still high compared to many stocks -- even within the tech sector. However, for long-term investors who want to establish a position in Datadog shares, it should be comforting that it doesn't appear to be overvalued. The stock appears to be rebounding after a steep decline. The AI revolution is playing a role in that comeback, and the analyst community is moderately bullish on the company's prospects. Finally, its current valuation is well below its long-term average. Overall, that suggests that this could be a good time for long-term investors to buy. Before you buy stock in Datadog, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Datadog wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Jake Lerch has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Datadog and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 AI Super Stock Is Starting to Rebound, but Shares Still Look Cheap was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
The 5 Most Interesting Analyst Questions From CACI's Q1 Earnings Call
CACI International delivered a first-quarter performance that surpassed Wall Street expectations, as the company benefited from increased demand in defense, intelligence, and IT modernization solutions. Management highlighted that robust customer activity in key national security areas underpinned the quarter, pointing to resilient demand for software-defined capabilities and successful execution on large contract awards. CEO John Mengucci attributed the strong results to 'investing ahead of need' and aligning the company's portfolio with evolving government priorities, especially around software-driven modernization. The company's backlog growth and high book-to-bill ratio reflected ongoing momentum in securing new work, while the operational focus on agile software development was cited as a differentiator in winning recent programs. Is now the time to buy CACI? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $2.17 billion vs analyst estimates of $2.13 billion (11.8% year-on-year growth, 1.5% beat) Adjusted EPS: $6.23 vs analyst estimates of $5.60 (11.3% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $253.5 million vs analyst estimates of $233.5 million (11.7% margin, 8.6% beat) The company slightly lifted its revenue guidance for the full year to $8.6 billion at the midpoint from $8.55 billion Management slightly raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $24.56 at the midpoint Operating Margin: 9.1%, in line with the same quarter last year Backlog: $31.4 billion at quarter end, up 9.8% year on year Market Capitalization: $10 billion While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. Scott Mikus (Melius Research) asked about changes in customer behavior since the administration change; CEO John Mengucci replied that contract growth has remained steady and RFP activity signals continued award flow. Joshua Korn (Barclays) inquired about the impact of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reviews; Mengucci emphasized only minimal disruption and highlighted CACI's alignment with efficiency goals. Tobey Sommer (Truist Securities) probed on areas of greatest funding opportunity; Mengucci identified electronic warfare, border security, and IT modernization as primary growth avenues. Sheila Kahyaoglu (Jefferies) questioned how administrative slowdowns affect contract flow; CFO Jeff MacLauchlan acknowledged mild delays in administrative processes, but said disruptions remain manageable. Mariana Perez Mora (Bank of America) explored the M&A landscape and seller appetite; Mengucci and MacLauchlan explained that deal flow remains opportunistic, with seller valuations still a constraint in the current environment. In the coming quarters, our team will monitor (1) the pace and success of new contract awards from CACI's large pipeline, (2) the integration results and operational benefits from recent acquisitions like Azure Summit, and (3) progress on scaling optical communications terminal production and other high-growth technology programs. Policy developments and budget appropriations in defense and homeland security will also be key signposts for ongoing demand. CACI currently trades at $452.66, up from $423.79 just before the earnings. At this price, is it a buy or sell? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data