Okta's (NASDAQ: OKTA) shares dropped after its fiscal 2025 first-quarter earnings report, despite reporting strong revenue growth and increased guidance.* The cybersecurity company saw a 19% year-over-year revenue increase to $617 million and adjusted EPS rise from $0.22 to $0.62, surpassing expectations. The company's remaining performance obligation backlog rose 14% to $3.36 billion, indicating strong future revenue.
However, Okta's net dollar retention rate stayed at 111%, showing a slight decline. The company ended the quarter with 19,100 customers, including 4,550 with annual contract values over $100,000. Despite raising its guidance, Okta forecasts slower growth for the rest of the year, citing a challenging macro environment and the impact of a previous security incident.[1]
Okta's products were compromised last year, impacting its reputation and potentially affecting new customer acquisitions. Although it aims to upsell to existing customers and sees no major churn issues, the cybersecurity breach might push small and medium businesses to opt for bundled solutions from competitors like Microsoft.
Trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of about 6, Okta is cheaper compared to many cybersecurity firms. However, the forecasted slower growth justifies this valuation. Given the security concerns and conservative outlook, it's advisable to wait for signs of accelerated growth before investing in Okta.
* Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
[1] Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and current expectations, which may be inaccurate, or based on the current economic environment which is subject to change. Such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance. They involve risks and other uncertainties which are difficult to predict. Results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements.
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