Zscaler Reports Wider Net Loss Amid Increased Spending
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 27 2026
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Should l Buy ZS?
Source: Newsfilter
- Wider Net Loss: Zscaler reported a net loss of $34.3 million for the second quarter ending January 31, significantly widening from a loss of $7.7 million a year earlier, reflecting increased spending on sales, marketing, and R&D in a competitive landscape.
- Rising Operating Expenses: The company's total operating expenses surged to $676.3 million in the second quarter, up 25.4% from $539.5 million a year ago, primarily driven by higher sales and R&D costs, which pose greater financial pressure amid economic uncertainty.
- Revenue Growth Exceeds Expectations: Despite the widening loss, Zscaler's revenue rose 26% year-over-year to $815.8 million, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $798.8 million, indicating strong market performance amid rising cybersecurity demand.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Zscaler forecasts third-quarter adjusted earnings per share between $1.00 and $1.01, exceeding analysts' expectations of $0.95, and anticipates revenue between $834 million and $836 million, reflecting confidence in future growth.
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Analyst Views on ZS
Wall Street analysts forecast ZS stock price to rise
30 Analyst Rating
24 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 164.060
Low
260.00
Averages
325.62
High
390.00
Current: 164.060
Low
260.00
Averages
325.62
High
390.00
About ZS
Zscaler, Inc. is a cloud security company. The Company has developed a platform incorporating core security functionalities needed to enable fast and secure access to cloud resources based on identity, context and an organization’s policies. Its Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Its solution is a purpose-built, multi-tenant, distributed cloud platform that incorporates the security functionality needed to enable users, applications, and devices to safely and efficiently utilize authorized applications and services based on an organization’s business policies. It delivers its solutions using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model and sells subscriptions to customers to access its cloud platform, together with related support services. It offers a security platform that combines its platform with automated security operations.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Increased Customer Adoption: As of January 31, Zscaler reported a total of 9,400 customers, with 550 adopting the Zero Trust Everywhere philosophy, representing a staggering 323% increase from the previous year, showcasing a growing recognition and reliance on Zscaler's product suite.
- Optimistic Analyst Ratings: According to The Wall Street Journal, 37 out of 50 analysts have rated Zscaler as a buy, with a consensus price target of $237.30, suggesting a potential 57% upside in the stock price over the next 12 months, reflecting strong market confidence in its growth prospects.
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- AI Implementation: Armadin focuses on creating autonomous AI agents that can rapidly scan for cyber threats, with Mandia stating that this technology allows tasks that previously took days to be completed in mere minutes, significantly enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of cybersecurity defenses.
- Team Expansion: Since its founding in September, Armadin has hired over 60 employees and begun collaborations with Fortune 100 companies, indicating a rapid scaling of operations and increased market competitiveness within a short timeframe.
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- Team Integration: The team from Promptfoo will join OpenAI, with CEO Ian Webster stating that this integration will accelerate the enhancement of security and governance capabilities to tackle the challenges posed by AI agents connecting to real data and systems.
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- Funding Background: Promptfoo raised $18.4 million in Series A funding in July 2025, achieving a post-valuation of $85.5 million, indicating its potential and market appeal in the cybersecurity domain.
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- Expanding Recurring Revenue: The company is experiencing an increase in recurring revenue, indicating the sustainability of its business model and customer stickiness, which is expected to support future financial performance.
- Rising Enterprise AI Adoption: As enterprises increasingly rely on AI technologies, Zscaler's market opportunities are expanding, with expectations for further business growth and market share increase by 2026.
- Market Tension: Despite facing short-term market fears, Zscaler's long-term potential remains significant, and investors should monitor its strategic positioning in AI security and its impact on future stock prices.
See More
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- Strong Revenue Growth: Zscaler demonstrates robust revenue growth in 2026, even as its stock remains significantly below prior highs, indicating the company's potential is gradually becoming evident in the enterprise AI security space.
- Recurring Revenue Expansion: With rising enterprise adoption of AI, Zscaler's recurring revenue is also expanding, laying a foundation for the company's future financial stability and growth prospects.
- Market Competition Pressure: Despite Zscaler's aggressive push into AI security, the analyst team notes that it did not make the current list of top investment stocks, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding its future performance.
- Investor Focus: Zscaler's absence from the analyst-recommended top 10 stocks highlights investor concerns about its long-term potential, even as its strategic positioning in AI security could yield growth opportunities in the future.
See More
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- Accelerated Customer Adoption: As of January 31, 550 of Zscaler's customers have adopted the zero-trust architecture, a staggering 323% increase from the same time last year, demonstrating growing recognition and demand for its product suite, thereby strengthening the company's competitive position.
- Optimistic Analyst Ratings: According to The Wall Street Journal, 37 out of 50 analysts have given Zscaler a
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Zscaler generated $1.6 billion in revenue for the first half of fiscal 2026, reflecting a 25.7% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market demand for its zero-trust cybersecurity solutions, which is expected to further enhance financial performance.
- Increased Customer Adoption: As of January 31, Zscaler reported a total of 9,400 customers, with 550 adopting the Zero Trust Everywhere philosophy, representing a staggering 323% increase from the previous year, showcasing a growing recognition and reliance on Zscaler's product suite.
- Optimistic Analyst Ratings: According to The Wall Street Journal, 37 out of 50 analysts have rated Zscaler as a buy, with a consensus price target of $237.30, suggesting a potential 57% upside in the stock price over the next 12 months, reflecting strong market confidence in its growth prospects.
- Improved Cost Management: Although Zscaler reported a GAAP loss of $45.9 million in the first half of fiscal 2026, it achieved an adjusted profit of $328.1 million after excluding one-off and non-cash expenses, marking a 30.5% year-over-year increase, demonstrating effective measures in cost control and profitability enhancement.
See More
Kevin Mandia's Startup Armadin Raises $190 Million in Funding
- Successful Funding: Kevin Mandia's startup Armadin has raised nearly $190 million in a funding round led by Accel, with participation from notable investors like Google Ventures, providing strong financial backing for further development in the cybersecurity sector.
- AI Implementation: Armadin focuses on creating autonomous AI agents that can rapidly scan for cyber threats, with Mandia stating that this technology allows tasks that previously took days to be completed in mere minutes, significantly enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of cybersecurity defenses.
- Team Expansion: Since its founding in September, Armadin has hired over 60 employees and begun collaborations with Fortune 100 companies, indicating a rapid scaling of operations and increased market competitiveness within a short timeframe.
- Market Trend: As the complexity and speed of cyberattacks continue to rise, more tech companies are adopting AI-driven tools, and Mandia's venture aligns with this trend, aiming to enhance cybersecurity capabilities through innovative technology.
See More
OpenAI Acquires Cybersecurity Startup Promptfoo to Enhance AI Security
- Acquisition Announcement: OpenAI has announced the acquisition of cybersecurity startup Promptfoo, which will enhance the security and governance capabilities of its Frontier platform, addressing the complexities of modern AI systems despite not disclosing the deal terms.
- Team Integration: The team from Promptfoo will join OpenAI, with CEO Ian Webster stating that this integration will accelerate the enhancement of security and governance capabilities to tackle the challenges posed by AI agents connecting to real data and systems.
- Open Source Continuation: OpenAI will continue to develop Promptfoo's open-source project, which allows developers to test various AI-related prompts and agents, comparing the performance of large language models, thereby fostering innovation in the AI sector.
- Funding Background: Promptfoo raised $18.4 million in Series A funding in July 2025, achieving a post-valuation of $85.5 million, indicating its potential and market appeal in the cybersecurity domain.
See More
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- Strong Revenue Growth: Zscaler's aggressive push into enterprise AI security has led to significant revenue growth, even as its stock remains below prior highs, reflecting market caution regarding its long-term potential.
- Expanding Recurring Revenue: The company is experiencing an increase in recurring revenue, indicating the sustainability of its business model and customer stickiness, which is expected to support future financial performance.
- Rising Enterprise AI Adoption: As enterprises increasingly rely on AI technologies, Zscaler's market opportunities are expanding, with expectations for further business growth and market share increase by 2026.
- Market Tension: Despite facing short-term market fears, Zscaler's long-term potential remains significant, and investors should monitor its strategic positioning in AI security and its impact on future stock prices.
See More
Zscaler Accelerates Push into Enterprise AI Security Market
- Strong Revenue Growth: Zscaler demonstrates robust revenue growth in 2026, even as its stock remains significantly below prior highs, indicating the company's potential is gradually becoming evident in the enterprise AI security space.
- Recurring Revenue Expansion: With rising enterprise adoption of AI, Zscaler's recurring revenue is also expanding, laying a foundation for the company's future financial stability and growth prospects.
- Market Competition Pressure: Despite Zscaler's aggressive push into AI security, the analyst team notes that it did not make the current list of top investment stocks, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding its future performance.
- Investor Focus: Zscaler's absence from the analyst-recommended top 10 stocks highlights investor concerns about its long-term potential, even as its strategic positioning in AI security could yield growth opportunities in the future.
See More
Zscaler Leverages Zero Trust Architecture for AI Era
- Significant Revenue Growth: Zscaler generated $1.6 billion in revenue for the first half of fiscal 2026, marking a 25.7% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market demand driven by AI technology adoption, which is expected to further enhance future financial performance.
- Accelerated Customer Adoption: As of January 31, 550 of Zscaler's customers have adopted the zero-trust architecture, a staggering 323% increase from the same time last year, demonstrating growing recognition and demand for its product suite, thereby strengthening the company's competitive position.
- Optimistic Analyst Ratings: According to The Wall Street Journal, 37 out of 50 analysts have given Zscaler a
See More
