Cybersecurity Stocks Hit by 'AI Ghost Trade' Concerns
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 23 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CRWD?
Source: Benzinga
- Market Panic Impact: Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities highlights that cybersecurity stocks are facing selloffs due to fears of an 'AI Ghost Trade', which he believes reflects panic rather than fundamental changes, creating a significant disconnect in the sector.
- Dual Impact of AI Tools: While investors worry that emerging AI security tools could replace legacy providers, discussions with numerous chief information security officers and IT professionals suggest that AI is actually accelerating the evolution of cyber threats, reducing the time to launch sophisticated attacks from weeks to hours.
- Market Opportunity: Wedbush believes AI represents the largest market opportunity in the history of cybersecurity, expected to create massive demand tailwinds for established leaders, particularly companies like CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks.
- Industry Winners: Ives expects CrowdStrike, Palo Alto, and Zscaler to emerge as clear winners as enterprises ramp up cybersecurity spending to defend against the rapidly evolving AI threat landscape, with the recent selloff reflecting a misinterpretation of this long-term growth opportunity.
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Analyst Views on CRWD
Wall Street analysts forecast CRWD stock price to rise
34 Analyst Rating
23 Buy
11 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 393.310
Low
353.00
Averages
559.71
High
640.00
Current: 393.310
Low
353.00
Averages
559.71
High
640.00
About CRWD
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. is a global cybersecurity company that provides cloud-delivered protection of endpoints, cloud workloads, identity and data. Its Falcon platform is designed for cybersecurity consolidation, purpose-built to stop breaches. The platforms collect and integrate data from across the enterprise, including endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, and third-party sources. It offers 29 cloud modules on its Falcon platform via a software as a service (SaaS) subscription-based model that spans multiple large markets, including corporate endpoint and cloud workload security, managed security services, security and vulnerability management, information technology (IT) operations management, identity protection, next-generation security information and event management (SIEM) and log management, threat intelligence services, data protection, SaaS security posture management, automation and response (SOAR) and artificial intelligence powered workflow automation, and others.
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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- Growing Market Demand: As artificial intelligence advances, cybersecurity is expected to remain a crucial budget item for companies worldwide, driving demand for cybersecurity firms, particularly those that excel in innovation.
- CrowdStrike's Market Leadership: CrowdStrike Holdings' Falcon platform leverages AI to analyze device activity and detect suspicious patterns, with its total addressable market projected to grow from $149 billion to $325 billion by 2030, indicating strong growth potential.
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