The Impact of Software Concerns on BDC Stocks: Reasons Some May Be Good Investment Opportunities
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 06 2026
0mins
Source: Barron's
- Private Credit Sector: The private credit sector is facing challenges, likened to "cockroaches" emerging from the software industry.
- Opportunities in Business Development Companies: This situation may present investment opportunities in business development companies that hold the debt of affected firms.
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Analyst Views on NOW
Wall Street analysts forecast NOW stock price to rise
32 Analyst Rating
30 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 113.190
Low
172.00
Averages
222.81
High
263.00
Current: 113.190
Low
172.00
Averages
222.81
High
263.00
About NOW
ServiceNow, Inc. provides an artificial intelligence (AI) platform for business transformation. The Company’s AI platform connects people, processes, data, and devices to increase productivity and maximize business outcomes. Its intelligent platform, the Now Platform, is a cloud-based solution that helps enterprises and organizations across public and private sectors digitize workflows. The workflow applications built on the Now Platform are organized into four primary areas: Technology, CRM and Industry, Core Business and Creator. Its products include IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, HR Service Delivery, ServiceNow AI Agents, AI Experience, Build Agent, ServiceNow AI Control Tower, AI Agent Fabric, RaptorDB, Workflow Data Fabric, Workplace Service Delivery, ServiceNow Platform Encryption, Telecommunications Service Operations Management, and others. The Company also offers identity security, helping organizations secure access across the enterprise.
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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- Strong Cash Flow Performance: ServiceNow achieved a non-GAAP free cash flow margin of 57%, indicating its ability to effectively convert revenue growth into cash flow, enhancing financial stability.
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- Subscription Revenue Growth: The company reported fourth-quarter subscription revenue of $3.5 billion, a 21% year-over-year increase, highlighting its strong performance amid enterprise investments in artificial intelligence, further solidifying its market position.
- Strong Cash Flow Performance: ServiceNow achieved a non-GAAP free cash flow margin of 57%, indicating its ability to effectively convert revenue growth into cash flow, enhancing financial stability.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management guided for first-quarter subscription revenue between $3.65 billion and $3.655 billion, implying approximately 21.5% year-over-year growth, demonstrating sustained strong growth potential.
See More
Anthropic Designated Supply Chain Risk by Trump Administration
- Supply Chain Risk Declaration: The Trump administration's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk has prompted 10 startups working with the Department of Defense to cease using its Claude model and seek alternatives, potentially impacting about 80% of Anthropic's enterprise revenue.
- Defense Contract Implications: Major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin are expected to remove Anthropic's technology from their supply chains, which could lead to a decline in Anthropic's market share within the defense sector and adversely affect future revenue growth.
- Legal Response Possibility: Anthropic has indicated it may appeal the supply chain risk designation through legal channels, although no formal action has been taken yet; if the designation becomes official, it would restrict the use of Claude in defense contracts, potentially affecting its business with other clients.
- Market Reaction and Alternatives: Several defense tech firms are proactively transitioning their workforce away from Claude to other models, and while Anthropic's product is regarded as excellent, the reliance on it for defense contracts is now under scrutiny, posing challenges for its continued use in sensitive environments.
See More
ServiceNow Partners with NTT DOCOMO to Enhance Roaming Services
- Innovative Collaboration: ServiceNow is partnering with NTT DOCOMO and Starhub to develop the industry's first inter-carrier operational model, aimed at accelerating the identification and resolution of roaming issues, thereby enhancing connectivity reliability for travelers worldwide.
- Commercial Launch Plans: The collaboration is expected to launch in the second half of the year, focusing on improving service quality for international travelers, marking a significant step towards a standardized operational model leveraging the ServiceNow AI platform for automation.
- Technological Advancements: By automating remote maintenance tasks and coordinating roaming fault resolutions in real-time, the partnership aims to deliver better visibility and faster recovery for carriers and their customers, significantly enhancing customer experience and reducing delays in issue reporting.
- Market Performance Analysis: Although ServiceNow shares rose 1.38% in premarket trading on Wednesday, they remain below both the 20-day and 100-day simple moving averages, indicating short-term challenges, with the upcoming earnings report being a key catalyst for future performance.
See More
Disney Appoints New CEO and Earnings Highlights
- New CEO Appointment: Disney has announced that Josh D’Amaro, the current chairman of Disney Experiences, will officially succeed Bob Iger as CEO on March 18, which is expected to drive strategic execution during the company's transformation phase.
- Executive Departure: The company also revealed that Kristina Schake, senior executive vice president and chief communications officer, will depart after March 18, a move that may impact internal communications and brand image management.
- Toast Earnings Beat: Toast reported fourth-quarter earnings of 16 cents per share on February 12, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of 13 cents, with quarterly sales of $1.633 billion also surpassing expectations of $1.620 billion, indicating strong market demand.
- ServiceNow's Strong Performance: ServiceNow reported approximately $3.57 billion in fourth-quarter revenue on January 28, beating the consensus estimate of $3.53 billion, with adjusted earnings of 92 cents per share, also above the analyst estimate of 88 cents, reflecting its ongoing growth potential.
See More
Global Stock Markets Retreat as Oil Prices Surge
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.94%, reaching a 3.25-month low, reflecting investor concerns over escalating tensions in Iran, which may impact future investment decisions and market stability.
- Surge in Oil Prices: WTI crude oil prices rose over 4% to an 8.5-month high due to threats from Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying fears of energy supply disruptions and potential inflationary pressures in the economy.
- Natural Gas Price Spike: European natural gas prices surged more than 22% to a three-year high after Qatar's Ras Laffan plant was targeted by an Iranian drone attack, posing significant risks to global liquefied natural gas supply and market stability.
- Economic Data Expectations: This week, the ADP employment change is expected to increase by 50,000, while the ISM services index is projected to slip slightly, with markets closely monitoring these indicators to assess economic health and potential implications for Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
See More
Investors Must Stay Patient Amid Market Volatility
- Market Volatility Analysis: The ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict led to a rough start on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones dropping over 1,200 points and the S&P 500 down 2.5%, indicating significant investor anxiety about a prolonged war and its economic implications.
- Oil Price Impact: U.S. oil benchmark WTI settled at $74.56 per barrel on Tuesday, well below session highs near $78, illustrating how rising oil prices are exerting downward pressure on stocks and reflecting geopolitical risks to the economy.
- Tech Stock Rebound: Despite recent fears of AI disruption, Cramer's
See More
