Based on the provided data and recent market activity, ANET appears overvalued at current levels for several key reasons:
The stock is trading at a forward P/E ratio of 41x 2025 analyst estimates, which is significantly above the industry average and historical levels. This elevated multiple suggests investors have priced in extremely optimistic growth expectations.
Recent financial performance shows concerning trends:
- Revenue growth is decelerating from 48.6% in 2022 to 34% in 2023 and projected 17% in 2024
- Meta Platforms revenue declined 17% in 2024, raising customer concentration risk given Meta accounts for ~15% of total revenue
- The stock has dropped over 5% year-to-date despite strong Q4 results
Technical indicators also signal caution:
- RSI at 35.92 indicates weakening momentum
- Trading below key moving averages (SMA20: 111.30, SMA60: 111.43)
- Negative MACD divergence (-2.76) suggests continued downward pressure
While Arista maintains strong fundamentals with 64.6% gross margins and zero debt, the current valuation appears stretched given:
- Slowing growth trajectory
- Customer concentration risks
- Increasing competition from white-box equipment makers
- Technical weakness in price action
The stock would need to see either accelerated growth or a more reasonable valuation multiple to justify current prices. Recent insider selling activity, with the Chief Platform Officer selling 100% of holdings, adds another cautionary signal.