UPDATE: MKM Partners Cuts ServiceNow (NOW) to Neutral on Macro Weakness, Valuation
Get Alerts NOW Hot Sheet
Rating Summary:
48 Buy, 6 Hold, 1 Sell
Rating Trend: Down
Today's Overall Ratings:
Up: 16 | Down: 11 | New: 13
Join SI Premium – FREE
MKM Partners downgrades ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) from Buy to Neutral with a price target of $60. The change follows Q4 results. Analyst Kevin Buttigieg doesn't think the stock's premium is sustainable given decelerating billings and softer macro.
Buttigieg explained, "There clearly has been a change in NOW's growth cadence - growth has slowed due to the law of large numbers but also the magnitude of the company exceeding billings expectations has lessened. This is being offset by a much faster than expected ramp in operating margins (and hence EPS and cash flows) from improved economies of scale. This provides visibility to a future valuation based on a P/E methodology that many other high-growth/high-valuation peers currently lack. However, NOW's valuation remains dependent on a sales multiple today, and at 9x 2016E revenue, the stock is at a significant premium even to its peer group, which in our view is unlikely to be sustained given decelerating billings and the current macroeconomic environment. As such, we are moving the shares to Neutral from Buy with a $60 fair value estimate calculated as 7x EV/2016E sales."
For an analyst ratings summary and ratings history on ServiceNow click here. For more ratings news on ServiceNow click here.
Shares of ServiceNow closed at $75.37 yesterday.
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- Citi Downgrades UBS AG (UBSG:SW) (UBS) to Neutral
- Wolfe Research Downgrades Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD) to Underperform, 'out of concern that an incipient advertising downturn put guidance at risk'
- Verona Pharma (VRNA) PT Raised to $34 at BTIG
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
Analyst Comments, Analyst EPS View, DowngradesSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!