Friday - Oppenheimer has increased the price target for shares of Guidewire (NYSE:GWRE) to $185 from $170, while maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock. The revision follows Guidewire's announcement of its annual recurring revenue (ARR), which surpassed consensus estimates, coming in at $872 million compared to the expected $860.5 million.
The company's fully-ramped ARR growth rate accelerated to 19% year-over-year, an increase from the previously reported 16%+. This growth was attributed to the momentum of Guidewire's Cloud services and an expansion in customer renewal scopes.
Despite the robust performance, Oppenheimer views the company's fiscal year 2025 ARR guidance, which targets approximately $1,000 million at the midpoint, representing a 16% year-over-year increase, as conservative given the current fully-ramped ARR rate.
Guidewire's operating cash flow (OCF) guidance was also a highlight, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The forecast of around $235 million is significantly higher than the analyst estimate of $209 million. This optimistic outlook is supported by the software and services (S&S) gross margin guidance of 68%, which exceeds the upper limit of the company's previous fiscal year 2025 target range of 63-65%.
The report from Oppenheimer suggests that there is still potential for Guidewire to exceed estimates and its current valuation. The firm anticipates that conversions, direct written premium (DWP) true-ups, and gains from cloud efficiency could be additional sources of upside for the company. The increased price target to $185 reflects confidence in Guidewire's fully-ramped ARR and its cash flow strength.
In other recent news, Guidewire Software Inc . has experienced significant growth, with Goldman Sachs raising its price target to $182, citing strong annual recurring revenue (ARR) and free cash flow figures. Baird and DA Davidson have also increased their price targets for Guidewire to $165 and $168 respectively, highlighting the company's advancements in cloud migration and robust operational execution. Oppenheimer maintained an Outperform rating on Guidewire and increased the price target to $170, recognizing the company's robust market dynamics.
Guidewire's management has reiterated its fiscal year 2025 ARR goal of $1 billion, bolstered by robust demand trends. The company secured 16 cloud deals in the quarter, contributing to a total of 42 for the year, marking a 14% increase year over year. The growth in fully ramped ARR was 19%, up from 17% the previous year.
Guidewire's subscription gross margins reached 65%, exceeding the consensus of 64%, and the company's operating cash flow (OCF) projections were raised significantly to between $130 million and $150 million. These recent developments underscore Guidewire's robust operational execution and potential for sustained growth.
InvestingPro Insights
Guidewire's (NYSE:GWRE) recent performance has caught the attention of analysts, with a notable ARR surpassing expectations. InvestingPro data shows a market capitalization of $11.9 billion, reflecting the company's substantial presence in the industry. Despite not being profitable over the last twelve months, analysts are optimistic, predicting a turn towards profitability this year. This optimism is bolstered by the company's high return over the past year, with a 67.99% one-year price total return, indicating strong investor confidence.
InvestingPro Tips highlight the stock's low price volatility and moderate level of debt, suggesting a relatively stable investment profile. However, with a high Price / Book multiple of 8.86, it trades at a significant premium to its book value. The revenue growth of 8.3% over the last twelve months also demonstrates a solid trajectory, although investors should be aware that the stock is trading near its 52-week high, at 93.55% of the peak price.
For those considering an investment in Guidewire, the InvestingPro platform offers a comprehensive analysis with additional tips; currently, there are 9 more InvestingPro Tips available for GWRE, which can provide further insights into the company's financial health and stock performance.
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