2 Millionaire-Maker Cybersecurity Stocks to Buy Now

Source Motley_fool

Key Points

  • Palo Alto’s scale and diversification make it a sound long-term investment.

  • CrowdStrike’s cloud-native platform is getting stickier every year.

  • 10 stocks we like better than CrowdStrike ›

Cybersecurity stocks are typically well-insulated from market downturns because most companies won't shut off their digital defenses just to save a few dollars. As cyberattacks become more frequent and increasingly sophisticated, organizations will need to continually upgrade their cybersecurity platforms to protect their data.

From 2026 to 2034, Fortune Business Insights expects the global cybersecurity market to expand at a 13.8% CAGR. That growth should be driven by the increased adoption of enterprise security solutions across the manufacturing, banking, insurance, and healthcare sectors.

Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »

While it might be tough to find new millionaire-maker stocks in this crowded market, some of its previous millionaire-makers could still have plenty of room to run. Let's take a look at two of those millionaire-maker cybersecurity stocks -- Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) and CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) -- and see why they could still generate robust long-term gains for investors who understand their competitive advantages.

An illustration of a digital padlock.

Image source: Getty Images.

Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies. It splits its ecosystem into three main platforms: Strata for its on-premise network security tools, Prisma for its cloud-based security tools, and Cortex for its AI-powered threat detection services. Most of its recent growth has been driven by Prisma and Cortex.

Palo Alto went public at a split-adjusted price of $7.00 per share in 2012, and it trades at nearly $370 today. A $50,000 investment in its IPO would be worth $2.64 million.

That growth was driven by the organic expansion of its core businesses and dozens of acquisitions. Its main long-term strategy is to bundle together and "platformize" a wide range of cybersecurity services to drive smaller niche players out of the market.

From fiscal 2026 (which ended this July) to fiscal 2029, analysts expect Palo Alto's revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 17% and 90%, respectively. It will continue to launch new tools for Prisma and Cortex, acquire more companies to support its platformization strategy, and expand its share of the privileged access management (PAM) market -- which it significantly increased by acquiring CyberArk, the leader in PAM solutions, for $25 billion earlier this year.

At $370, Palo Alto's stock isn't cheap at 87 times its forward adjusted earnings. However, its scale, diversification, and rising profits could justify that higher valuation. It might not replicate its massive gains from the past decade, but it will remain a balanced play on the growth of the on-premise, cloud-based, and AI-driven cybersecurity markets for the foreseeable future.

CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike went public at a split-adjusted price of $8.50 per share in 2019, but it trades at nearly $250 today. A $50,000 investment in its IPO would have grown to $1.47 million.

Most conventional cybersecurity companies, including Palo Alto, still deploy some of their services through on-site appliances. However, those hardware setups require constant maintenance and are expensive to scale as an organization expands.

CrowdStrike addresses those challenges by providing only cloud-native services, which don't require any appliances, within its end-to-end network security platform. Its clients receive four starter modules for specific tasks, and they're encouraged to adopt more modules. In its latest quarter, 51% of its subscription customers had adopted at least six of its modules.

From fiscal 2026 (which ended this January) to fiscal 2029, analysts expect its revenue to grow at a 23% CAGR. They also expect it to turn profitable by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in fiscal 2027, then grow its EPS at a 165% CAGR through fiscal 2029.

At $250, CrowdStrike also isn't cheap at 189 times its forward adjusted earnings. But if it continues to disrupt on-site cybersecurity companies with its subscription-based, cloud-native services, it could deserve that premium valuation.

Should you buy stock in CrowdStrike right now?

Before you buy stock in CrowdStrike, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and CrowdStrike wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $387,158!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,365,749!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 932% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of September 21, 2026.

Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CrowdStrike. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Waited for Bitcoin's October Bottom? Benjamin Cowen Says He Was WrongBenjamin Cowen, founder of Into The Cryptoverse, publicly admitted his bearish Bitcoin call failed on Monday, as the cryptocurrency broke decisively above $85,000 and squeezed short sellers.The revers
Author  Beincrypto
14 hours ago
Benjamin Cowen, founder of Into The Cryptoverse, publicly admitted his bearish Bitcoin call failed on Monday, as the cryptocurrency broke decisively above $85,000 and squeezed short sellers.The revers
placeholder
USD/JPY Forecast: Yen Strength Puts 152 Support in Focus as BoJ Tightening LoomsUSD/JPY remains under pressure as the Japanese yen strengthens ahead of another potentially important Bank of Japan policy decision. The pair has fallen toward the mid-155 region after breaking below
Author  Beincrypto
14 hours ago
USD/JPY remains under pressure as the Japanese yen strengthens ahead of another potentially important Bank of Japan policy decision. The pair has fallen toward the mid-155 region after breaking below
placeholder
Market Is Primed for a ‘Face Ripper' Rally Thanks to Four Ingredients Says Tom LeeFundstrat head of research Tom Lee says the market is primed for a face-ripping rally into month end. He named four specific ingredients behind the call.Lee, a CNBC contributor, joined Freedom Capital
Author  Beincrypto
14 hours ago
Fundstrat head of research Tom Lee says the market is primed for a face-ripping rally into month end. He named four specific ingredients behind the call.Lee, a CNBC contributor, joined Freedom Capital
placeholder
As Wall Street Turns Suddenly Bullish, Questions Arise if Bitcoin Will Follow or FlopWall Street strategists say markets have cleared several of September’s biggest fears. Bitcoin (BTC) jumped more than 6% to trade near $86,600 as risk appetite returned.Anastasia Amoroso is chief inve
Author  Beincrypto
14 hours ago
Wall Street strategists say markets have cleared several of September’s biggest fears. Bitcoin (BTC) jumped more than 6% to trade near $86,600 as risk appetite returned.Anastasia Amoroso is chief inve
placeholder
Trump, Xi Meet on S&P 500's Best Day Since Early August: Will Markets Stay Bullish?President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet in Washington this week for their second summit of the year. The meeting came at a time where Wall Street suddenly turned bullish.The visit ai
Author  Beincrypto
14 hours ago
President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet in Washington this week for their second summit of the year. The meeting came at a time where Wall Street suddenly turned bullish.The visit ai
goTop
quote