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Palo Alto Networks (HAM:5AP) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Palo Alto Networks Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Palo Alto Networks Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Palo Alto Networks's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Palo Alto Networks Forward PE Ratio Chart
Palo Alto Networks Annual Data
Trend
Forward PE Ratio
Palo Alto Networks Quarterly Data
2025-10
2026-01
2026-04
Forward PE Ratio
57.59
44.60
43.31
HAM:5AP vs PLTR, CRWD, FTNT: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Software - Infrastructure subindustry, Palo Alto Networks's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Palo Alto Networks Forward PE Ratio vs Software Industry
For the Software industry and Technology sector, Palo Alto Networks's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Palo Alto Networks's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Palo Alto Networks (HAM:5AP) has a Forward PE Ratio of 86.93 as of Jul. 17, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Palo Alto Networks and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Palo Alto Networks ranks #1054 out of 1172 companies in the Software industry, placing it in the top 89.9%.
Is Palo Alto Networks' Forward PE Ratio too high?
Palo Alto Networks' current Forward PE Ratio is 86.93. The Software industry median Forward PE Ratio is 18.54. Palo Alto Networks' value of 86.93 is 368.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Palo Alto Networks ranks #1054 out of 1172 companies in the Software industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Palo Alto Networks has a GF Score™ of 76/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Palo Alto Networks' Forward PE Ratio compare to PLTR and CRWD?
According to the Software industry distribution chart, Palo Alto Networks ranks #1054 out of 1172 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Palo Alto Networks in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 18.54. Palo Alto Networks' value of 86.93 is 368.9% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for a Software company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Software companies is 18.54, based on 1,172 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Palo Alto Networks's current Forward PE Ratio of 86.93 is 368.9% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Palo Alto Networks and its competitors. For the Software industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 18.54 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Palo Alto Networks's current Forward PE Ratio is 86.93. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Palo Alto Networks stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Palo Alto Networks (HAM:5AP) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €184.99, compared to a current price of €309.95 — trading 67.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 86.93 and 368.9% above the Software industry median of 18.54. Palo Alto Networks' overall GF Score™ is 76/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Palo Alto Networks (HAM:5AP), the current Forward PE Ratio is 86.93 as of Jul. 17, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Palo Alto Networks (HAM:5AP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Palo Alto Networks stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €309.95 is trading 67.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of €184.99.
GuruFocus considers Palo Alto Networks to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for HAM:5AP:
Forward PE Ratio: 86.93
GF Value™: €184.99 vs. price of €309.95 (67.5% above fair value)
Industry Position: 368.9% above the Software median (#1054 of 1172)
No single metric tells the full story. See the HAM:5AP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Palo Alto Networks is a platform-based cybersecurity vendor with product offerings covering network security, cloud security, and security operations. The California-based firm has more than 80,000 enterprise customers across the world, including more than three-fourths of the Global 2000.
76GF Score
Get the complete analysis for HAM:5AP
Forward PE Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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