Morgan Stanley analysts lowered the price target to $586 from the prior $612 per share on ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) following the Q1 EPS report.
Analysts note that NOW stock underperformed large-cap software stocks last week on the back of Q1 results. Investor concerns are centered around “the trajectory of medium-term targets and implications of generative AI technologies for the ServiceNow platform.”
On a more positive note, analysts believe the upcoming Analyst Day, which is scheduled for May 16, as “an opportunity to provide clarity on key current investor debates and act as a catalyst to close the discount vs. peers.”
On this front, analysts highlighted several things to watch, namely: Subscription revenue forecast and the trajectory of FCF margins through FY24.
“We expect the company to talk to a focus on offsetting pressure from rising cash taxes and lower working capital benefit with efficiency improvements, ultimately driving FCF margins to ~31% in 2024).”
All-in-all, the NOW stock is removed from Morgan Stanley's Top Pick list “as we see the thesis on favoring GARP subscription names as beginning to wane.”
ServiceNow shares are down by nearly 1% in pre-market Tuesday.