What occurred
Woe betide any firm that falls afoul of analyst expectations. On Friday, tech inventory Okta ( OKTA -5.70% ) was dinged with not one however two analyst value goal cuts, driving its share value down by virtually 6%.
So what
That morning, prognosticators Michael Turits of KeyBanc and Guggenheim’s Imtiaz Koujalgi each lowered their targets on Okta. The previous’s minimize was extra drastic, from $225 per share from his earlier $290, though he is sustaining his chubby (learn: Purchase) advice on the inventory.

Picture supply: Getty Photos.
As for Koujalgi, he is solely trimming his Okta value goal. It is now $240, not far beneath the previous stage of $265. Like Turits, Koujalgi is maintaining his purchase advice intact.
But the analyst is clearly involved in regards to the tech firm’s profitability, as he took pains to notice that the corporate’s revenue margin got here in beneath estimates.
The changes made by the 2 analysts are solely the most recent ones following Okta’s reporting of its fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 on Wednesday. The corporate continues to be rising robustly, with a 64% year-over-year enchancment in income. That beat analyst estimates, and though it flipped to a non-GAAP (adjusted) internet lack of virtually $29 million for the interval (from a virtually $8 million revenue), the deficit was narrower than anticipated.
Now what
However buyers and analysts have been extra involved with Okta’s rapid future. The corporate proffered fiscal 2023 steering that indicated a decline in income progress (to round 55% in comparison with 2022) — though that is set to prime analyst expectations — and deep, estimates-missing losses on the underside line.
This text represents the opinion of the author, who might disagree with the “official” advice place of a Motley Idiot premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis – even one in every of our personal – helps us all suppose critically about investing and make choices that assist us grow to be smarter, happier, and richer.