Analyst Ratings January 29, 2026

Jefferies Reaffirms Buy on ServiceNow, Cites Strong Subscription Growth and Healthy Margins

Analyst keeps $175 price target as company posts top- and bottom-line beats and outlines midteens-to-high-teens growth outlook for FY26

By Sofia Navarro NOW
Jefferies Reaffirms Buy on ServiceNow, Cites Strong Subscription Growth and Healthy Margins
NOW

Jefferies has maintained a Buy rating on ServiceNow (NOW) with a $175 price target, pointing to robust subscription revenue and high gross margins. The stock, trading near its 52-week low, reported Q4 2025 results that beat consensus on both revenue and EPS. RBC Capital trimmed its price target but kept an Outperform rating amid mixed investor sentiment.

Key Points

  • Jefferies reiterates Buy on ServiceNow with a $175 price target, citing strong subscription revenue and 78.05% gross profit margins.
  • ServiceNow beat Q4 2025 estimates with EPS of $0.92 (vs. $0.89 expected) and revenue of $3.57 billion (vs. $3.53 billion expected); RBC Capital cut its price target to $185 but retained an Outperform rating.
  • Company issued FY26 organic currency-adjusted growth guidance of 18.5%-19%; Jefferies notes a path back toward roughly 20% organic growth while expanding margins.

Jefferies has reiterated a Buy recommendation on ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), assigning a $175.00 price target while highlighting the company’s resilient subscription revenue trajectory and strong profitability metrics.

The shares are trading at $129.62 and sit close to a 52-week low of $123.78. Despite that pricing, ServiceNow continues to deliver high gross profit margins, recorded at 78.05%.

Jefferies noted that the company outperformed its own guidance on currency-adjusted subscription revenue by roughly 130 basis points and exceeded guidance on operating margin by about 90 basis points. The firm also flagged an approximately 100 basis point organic, currency-adjusted beat in current remaining performance obligations (cRPO) - a result Jefferies described as notable given ServiceNow’s scale and the presence of early renewals in the third quarter.

For fiscal 2026, ServiceNow provided an initial organic, currency-adjusted growth outlook in the range of 18.5% to 19%. Jefferies characterized that projection as "a solid starting point." The research house also emphasized that ServiceNow achieved over 20% organic growth in 2025 and has a clear route to approach roughly 20% organic growth again in 2026 while pursuing margin expansion.

ServiceNow’s reported fourth-quarter 2025 results beat analyst expectations. The company posted earnings per share of $0.92 versus an anticipated $0.89, and revenue of $3.57 billion compared with estimates of $3.53 billion.

In related analyst moves, RBC Capital reduced its price target on ServiceNow to $185 from $195 but maintained an Outperform rating. RBC analyst Matthew Hedberg labeled the results a "clean beat" and referenced the company’s initial calendar-year 2026 organic outlook.

The mixed signals come as broader investor sentiment toward the stock has turned negative, even as analysts emphasize solid underlying growth and margin trends.


Context and market implications

ServiceNow’s quarter illustrates a combination of robust subscription momentum and high gross margins that underpin analyst confidence. Still, the share price trading near its 52-week low reflects market skepticism despite the beat on revenue and EPS.

Investors and market participants tracking enterprise software, cloud vendors, and broader technology equities will likely weigh the company’s growth outlook and margin trajectory against the current negative investor sentiment.

Risks

  • Negative investor sentiment could weigh on share performance despite reported revenue and EPS beats - this primarily affects technology and software equities.
  • Potential sensitivity in renewal timing and early renewals may influence cRPO dynamics and near-term visibility for subscription revenue - this impacts enterprise software and cloud service providers.
  • Analyst price target adjustments, such as RBC Capital’s reduction from $195 to $185, highlight ongoing uncertainty in near-term valuation expectations for the stock and the broader software sector.

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