Yazılar

Netskope hits $8.8B valuation as shares soar in Nasdaq debut

/in /tarafından

Cybersecurity company Netskope reached a valuation of $8.79 billion on Thursday after its shares jumped 21% in their Nasdaq debut, extending a strong run of tech IPOs this year.

The Santa Clara-based firm’s stock opened at $23, well above the $19 offer price. Netskope raised $908.2 million by selling 47.8 million shares at the top of its $17–$19 range, in an offering that was oversubscribed 20 times, according to CEO Sanjay Beri.

Investor appetite for new issues has surged, with recent listings such as design software firm Figma (FIG.N) drawing strong demand. Netskope’s debut comes as enterprises step up cybersecurity spending amid rising AI-driven threats.

“AI is kind of right in our wheelhouse—securing it, enabling companies to say yes to leveraging it by putting guardrails around it,” Beri told Reuters, adding that going public will help boost Netskope’s visibility.

Founded in 2012, Netskope offers cloud-based security solutions that protect apps, websites, and data. The company was last valued at over $7.5 billion in a 2021 round led by ICONIQ. Its competitors include Palo Alto Networks (PANW.O) and Zscaler (ZS.O).

Analysts caution that Netskope’s long-term success will hinge on profitability, execution, and broader market conditions. “Cybersecurity remains one of the few tech sectors with clear structural demand, yet recent IPO performances have been mixed,” said Kat Liu of IPOX.

While Rubrik (RBRK.N) shares have surged since their debut last year, SailPoint (SAIL.O) has struggled to trade above its offer price. Netskope’s performance will be closely watched as a bellwether for the sector.

Oracle Pauses After AI-Fueled Surge Toward $1 Trillion Valuation

/in /tarafından

Oracle shares fell 4% on Thursday, cooling off after a record-breaking 35.9% rally the previous day that had pushed the company’s market capitalization to $933 billion, edging it closer to the trillion-dollar elite. If losses hold, Oracle’s valuation will settle near $894 billion.

Ellison’s Billionaire Climb

The surge has also boosted co-founder Larry Ellison’s fortune to $371.7 billion, putting him within striking distance of Elon Musk ($441.2 billion) for the title of world’s richest person, according to Forbes.

What Fueled the Rally

Oracle’s rise has been powered by multi-billion-dollar AI cloud deals as companies race to secure massive computing power to lead in the AI arms race.

  • On Tuesday, Oracle reported its order backlog was on track to hit $500 billion.

  • The Wall Street Journal revealed OpenAI signed a $300 billion cloud deal with Oracle, one of the largest in history.

Market View

Analysts see the pullback as a breather.

  • Dennis Dick, chief strategist at Stock Trader Network: “A bit of buyer exhaustion here. I think the ‘buy the dip’ crowd is likely to re-emerge. The guidance was so incredible, hard to think that this story is over.”

Oracle’s stock has nearly doubled in 2025, making it one of the top S&P 500 performers, outpacing even the Magnificent Seven tech giants.

Valuation Check

  • Stock price: $314.45

  • Median price target: $342 (approx. +9% upside, LSEG data)

  • Forward P/E ratio: 45.3 vs. Amazon (31.3) and Microsoft (31).

Oracle’s premium valuation reflects investors’ conviction that its AI-powered cloud expansion will continue to drive outsized growth, even as short-term pullbacks test market momentum.

Bending Spoons to Acquire Vimeo in $1.38 Billion Deal, Taking Platform Private

/in /tarafından

Vimeo announced Wednesday it will be acquired by Italian app developer Bending Spoons in a deal worth about $1.38 billion, ending its four-year run as a publicly traded company.

Under the agreement, Vimeo shareholders will receive $7.85 per share in cash, representing a 63% premium to the stock’s previous close. Shares surged more than 60% to $7.74 following the announcement.

Vimeo, spun out of Barry Diller’s IAC, has struggled since its 2021 IPO, losing around 90% of its market value. Despite a surge in popularity during the pandemic, the company has faced mounting competition from YouTube and lower-cost enterprise rivals.

Analysts expect Bending Spoons to implement aggressive cost-cutting and revenue-focused strategies to leverage Vimeo’s technology assets. Analyst Paolo Pescatore noted the deal could mark a turning point, given Bending Spoons’ track record of revitalizing acquired firms.

The Milan-based company, valued at $2.55 billion last year, owns apps such as Evernote and Remini, and acquired WeTransfer in 2023. Vimeo will become its largest acquisition to date. CEO Philip Moyer said the focus will be on expanding self-service tools, OTT streaming via Vimeo Streaming, and enterprise solutions.

Vimeo has already downsized, cutting nearly 10% of its workforce this year after layoffs of 11% in 2023 and 6% in 2022.

Allen & Company LLC advised Vimeo, while J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo, and BNP Paribas advised Bending Spoons. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025, with Bending Spoons seen as a potential U.S. IPO candidate in the near future.