Israel, Now the Second HomeNarrow moat

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) — moat facet

CyberArk gave Palo Alto its largest research centre outside Silicon Valley, in Israel.

The CyberArk deal changed Palo Alto's geography. The company now describes its Israeli R&D center as "already its largest outside of Silicon Valley"1, and it planned to adopt the CYBR ticker for a listing on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange2.

Long-lived assets by country, 31 July 2026 ($M)759United States222Israel242Other countriesPalo Alto Form 10-K FY2026, geographic information
Israel is now a large base.

The numbers follow. Long-lived assets in Israel were $222 million at 31 July 2026, up from $162 million, against $759 million in the United States3. Headcount rose from 16,068 to 21,921, including about 4,223 from CyberArk4.

CyberArk was an Israeli company, and its engineers built the identity products Palo Alto now sells as Idira. Keeping them is part of what the $21,061 million bought5.

It also brings risk. The 10-K now carries a heading: "We face risks associated with having operations and employees located in Israel"6. That is taken up in the threat below.

The workforce change was large. Headcount rose from 16,068 to 21,921 in fiscal 20267; excluding the about 4,223 people from CyberArk, it rose to about 17,698, about 10%8, faster than revenue excluding the acquisitions grew.

The Israeli base is part of what Palo Alto bought and will need to keep. The long-lived asset figure, $222 million9, is a rough measure of the commitment; a fall would suggest the company is consolidating CyberArk's operations back toward California.

Moat trajectory: Widening

Israel long-lived assets $222M from $162M.

The number that tests this moat
Reported
Long-lived assets in Israel
$222M (31 July 2026), from $162M

The size of the Israeli commitment; a fall would suggest consolidation back toward California.

Source: Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K, FY2026 ↗
⚠ Threats to the moat
References
  1. ReportedThe company now describes its Israeli R&D center as "already its largest outside of Silicon Valley", and it planned to adopt the CYBR ticker for a listing on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
    Palo Alto Networks press release on completing the acquisition of CyberArk, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - the Israeli R&D centre, the planned CYBR listing on the TASE and machine identities outnumbering human identities. — February 2026 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  2. ReportedThe company now describes its Israeli R&D center as "already its largest outside of Silicon Valley", and it planned to adopt the CYBR ticker for a listing on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
    Palo Alto Networks press release on completing the acquisition of CyberArk, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - the Israeli R&D centre, the planned CYBR listing on the TASE and machine identities outnumbering human identities. — February 2026 · publ. 11 February 2026 · source ↗
  3. ReportedLong-lived assets in Israel were $222 million at 31 July 2026, up from $162 million, against $759 million in the United States.
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - Item 1 business and Item 7 MD&A: platforms, customers, channels, employees, revenue by type and geography. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  4. ReportedHeadcount rose from 16,068 to 21,921, including about 4,223 from CyberArk.
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - acquisition notes: CyberArk, Chronosphere and other purchase accounting, and pro forma results. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  5. ReportedKeeping them is part of what the $21,061 million bought.
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - acquisition notes: CyberArk, Chronosphere and other purchase accounting, and pro forma results. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedThe 10-K now carries a heading: "We face risks associated with having operations and employees located in Israel".
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - Item 1A risk factors, Israel, supply and legal proceedings. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedHeadcount rose from 16,068 to 21,921 in fiscal 2026; excluding the about 4,223 people from CyberArk, it rose to about 17,698, about 10%, faster than revenue excluding the acquisitions grew.
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - acquisition notes: CyberArk, Chronosphere and other purchase accounting, and pro forma results. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
  8. Moat Explorer calcHeadcount rose from 16,068 to 21,921 in fiscal 2026; excluding the about 4,223 people from CyberArk, it rose to about 17,698, about 10%, faster than revenue excluding the acquisitions grew.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Palo Alto Networks' reported figures ($ millions unless stated; fiscal years end 31 July). Growth: revenue FY2026 11,480 / 9,221.5 - 1 = 24.5%; FY2025 9,221.5 / 8,027.5 - 1 = 14.9%; FY2024 8,027.5 / 6,892.7 - 1 = 16.5%; FY2023 25.3%; FY2022 29.3%; FY2021 24.9%; FY2020 17.5%; FY2024 to FY2026 11,480 / 8,027.5 - 1 = 43%; compound FY2015-FY2026 (11,480 / 928.1)^(1/11) - 1 = 25.7%, about 26%. By type FY2026: product 2,280 / 1,801.9 - 1 = 26.5%; subscription 6,239 / 4,974.4 - 1 = 25.4%; support 2,961 / 2,445.2 - 1 = 21.1%. Product FY2025 12.4%, FY2024 1,603.3 / 1,578.4 - 1 = 1.6%, FY2020 1,064.2 / 1,096.2 - 1 = -2.9%. Subscription FY2017 53.7%, FY2019 36.2%, FY2021 35.1%, FY2023 31.4%, FY2024 25.6%, FY2025 18.8%. Support FY2022 29.3%, FY2023 23.7%, FY2024 13.0%, FY2025 9.4%. Compound FY2015-FY2026: subscription (6,239 / 212.7)^(1/11) - 1 = 36.0%; support (2,961 / 222.7)^(1/11) - 1 = 26.5%; product (2,280 / 492.7)^(1/11) - 1 = 14.9%. Product outgrew subscription in FY2026 (26.5% against 25.4%), which it did not in any year FY2016-FY2025. Organic: FY2026 (11,480 - 930) / 9,221 - 1 = 14.4%; Q4 acquisition revenue 930 - 388 = 542; Q4 (3,410 - 542) / 2,536 - 1 = 13.1%, about 13%; pro forma 12,312 / 10,486 - 1 = 17.4%; FY2027 guidance 14.15 / 12.312 - 1 = 14.9%, about 15%. Margins: gross margin FY2026 8,077 / 11,480 = 70.4% (FY2025 6,769.9 / 9,221.5 = 73.4%; FY2024 5,968.3 / 8,027.5 = 74.3%); Q4 GAAP 2,304 / 3,410 = 67.6%. Product gross margin (2,280 - 568) / 2,280 = 75.1% (FY2025 (1,801.9 - 413) / 1,801.9 = 77.1%); subscription and support (9,200 - 2,835) / 9,200 = 69.2% (FY2025 (7,419.6 - 2,038) / 7,419.6 = 72.5%). Operating margin 695 / 11,480 = 6.1% (FY2025 1,242.9 / 9,221.5 = 13.5%); non-GAAP 3,356 / 11,480 = 29.2% (FY2025 2,652 / 9,221.5 = 28.8%); Q4 non-GAAP 1,011 / 3,410 = 29.6%; gap 3,356 - 695 = 2,661. R&D 2,552 / 11,480 = 22.2%; sales and marketing 3,931 / 11,480 = 34.2%; capital expenditure 440 / 11,480 = 3.8%. Tax 229 / (307 + 229 = 536) = 42.7%. Mix: product share 492.7 / 928.1 = 53.1% (FY2015), 2,280 / 11,480 = 19.9% (FY2026); subscription 212.7 / 928.1 = 22.9%, 6,239 / 11,480 = 54.3%; support 222.7 / 928.1 = 24.0%, 2,961 / 11,480 = 25.8%; one point of share 1% x 11,480 = 115. Recurring share 435.4 / 928.1 = 46.9% (FY2015), 1,393.8 / 2,273.6 = 61.3% (FY2018), 3,135.8 / 4,256.1 = 73.7% (FY2021), 6,424.2 / 8,027.5 = 80.0% (FY2024). Subscription and support per dollar of product 435.4 / 492.7 = 0.88 (FY2015), 1,393.8 / 879.8 = 1.58 (FY2018), 3,135.8 / 1,120.3 = 2.80 (FY2021), 6,424.2 / 1,603.3 = 4.01 (FY2024), 9,200 / 2,280 = 4.04 (FY2026). Hardware about 10% x 11,480 = about 1,150, about 50% of product. NGS ARR 9.10 / 11.48 = 79% of revenue. United States 7,108 / 11,480 = 61.9% (FY2016 901.8 / 1,378.5 = 65.4%). Q4 share of year 3,410 / 11,480 = 29.7%, about 30%. Prisma AIRS ARR 100 / 11,480 = under 1%. ARR and RPO: Q3 acquired ARR 1.6 / 8.1 = 20%, about a fifth; Q3 organic 8.1 - 1.6 = 6.5; Q3 acquired RPO 1.8 / 18.4 = 10%; FY2023 NGS ARR 4.2 / 1.43 = about 2.9; FY2025 growth 5.6 / 4.2 - 1 = 33%; Q1 FY2027 net new 9.54 - 9.10 = 0.44 to 9.56 - 9.10 = 0.46 billion; FY2030 target (20 / 9.1)^(1/4) - 1 = 21.8% a year; RPO / revenue 21.2 / 11.48 = 1.85; RPO due in 12 months 1.7 / 3.1 = 55% (FY2019), 2.2 / 4.3 = 51% (FY2020), 3.1 / 5.9 = 53% (FY2021), 4.1 / 8.2 = 50% (FY2022), 5.1 / 10.6 = 48% (FY2023), 5.9 / 12.7 = 46% (FY2024), 7.0 / 15.8 = 44% (FY2025), 9.3 / 21.2 = 44% (FY2026); RPO beyond 12 months 21.2 - 9.3 = 11.9 billion; Idira guidance 1.5 / 1.26 - 1 = 19%; Network and AI Security FY2025 8.35 / 1.17 = about 7.14 billion. Revenue from prior deferred 6.2 / 5.5 - 1 = 13%. Cash, deferred revenue and stock pay: free cash flow margin 4,113 / 11,480 = 35.8%; share-based compensation (cash flow) 1,774 / 11,480 = 15.5%; 1,774 / 1,295 - 1 = 37%; 1,774 / 4,113 = 43%; free cash flow after stock pay 4,113 - 1,774 = 2,339, 2,339 / 11,480 = 20.4%, 2,339 / 306,540 = 0.76%; free cash flow 4,113 / 306,540 = 1.3% and 4,113 / 27,492 = 15%. Stock pay share of revenue FY2016 392.8 / 1,378.5 = 28.5%, FY2020 658.4 / 3,408.4 = 19.3%, FY2024 1,076 / 8,027.5 = 13.4%, FY2025 1,295 / 9,221.5 = 14.0%. 10-K share-based compensation 1,815 / 1,079 - 1 = 68%. Equity plan (26.1 + 24.3) / 818 = 6%. Net cash 2,514 + 557 + 4,835 - 1,774 = 6,132; cash and investments 2,514 + 557 + 4,835 = 7,906, about 7.9 billion. Deferred revenue 1,582.1 + 1,306.6 = 2,888.7 (FY2019); 2,741.9 + 2,282.1 = 5,024.0 (FY2021); 4,674.6 + 4,621.8 = 9,296.4 (FY2023); 6,302.2 + 6,449.7 = 12,751.9 (FY2025); 7,747 + 7,009 = 14,756 (FY2026); 14,756 / 11,480 = 1.29 times; 2,888.7 / 2,899.6 = about one year (FY2019); growth 14,756 / 12,751.9 - 1 = 15.7%; excluding CyberArk (14,756 - 776) / 12,751.9 - 1 = 9.6%. Billings FY2025 9,221.5 + (12,751.9 - 11,480.5) = 10,493, 10,493 / 10,208.1 - 1 = 2.8%; FY2026 11,480 + (14,756 - 12,752) - 776 = about 12,708, 12,708 / 10,493 - 1 = 21%; February 2024 guidance cut 10.7 - 10.1 = 0.6 billion. Acquisitions: fiscal 2019 378.1 + 474.2 + 158.2 + 292.9 + 82.7 + 36.8 + 103.1 = 1,526; fiscal 2020 144.1 + 66.4 = 210.5; fiscal 2021 797.2 + 227.7 + 156.9 + 27.0 = 1,209; fiscal 2024 255.4 + 458.6 = 714; fiscal 2025 1,143 + 635 = 1,778; fiscal 2026 2,951 + 21,061 + 231 + 117 = 24,360, about 24.4 billion; all twenty-two FY2019-FY2026 including Cider 198.3 = 29,996, about 30.0 billion; FY2026 against FY2019-FY2025 24,360 / 5,636 = 4.3 times; after year end 325 + 500 = 825; AI security 635 + 231 + 117 = 983. CyberArk shares 18,488 / 112 = about 165 a share; 25,000 - 21,061 = about 3.9 billion; 112 x 374.74 = about 42.0 billion; 112 / 818 = 14%. Chronosphere 2,951 / 160 = about 18 times ARR. Goodwill and intangibles (22,010 + 7,017) / 48,460 = 60%; other assets 48,460 - 29,027 = 19,433. Headcount 21,921 - 4,223 = 17,698, 17,698 / 16,068 - 1 = 10%. Revenue per employee 928.1 / 2,637 = 0.35; 9,221.5 / 16,068 = 0.57; 11,480 / 21,921 = 0.52. Convertible loss Q1-Q3 562 - 524 = 38. Distributors: FY2019 31.8 + 22.1 + 10.7 + 10.0 = 74.6%; FY2021 33.2 + 12.2 + 10.6 = 56.0%; FY2023 25.0 + 12.8 + 11.9 = 49.7%; FY2024 21.2 + 13.2 + 13.2 + 11.4 = 59.0%; FY2025 18.8 + 14.4 + 11.0 = 44.2%; FY2026 15 + 15 = 30%; largest 34.4% (FY2020) to 15% (FY2026); receivables FY2019 29.9 + 18.9 + 14.2 = 63.0%. Valuation: market value over fiscal revenue at calendar year-end 15.13 / 0.928 = 16.3 (2015), 11.47 / 1.3785 = 8.3 (2016), 42.19 / 5.5015 = 7.7 (2022), 92.98 / 6.8927 = 13.5 (2023), 119.40 / 8.0275 = 14.9 (2024), 128.39 / 9.2215 = 13.9 (2025); 306.54 / 11.48 = 26.7; 306.54 / 0.307 = 998; 374.74 / 3.84 = 97.6; market value against Fortinet 306.54 / 130.12 = 2.4, against CrowdStrike 306.54 / 267.43 = 1.15; analyst target 395.70 / 374.74 - 1 = 6% - valuation, cash flow, stock pay, deferred revenue, billings and acquisitions. — FY2015-FY2027 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Palo Alto Networks' Forms 10-K and results releases, the Q4 FY2026 earnings call and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  9. ReportedThe long-lived asset figure, $222 million, is a rough measure of the commitment; a fall would suggest the company is consolidating CyberArk's operations back toward California.
    Palo Alto Networks Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended 31 July 2026) - Item 1 business and Item 7 MD&A: platforms, customers, channels, employees, revenue by type and geography. — FY2026 · publ. 10 September 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated September 26, 2026