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Fortinet (FTNT) Price Target Raised by Mizuho: Navigating AI Trends and Future Security Needs

We recently published a list of 13 AI News That Broke the Internet. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT) stands against other AI news that broke the internet.

AI Moving from Prompts to Problem-Solving

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, a new generation of AI systems is emerging. The new systems go beyond answering questions to autonomously completing tasks and solving problems. These “agentic” AI systems are set to revolutionize industries, from healthcare to finance, by taking on complex objectives and driving productivity in ways we have yet to fully experience.

Matt Wood, PwC’s global commercial technology and innovation officer, discussed this evolution of AI on CNBC’s ‘Squawk on the Street’. He highlighted the transition from basic question-answering systems to more advanced agentic systems capable of completing tasks on behalf of users. These systems will be able to respond to objectives like booking flights or managing investments by creating and completing to-do lists autonomously.

He predicts that within the next 12 months, agentic AI will become more integrated into everyday life, similar to how apps improve the functionality of smartphones. Wood also pointed out that AI is being adopted rapidly in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing due to existing investments in data governance, which provide a solid foundation for leveraging generative AI.

READ ALSO: Top 15 AI Stock News and Ratings Dominating Wall Street and Jim Cramer Discussed 18 Companies That Hit $100 Billion in Market Cap in 2024.

According to a Bloomberg report from December 13, companies like OpenAI, Salesforce, and McKinsey are already deploying agents to improve efficiency and reduce the need for human intervention in routine tasks. Agents can take on roles like personal assistants, collaborative coworkers, and supervisors, enabling employees to focus on higher-value work.

Although the agents won’t fully replace jobs, AI agents are expected to transform work environments, create new roles, and foster greater productivity, especially in sectors with complex, regulated processes. The widespread adoption of these agents could lead to changes in staffing models and workplace dynamics by 2025, with companies using fewer but more skilled workers.

For this article, we selected AI stocks by going through news articles, stock analysis, and press releases. We listed the stocks in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment taken from Insider Monkey’s database of 900 hedge funds.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

A close-up of a user authenticating into a secure network using a two-factor authentication process.

Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT) offers AI-powered cybersecurity solutions and AI-driven tools for threat detection, security orchestration, and endpoint protection.

Mizuho raised the firm’s price target on Fortinet (NASDAQ:FTNT) to $78 from $68 and kept an Underperform rating on the shares as part of a 2025 outlook for the software group, as reported by The Fly on December 13. The firm increased price targets on several companies, largely a reflection of recent increases in comp multiples. It believes the most important trends benefiting software vendors today and in the future are digital transformation, generative artificial intelligence, data and analytics, contact center cloud migrations, DevOps, and next-generation security. Mizuho believes the industry’s risk/reward is more balanced entering 2025, but still attractive overall.

Overall, FTNT ranks 12th on our list of AI news that broke the internet. While we acknowledge the potential of FTNT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than FTNT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

AI Fire Sale: Insider Monkey’s #1 AI Stock Pick Is On A Steep Discount

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

The whispers are turning into roars.

Artificial intelligence isn’t science fiction anymore.

It’s the revolution reshaping every industry on the planet.

From driverless cars to medical breakthroughs, AI is on the cusp of a global explosion, and savvy investors stand to reap the rewards.

Here’s why this is the prime moment to jump on the AI bandwagon:

Exponential Growth on the Horizon: Forget linear growth – AI is poised for a hockey stick trajectory.

Imagine every sector, from healthcare to finance, infused with superhuman intelligence.

We’re talking disease prediction, hyper-personalized marketing, and automated logistics that streamline everything.

This isn’t a maybe – it’s an inevitability.

Early investors will be the ones positioned to ride the wave of this technological tsunami.

Ground Floor Opportunity: Remember the early days of the internet?

Those who saw the potential of tech giants back then are sitting pretty today.

AI is at a similar inflection point.

We’re not talking about established players – we’re talking about nimble startups with groundbreaking ideas and the potential to become the next Google or Amazon.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 10,000% Return: This AI Stock is a Diamond in the Rough (But Our Help is Key!)

The AI revolution is upon us, and savvy investors stand to make a fortune.

But with so many choices, how do you find the hidden gem – the company poised for explosive growth?

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Imagine an AI company so groundbreaking, so far ahead of the curve, that even if its stock price quadrupled today, it would still be considered ridiculously cheap.

That’s the potential you’re looking at. This isn’t just about a decent return – we’re talking about a 10,000% gain over the next decade!

Our research team has identified a hidden gem – an AI company with cutting-edge technology, massive potential, and a current stock price that screams opportunity.

This company boasts the most advanced technology in the AI sector, putting them leagues ahead of competitors.

It’s like having a race car on a go-kart track.

They have a strong possibility of cornering entire markets, becoming the undisputed leader in their field.

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China’s terrifying internet “Master Key”… and the one microcap that could stop them

In August 2024, news outlets around the world revealed one of the most shocking data breaches in recent history.

Approximately 2.9 billion records, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, financial data and, distressingly, Social Security numbers, were stolen when Coral Springs, Florida, firm National Public Data (NPD) suffered a massive cyberattack. The company confirmed that the breach, which happened in December 2023, resulted in the potential leaks of data in the summer of 2024.

Nearly every day in the news, we hear about yet another damaging data breach or ransomware attack that puts valuable data — including yours — into the hands of hackers. And the number of attacks is soaring — up 30% year over year according to the latest numbers.

As bad as this is, it’s a day at the beach compared to what’s coming.

That’s because hostile nations across the globe — including Iran, North Korea, Russia and Communist China are going all-out to develop a breakthrough technology that will unlock what I call the “Master Key” to the Internet.

If they succeed in harnessing this groundbreaking “Master Key” technology, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Click to continue reading…