ServiceNow, Inc.

πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈNew York Stock Exchange
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Bullish +75

This AI Stock Has Already Won. The Market Just Hasn't Realized It Yet.

πŸ“‰ ServiceNow stock has fallen nearly 42% from its peak due to market fears of AI disruption, despite strong underlying fundamentals.

πŸ€– The company's Now Assist AI product saw a 130% year-over-year increase in customers spending $1 million or more in Q1.

πŸ’Ό ServiceNow closed 16 new deals worth $5 million or more in annual contract value, signaling continued momentum.

πŸ“ˆ Subscription revenue grew 22% year over year last quarter, while the company's backlog expanded 25% to nearly $28 billion.

πŸ›‘οΈ The firm is expanding its mission from IT issue resolution to helping enterprises control and govern AI agents securely.

πŸ’° Valuation has compressed to a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 30x, down from the typical 40x range.

πŸ“Š CEO Bill McDermott noted that customers trust the platform because it integrates with any model, cloud, or system they choose.

πŸ€– Now Assist is evolving into an agentic AI system capable of completing end-to-end tasks for employees.

πŸ”’ A key value proposition is providing control and security as AI agents connect to a company's data systems.

🏒 ServiceNow positions itself as the operating system for businesses deploying AI in the workplace, leveraging two decades of enterprise embedding.

🎯 Management maintains a long-term addressable market of more than $600 billion for the company.

πŸ“‰ The stock is trading at its lowest valuation in years, potentially offering a buying opportunity before sentiment turns positive.

🚫 The Motley Fool Stock Advisor team recently identified 10 best stocks to buy now, and ServiceNow was not included in that list.

πŸ“ˆ Historical examples from the Stock Advisor list include Netflix (2004) and Nvidia (2005), which generated massive returns for early investors.

🀝 The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ServiceNow, while John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

Bullish Signals
  • ServiceNow continues to win large enterprise deals for its automation platform, demonstrating sustained demand.
  • In Q1, the Now Assist AI product saw a 130% year-over-year increase in customers spending $1 million or more, indicating strong adoption of its AI capabilities.
  • The company closed 16 deals worth $5 million or more in new annual contract value, signaling positive momentum and growth.
  • Subscription revenue grew 22% year over year last quarter, reflecting robust recurring revenue expansion.
  • ServiceNow's backlog grew 25% to nearly $28 billion, showing that customers are committing to the platform for the long term.
  • CEO Bill McDermott highlighted that customers trust the platform because it integrates with any model, cloud, interface, data, and system they choose to deploy.
  • The stock's sell-off has pushed its valuation to a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 30 times, which is considered a bargain for a subscription business growing revenue at more than 20% per year.
  • Management pegs the long-term addressable market at more than $600 billion, suggesting significant upside potential as the company executes on its strategy.
Risk Factors
  • Wall Street is currently undervaluing the company, trading it at a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 30 times compared to its typical range above 40 times.
Full Analysis
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is experiencing a significant stock price decline, having fallen nearly 42% from its peak, which the article argues represents a buying opportunity as the market may be undervaluing the company's role in enterprise AI. The core of ServiceNow's value proposition has shifted from simple IT workflow automation to becoming a critical security and governance layer for AI agents within large enterprises. This strategic pivot is supported by strong financial metrics, including a 22% year-over-year growth in subscription revenue and a backlog that increased by 25% to nearly $28 billion, indicating sustained customer commitment. Specifically, the company's Now Assist AI product has seen explosive demand, with customers spending $1 million or more increasing by 130% year over year in the first quarter alone. The firm also closed 16 new deals worth at least $5 million each in annual contract value during this period. CEO Bill McDermott emphasizes that customers trust the platform because it integrates seamlessly with any AI model, cloud interface, or data system a company chooses to deploy, positioning ServiceNow as an operating system for safe and scaled AI deployment. Financially, the stock's valuation has compressed to a forward price-to-earnings multiple of around 30 times, down from its typical trading range above 40 times, while revenue continues to grow at over 20% annually. Management maintains a long-term addressable market for the company exceeding $600 billion, suggesting significant future growth potential as the firm executes on rolling out AI across its product lineup. The article concludes that ServiceNow has effectively won in the enterprise space and may only require another quarter or two of strong results to shift market sentiment back toward positive.