On Tuesday, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) adjusted its outlook on Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:AXON), a prominent player in law enforcement technology. The firm raised its shares price target to $441 from the previous $385 while reaffirming its Buy rating. The revision follows a recent event where Axon showcased its innovative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
The analyst from Goldman Sachs attended Axon's booth tour at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference held in Boston, MA. During the showcase, Axon presented its Axon AI suite, a collection of AI-powered products designed to support law enforcement activities. While no financial updates were provided at the event, the analyst expressed optimism about Axon's potential for sustained revenue growth.
Goldman Sachs anticipates that Axon will continue to experience over 20% revenue growth in the medium term. This expectation is based on the company's established customer base and the increasing monetization opportunities through new software offerings. The analyst highlighted Axon's AI Era bundle, particularly the Draft One product, as a strong example of generative AI applied to report-writing using audio from body cameras.
The integration of software and hardware is seen as a key differentiator for Axon, positioning it advantageously in the market. In light of these developments, Goldman Sachs has increased its 12-month target price for Axon Enterprise.
The new target is based on a higher expected revenue from Software & Sensors Services and an increased target multiple of 20.5X the next twelve months plus one year (NTM+1Y) gross profit, up from the previous multiple of 18X. The firm's growing confidence in Axon's AI software growth outlook has contributed to this more bullish stance.
In other recent news, Axon Enterprise has experienced a series of significant developments. The company reported impressive earnings in the second quarter, with revenue exceeding $500 million and new business bookings surpassing $1 billion. This robust growth was driven by new products like TASER 10 and Axon Body 4, and a shift in revenue mix, with software and services accounting for 39% of total revenue.
In addition, Axon's software segment demonstrated substantial growth with a 47% year-over-year increase, approaching an annualized revenue of nearly $800 million. The company's future contracted revenue stands at approximately $7.4 billion, and full-year revenue guidance has been raised to between $2 billion and $2.05 billion.
Furthermore, the Campbell Police Department has been granted a waiver by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations using Dedrone by Axon's advanced DedroneBeyond technology. This approval enhances the department's Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program by enabling round-the-clock drone operations.
Financial services firm Baird has maintained its Outperform rating on Axon, reflecting confidence in the company's continued expansion and innovation. These are the recent developments in Axon Enterprise's financial performance, analyst ratings, and technological advancements.
InvestingPro Insights
Axon Enterprise's recent showcase of AI capabilities aligns well with its strong financial performance, as highlighted by InvestingPro data. The company's revenue growth of 32.59% over the last twelve months supports Goldman Sachs' optimistic outlook on sustained growth. This is further reinforced by an InvestingPro Tip indicating that analysts anticipate sales growth in the current year.
The company's impressive gross profit margin of 59.81% underscores its ability to maintain profitability while investing in innovative technologies like the Axon AI suite. This is reflected in another InvestingPro Tip, which notes Axon's impressive gross profit margins.
Investors should note that Axon's stock has shown a strong return of 110.56% over the last year, trading near its 52-week high. This performance aligns with the company's technological advancements and market position discussed in the article.
For those seeking a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers 20 additional tips on Axon Enterprise, providing a comprehensive view of the company's financial health and market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.