Why HubSpot’s latest earnings and AI push are in focus

HubSpot (HUBS) is back on investors’ radar after first quarter 2026 earnings topped revenue expectations, full year revenue and margin guidance moved higher, and management spotlighted rapid uptake of AI powered customer support tools.

Even with the earnings beat and stronger AI story, the share price is down 24% over the past week and 53% year to date, while the 1 year total shareholder return is down 73%. This signals that momentum has been weak despite recent operational progress and the completed US$399.73m buyback and insider share purchases.

If HubSpot’s AI push has your attention, it can be useful to scan other software companies leaning into this theme and see how they are priced relative to growth, starting with 61 profitable AI stocks that aren't just burning cash

With HubSpot’s shares down sharply despite higher guidance and AI traction, and the stock at a reported 77% intrinsic discount, the key question is whether this represents genuine value or whether the market is already pricing in slower future growth.

Most Popular Narrative: 45.7% Undervalued

HubSpot’s most followed valuation narrative, based on a fair value of $329.51 versus a last close of $179.00, points to a large gap between price and the narrative’s estimate of worth.

HubSpot is a leading, product-led CRM platform for SMBs and mid-market companies that bundles marketing, sales, service, operations and commerce capabilities in an easy-to-adopt cloud suite. Its strong brand, inbound-marketing flywheel, partner ecosystem and user-friendly UX drive customer acquisition and retention, allowing HubSpot to capture higher lifetime value from expanding product adoption inside customers.

The fair value reflects a narrative of compounding revenue, healthier margins and a future earnings profile that supports a premium profit multiple. Readers may be curious about which specific growth and profitability assumptions greenbooksilver uses to justify the gap between price and narrative valuation.

Result: Fair Value of $329.51 (UNDERVALUED)

However, this hinges on HubSpot keeping AI tools differentiated and avoiding weaker upsell or rising churn, which could challenge the current undervalued narrative.

Another View: Earnings Multiple Sends A Different Signal

The user narrative leans on a discounted cash flow style fair value of $329.51, yet HubSpot trades on a P/E of 91.4x versus a US Software industry average of 28x, a peer average of 47.8x and a fair ratio of 43.5x. This suggests rich pricing and higher valuation risk if expectations cool. So which lens do you treat as the anchor?

Next Steps

If this mix of optimism and concern feels familiar, act quickly and check the underlying data for yourself, starting with the company’s 3 key rewards.

Looking for more investment ideas?

If HubSpot has sharpened your focus, do not stop here. Cast a wider net across other opportunities so you are not relying on a single thesis.

• Target dependable cash generators and income potential by reviewing companies featured in the 14 dividend fortresses.
• Hunt for quality at a discount by scanning the 46 high quality undervalued stocks before the market closes those gaps.
• Prioritize resilience by focusing on companies highlighted in the 68 resilient stocks with low risk scores so short term noise does not dominate your portfolio.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.