Zscaler (ZS) Stock After 57% Slide Is The Market Overreacting On Valuation

Zscaler, Inc.

Zscaler, Inc.

ZS

0.00

  • If you are wondering whether Zscaler's current share price really reflects what the company is worth, it helps to start by breaking the valuation into clear, objective pieces.
  • The stock closed at US$129.52, with the share price down 1.0% over the past week, 15.0% over the past month, 41.3% year to date and 57.1% over the past year, which naturally raises questions about risk, expectations and value.
  • Recent coverage has focused on Zscaler's position within cybersecurity, as investors weigh its role in securing cloud and remote work traffic against shifting sentiment toward growth oriented software stocks. Headlines have also highlighted how changes in the wider software sector have been reflected in Zscaler's share price as investors reassess what they are willing to pay for future cash flows.
  • Zscaler currently has a valuation score of 5 out of 6, suggesting the stock screens as undervalued on most of Simply Wall St's checks. The rest of this article will walk through those methods and then outline a way to tie them together into a more complete view of what the stock might be worth.

Approach 1: Zscaler Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

A Discounted Cash Flow model looks at the cash Zscaler is expected to generate in the future and then discounts those projected cash flows back to today, using a required rate of return, to estimate what the stock could be worth now.

Zscaler’s latest twelve month free cash flow stands at about $852.3m. Analysts and Simply Wall St projections point to free cash flow of $1,833.45m in 2030, with interim estimates between 2026 and 2035 ranging from $784.76m to $2,776.60m. Analyst forecasts cover the next few years, while the later figures are extrapolated by Simply Wall St using its 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity model.

On this basis, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of about $212.80 per share, compared with the recent share price of $129.52. That implies an intrinsic discount of roughly 39.1%, which indicates the stock screens as undervalued using this DCF approach.

Result: UNDERVALUED

Our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis suggests Zscaler is undervalued by 39.1%. Track this in your watchlist or portfolio, or discover 44 more high quality undervalued stocks.

ZS Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2026
ZS Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2026

Approach 2: Zscaler Price vs Sales (P/S)

For companies where investors are focused on revenue rather than profits, the P/S ratio is often the cleaner way to compare what the market is paying for each dollar of sales. It lets you see how the stock is priced relative to its top line without getting caught up in swings in earnings.

Growth expectations and risk still matter a lot. Higher expected growth or lower perceived risk can justify a higher “normal” or “fair” P/S ratio, while slower growth or higher risk usually means a lower one makes more sense.

Zscaler currently trades on a P/S of 6.60x. That is below the peer average of 8.54x but above the broader Software industry average of 3.30x. Simply Wall St’s Fair Ratio for Zscaler is 8.26x. This metric is designed to estimate the multiple that fits the company’s own profile, taking into account factors like its earnings growth, industry, profit margin, market cap and risks, rather than relying only on broad peer or sector comparisons.

Because the Fair Ratio of 8.26x is higher than the current P/S of 6.60x, Zscaler screens as undervalued on this P/S approach.

Result: UNDERVALUED

NasdaqGS:ZS P/S Ratio as at Jun 2026
NasdaqGS:ZS P/S Ratio as at Jun 2026

P/S ratios tell one story, but what if the real opportunity lies elsewhere? Start investing in legacies, not executives. Discover our 20 top founder-led companies.

Upgrade Your Decision Making: Choose your Zscaler Narrative

Earlier the article mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation. This is where Narratives come in, giving you a simple story that sits behind the numbers like fair value, and estimates for future revenue, earnings and margins.

A Narrative is your own clear explanation of what you think is happening at a company. It is linked directly to a financial forecast and then to a fair value that you can compare with the current share price to decide whether the stock looks appealing or stretched for you personally.

On Simply Wall St, Narratives sit inside the Community page and are used by millions of investors as an accessible tool. Each person can set their assumptions, see a fair value, and then quickly compare that value to the live price to help decide whether they are comfortable buying, holding or selling.

For Zscaler, one investor might build a Narrative that lines up with the higher fair value of about US$245.26 and a more optimistic view on AI security and Zero Trust adoption. Another might align with the lower fair value of about US$227.67 or US$238.48 using more cautious assumptions. As news or earnings arrive, the platform updates those Narratives automatically so you can see in real time how fresh information affects your story and valuation.

Do you think there's more to the story for Zscaler? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying!

NasdaqGS:ZS 1-Year Stock Price Chart
NasdaqGS:ZS 1-Year Stock Price Chart

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.