CrowdStrike's AI Threat Tailwinds Accelerate ARR Growth, RBC Says

11:02 AM EDT, 08/27/2026 (MT Newswires) -- CrowdStrike (CRWD) delivered a strong fiscal Q2 beat and raise, with accelerating annual recurring revenue growth driven by increasing cybersecurity needs tied to AI adoption, RBC said in a Wednesday note. RBC said net new ARR of $333 million exceeded consensus of $285 million, driving total ARR up 25.4% year over year to $5.84 billion, with Flex ARR more than doubling to $2.29 billion, Cloud Security ARR rising 29% and LogScale Next-Gen SIEM ARR increasing 60%. The brokerage said the realization that AI adoption requires a broader cybersecurity approach is translating into measurable demand, creating a sustained tailwind as enterprises seek greater visibility and controls across AI, identity, data and runtime activity. Management raised its 2027 guidance, with midpoint ARR, revenue and operating income targets increasing to $6.61 billion, $6.00 billion and $1.50 billion, respectively, from $6.54 billion, $5.94 billion and $1.47 billion previously, while RBC continues to see potential upside in the H2 of the fiscal year. RBC maintained its outperform rating on the stock and raised its price target to $260 from $256. Shares of CrowdStrike were up more than 17% in Thursday trading. Price: 222.82, Change: +33.64, Percent Change: +17.78