Nadav Zafrir of Team8 took over as Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.'s (NASDAQ:CHKP) new CEO in December 2024. What do analysts think of this change and how it will affect the company?

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Analyst Tal Liani upgraded the rating from Neutral to Buy, while raising the price target from $230 to $260.

The new CEO is "fundamentally changing the growth outlook of Check Point," Liani said in his upgrade note. Under the leadership of Nadav Zafrir, the company has revamped its go-to-market strategy, he added.

There are "encouraging signs" from the new go-to-market and product initiatives, the analyst stated. "M&A and R&D proactiveness were the key historical weaknesses of Check Point, and we expect this to change under the new leadership, with a focus on shifting from point products to a hybrid mesh platform through organic and inorganic evolution, as well as strategic partnerships," he further wrote.

Check out other analyst stock ratings.

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Analyst Keith Bachman upgraded the rating from Market Perform to Outperform rating, while raising the price target from $245 to $275.

There is upside to the billings growth and net new billings estimates for 2025, Bachman said in his upgrade note. "We have increased confidence in growth assumptions for Harmony Email/Avanan, which ease the glide path of CHKP's requisite core net new billings," he added.

Check Point is increasingly focusing on the SASE market, estimated by Gartner to reach around $15 billion in 2025, the analyst stated. "New management, GTM initiatives and increased investment/integration, including resources directed to SASE from CNAPP, can position CHKP SASE for longer-term success, in our opinion," he further wrote.

CHKP Price Action: Shares of Check Point Software Technologies declined by 0.95% to $229.11 at the time of publication on Friday.

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