13 Best Large Cap Stocks to Invest in For the Long Term

9. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW)

5-Year Revenue Growth: 21.68%

Analyst Upside: 24.72%

Market Cap: $126.58 billion

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) is one of the best large cap stocks to invest in for the long term. Northland lifted the price target on Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) to $190 from $177 on November 20, keeping a Market Perform rating on the shares.

The rating update came after the company reported a “solid” quarter and guidance, leading the firm to raise its free cash flow margin assumption for fiscal year 2028-2038 to 40%. It noted that this takes into account management’s guidance and a stated floor of about 37%.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) reported its fiscal Q1 2026 earnings on November 19, with total revenue for the quarter rising 16% year-over-year to $2.5 billion compared to $2.1 billion in fiscal Q1 2025. Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW), stated that the strong start to the fiscal year was driven by “excellent” results across all metrics, along with notable platformization wins. The company’s robust innovation engine and strategic acquisitions of CyberArk and Chronosphere lend it a strong position as the data and security partner of choice in the AI era.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) expects total revenue for fiscal Q2 2026 in the range of $2.57 billion to $2.59 billion, representing year-over-year growth of between 14% and 15%.

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) provides network security solutions to service providers, enterprises, and government entities. Its operations are divided into the following geographical segments: the United States, Israel, and Other Countries.