CrowdStrike's stock declined 9.8% on February 23, 2026, following an analyst downgrade. Stifel Nicolaus reduced its price target from $600.00 to $480.00, though maintained a buy rating. The broader decline occurred as cybersecurity stocks fell after Anthropic launched Claude Code Security, an AI tool designed to scan software code, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend fixes. CrowdStrike shares dropped approximately 10%, alongside Zscaler and Cloudflare, which also fell nearly the same amount. The iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF declined about 5%. CEO George Kurtz stated the tool would not replace CrowdStrike's Falcon platform, citing its real-time kernel-level endpoint monitoring and proprietary threat intelligence capabilities. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives noted that AI adoption may expand cybersecurity spending over time.
Read full analysisCrowdStrike's stock declined 9.8% on February 23, 2026, following an analyst downgrade. Stifel Nicolaus reduced its price target from $600.00 to $480.00, though maintained a buy rating. The broader decline occurred as cybersecurity stocks fell after Anthropic launched Claude Code Security, an AI tool designed to scan software code, identify vulnerabilities, and recommend fixes. CrowdStrike shares dropped approximately 10%, alongside Zscaler and Cloudflare, which also fell nearly the same amount. The iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF declined about 5%. CEO George Kurtz stated the tool would not replace CrowdStrike's Falcon platform, citing its real-time kernel-level endpoint monitoring and proprietary threat intelligence capabilities. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives noted that AI adoption may expand cybersecurity spending over time.
CrowdStrike is a leading cybersecurity company best known for its cloud-native Falcon platform, which provides endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and incident response services to enterprises worldwide. With $4.92 billion in annual recurring revenue and Q4 earnings due March 3, the company sits at the center of a heated debate over whether AI advances will expand or cannibalize cybersecurity spending. The stock has become Wall Street's primary proxy for AI-disruption risk in the sector, suffering three distinct selloffs exceeding 8% since early February each time a major AI lab demonstrates security-adjacent capabilities.