Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP)

How it makes money

Revenue splits between selling hardware and perpetual software licences, ongoing security subscriptions that give customers access to updated threat protection, and software updates and maintenance contracts tied to the installed base. Subscriptions are the fastest-growing and most recurring part of the business, while hardware and one-time licence sales are lumpier and depend on new equipment refresh cycles.

Revenue by segment

Once Check Point's firewalls and security policies are configured deep inside a company's network, replacing them means re-architecting security operations, which customers put off unless something forces the change. That stickiness is weakening rather than strengthening: Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet and CrowdStrike have been taking share in newer categories like cloud and endpoint security, so the advantage today looks narrow.

Cybersecurity spending is treated by most enterprises as close to non-discretionary, since a breach can be far costlier than the security budget itself, which cushions demand relative to general IT spending. Even so, the pace of new deals and equipment refreshes still tracks overall enterprise IT budgets and can slow when companies broadly tighten spending.

Key risks

• Losing share to newer security vendors — Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, CrowdStrike and Microsoft are all competing aggressively in cloud and endpoint security, categories where Check Point's legacy firewall position gives it less of an edge.
• Transition toward subscription-based security — Growing security subscriptions faster than legacy hardware and licence revenue declines is an ongoing execution challenge, and a slower transition would weigh on overall growth.
• Israel-based operations and geopolitical risk — A significant part of Check Point's research and development and management is based in Israel, exposing the company to regional political and military conditions that could disrupt operations.
• Being targeted as a security vendor — As a maker of security products, Check Point is itself an attractive target for attackers; a breach of its own systems or a flaw discovered in its products would damage trust in a business built on protecting others.
• Dependence on channel partners — Much of Check Point's sales go through resellers and distributors rather than a direct sales force, so its results depend on those partners continuing to prioritise its products over competitors'.