DA Davidson has moved Varonis Systems (NASDAQ: VRNS) up from a Neutral stance to a Buy rating and raised its price target to $30.00 from $25.00. The action was announced on Wednesday, February 04, 2026, by analyst Rudy Kessinger. The upgrade coincides with a cluster of upward revisions to earnings expectations - six analysts have recently raised their estimates for the company, according to InvestingPro data.
Despite the more optimistic analyst posture, Varonis stock has suffered steep losses on the market. Shares are down by more than 20% over the past week and have dropped roughly 53% over the preceding six months. At the time of the report, the stock was trading around $23.67, which sits below DA Davidson's new $30.00 target and close to InvestingPro's Fair Value assessment, suggesting potential upside if the new target is realized.
Varonis is a provider of software focused on protecting unstructured enterprise data from insider risk and external cyberattacks, emphasizing analytics and data-security controls across corporate platforms. The company reported strong profitability on gross margins - nearly 79% - and its balance sheet shows more cash than debt.
Operationally, Varonis delivered fourth-quarter 2025 results that beat consensus forecasts, with notable improvements in revenue, annual recurring revenue (ARR), and operating income. ARR expanded by 16.1%, outperforming the 14.5% figure analysts had expected. Management highlighted that momentum was driven by the company’s Software-as-a-Service business and a record level of conversions from on-premises customers to SaaS offerings.
Nonetheless, the company has faced mixed responses from the sell side. Several firms adjusted their price targets following the earnings release and guidance. Among the changes reported:
- DA Davidson had previously lowered a price target to $25.00 amid weak guidance for calendar year 2026 and ARR growth projections that trailed consensus, before issuing the recent upgrade to Buy and the higher $30.00 target.
- Cantor Fitzgerald trimmed its target to $35.00 while keeping an Overweight rating and noting a modest outlook.
- Piper Sandler maintained an Overweight rating and left its price target at $47.00, citing improved execution and higher SaaS conversion and renewal rates.
- Needham cut its target to $30.00, expressing caution about the company’s transition to SaaS despite a reported 32% year-over-year growth in SaaS ARR excluding conversions.
- Truist Securities reduced its price target to $34.00 but kept a Buy rating, acknowledging strong results and SaaS momentum.
Analysts note that while Varonis was not profitable over the last twelve months, the consensus forecast is for the company to return to profitability this year. The combination of high gross margins, a cash-rich balance sheet relative to debt, accelerating SaaS adoption and favorable analyst estimate revisions underpin DA Davidson’s revised stance.
For investors and market watchers seeking more depth, additional Pro Research commentary and valuation metrics are available through the InvestingPro Pro Research Report, which the reporting notes contains extended analysis and ProTips related to Varonis. The firm-level and market-level responses reflect a mix of confidence in the company’s execution on SaaS conversions and caution tied to forward guidance and the pace of the SaaS transition.