Pegasystems (PEGA)


Market Price (10/28/2026): $35.325 | Market Cap: $5.8 BilSector: Information Technology | Industry: Application Software

Pegasystems (PEGA)


Market Price (10/28/2026): $35.325
Market Cap: $5.8 Bil
Sector: Information Technology
Industry: Application Software

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Detailed financial logic regarding cash flow yields vs trend-riding momentum.

0

Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.4%, FCF Yield is 7.6%

Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 26%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 25%

Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 1.0 Bil

Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Automation & Robotics. Themes include AI Software Platforms, Show more.

Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -29%

Key risks
PEGA key risks include [1] ongoing legal challenges and [2] its dependence on key industries susceptible to economic and regulatory changes.

0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 5.4%, FCF Yield is 7.6%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 26%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 25%
2 Stock buyback support
Stock Buyback 3Y Total is 1.0 Bil
3 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Automation & Robotics. Themes include AI Software Platforms, Show more.
4 Weak multi-year price returns
2Y Excs Rtn is -29%
5 Key risks
PEGA key risks include [1] ongoing legal challenges and [2] its dependence on key industries susceptible to economic and regulatory changes.

PEGA in ETFs

Weight = PEGA's share of each fund

VTI0.00%
ITOT0.00%
IWB0.00%
IJH0.09%
VB0.03%
MDYG0.19%
IJK0.19%
DFAS0.12%
+21 more covered ETFs

Valuation & Metrics

Price Chart

Why The Stock Moved

Qualitative Assessment

AI Analysis | Feedback

Updated on 10/20/2026

Pegasystems (PEGA) stock has gained about 20% since 6/30/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Continued strong growth in Pega Cloud and Annual Contract Value (ACV) despite overall revenue and earnings misses.

Pegasystems saw Pega Cloud revenue increase by 19% year-over-year in fiscal Q3 2026, reaching 59% of the total Annual Contract Value (ACV). Total ACV itself grew 6% year-over-year (7% in constant currency) to $1.65 billion, with Q3 2026 recording the strongest ACV additions for the year. This performance highlighted successful cloud adoption and recurring revenue growth, which are key metrics for investor confidence in software companies. Although the company reported missing analyst estimates for both revenue and adjusted earnings per share in fiscal Q2 2026 and fiscal Q3 2026, the strength in cloud metrics and ACV growth provided a counter-narrative for investors.

2. Enhanced market recognition and strategic positioning in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector.

Pegasystems gained significant industry recognition during the period, being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: AI Platforms, Q3 2026 (announced August 7, 2026), and a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technology (September 21, 2026). This external validation of its AI capabilities and platform likely boosted investor confidence in the company's long-term strategy and ability to capitalize on the growing AI market, positioning it favorably within a high-growth technological trend.

Show more
Updated on 10/20/2026

Pegasystems (PEGA) stock has gained about 20% since 6/30/2026 because of the following key factors:

1. Continued strong growth in Pega Cloud and Annual Contract Value (ACV) despite overall revenue and earnings misses.

Pegasystems saw Pega Cloud revenue increase by 19% year-over-year in fiscal Q3 2026, reaching 59% of the total Annual Contract Value (ACV). Total ACV itself grew 6% year-over-year (7% in constant currency) to $1.65 billion, with Q3 2026 recording the strongest ACV additions for the year. This performance highlighted successful cloud adoption and recurring revenue growth, which are key metrics for investor confidence in software companies. Although the company reported missing analyst estimates for both revenue and adjusted earnings per share in fiscal Q2 2026 and fiscal Q3 2026, the strength in cloud metrics and ACV growth provided a counter-narrative for investors.

2. Enhanced market recognition and strategic positioning in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector.

Pegasystems gained significant industry recognition during the period, being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: AI Platforms, Q3 2026 (announced August 7, 2026), and a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Business Orchestration and Automation Technology (September 21, 2026). This external validation of its AI capabilities and platform likely boosted investor confidence in the company's long-term strategy and ability to capitalize on the growing AI market, positioning it favorably within a high-growth technological trend.

3. Positive analyst sentiment and indication of undervaluation contributed to a recovery from a 52-week low.

Ahead of the fiscal Q3 2026 earnings report, Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a "Buy" rating on Pegasystems and maintained a $47 price target on October 15, 2026, with analysts raising earnings estimates. The stock had hit a 52-week low of $25.10 on July 22, 2026, shortly after the end of fiscal Q2 2026. The subsequent upward movement, leading to the 20% gain, was further supported by an assessment on October 20, 2026, that the stock's price of $36.23 was 16.2% below its GF Value™ estimate of $43.21, suggesting it was undervalued. This combination of supportive analyst ratings and a perceived undervaluation likely fueled investor buying and the stock's recovery.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Fundamental Drivers

The 18.4% change in PEGA stock from 6/30/2026 to 10/27/2026 was primarily driven by a 32.8% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)630202610272026Change
Stock Price ($)29.8435.3218.4%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)1,7001,7482.8%
Net Income Margin (%)20.0%16.9%-15.9%
P/E Multiple14.819.632.8%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1691643.1%
Cumulative Contribution18.4%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

6/30/2026 to 10/27/2026
ReturnCorrelation
PEGA18.4% 
Market (SPY)3.1%2.9%
Sector (XLK)-0.5%-21.0%

Fundamental Drivers

The -16.6% change in PEGA stock from 3/31/2026 to 10/27/2026 was primarily driven by a -25.2% change in the company's Net Income Margin (%).
(LTM values as of)331202610272026Change
Stock Price ($)42.3435.32-16.6%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)1,7461,7480.1%
Net Income Margin (%)22.5%16.9%-25.2%
P/E Multiple18.319.67.3%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1701643.8%
Cumulative Contribution-16.6%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

3/31/2026 to 10/27/2026
ReturnCorrelation
PEGA-16.6% 
Market (SPY)18.7%8.6%
Sector (XLK)42.8%-6.3%

Fundamental Drivers

The -38.2% change in PEGA stock from 9/30/2025 to 10/27/2026 was primarily driven by a -55.7% change in the company's P/E Multiple.
(LTM values as of)930202510272026Change
Stock Price ($)57.1535.32-38.2%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)1,6761,7484.3%
Net Income Margin (%)13.1%16.9%28.3%
P/E Multiple44.319.6-55.7%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1711644.3%
Cumulative Contribution-38.2%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

9/30/2025 to 10/27/2026
ReturnCorrelation
PEGA-38.2% 
Market (SPY)16.5%17.5%
Sector (XLK)35.0%8.6%

Fundamental Drivers

The 64.3% change in PEGA stock from 9/30/2023 to 10/27/2026 was primarily driven by a 35.4% change in the company's Total Revenues ($ Mil).
(LTM values as of)930202310272026Change
Stock Price ($)21.5035.3264.3%
Change Contribution By: 
Total Revenues ($ Mil)1,2911,74835.4%
P/S Multiple2.83.319.6%
Shares Outstanding (Mil)1661641.4%
Cumulative Contribution64.3%

LTM = Last Twelve Months as of date shown

Market Drivers

9/30/2023 to 10/27/2026
ReturnCorrelation
PEGA64.3% 
Market (SPY)86.2%35.2%
Sector (XLK)135.3%27.8%

Return vs. Risk

Price Returns Compared

 202120222023202420252026Total [1]
Returns
PEGA Return-16%-69%43%91%28%-38%-44%
Peers Return12%-34%57%28%-1%4%52%
S&P 500 Return27%-19%24%23%16%11%103%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
PEGA Win Rate33%8%58%58%67%40% 
Peers Win Rate53%27%62%63%42%44% 
S&P 500 Win Rate75%42%67%75%67%40% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
PEGA Max Drawdown-31%-73%-33%-18%-44%-57% 
Peers Max Drawdown-28%-43%-20%-23%-34%-43% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-5%-25%-10%-8%-19%-9% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] Peers: CRM, NOW, APPN, MSFT, ORCL. See PEGA Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2026 data is for the year up to 10/27/2026 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

EventPEGAS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-25.8%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven34.8%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven15 days79 days
Summer-Fall 2023 Five Percent Yield Shock
  % Loss-30.1%-9.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven43.1%10.5%
  Time to Breakeven113 days24 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-72.4%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven261.7%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven840 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-37.9%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven61.0%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven61 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-26.7%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven36.5%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven62 days105 days
2015-2016 China Devaluation / Global Growth Scare
  % Loss-23.3%-12.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven30.3%13.9%
  Time to Breakeven83 days62 days

Compare to CRM, NOW, APPN, MSFT, ORCL

In The Past

Pegasystems's stock fell -25.8% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 34.8% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

EventPEGAS&P 500
2025 US Tariff Shock
  % Loss-25.8%-18.8%
  % Gain to Breakeven34.8%23.1%
  Time to Breakeven15 days79 days
Summer-Fall 2023 Five Percent Yield Shock
  % Loss-30.1%-9.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven43.1%10.5%
  Time to Breakeven113 days24 days
2022 Inflation Shock & Fed Tightening
  % Loss-72.4%-24.5%
  % Gain to Breakeven261.7%32.4%
  Time to Breakeven840 days427 days
2020 COVID-19 Crash
  % Loss-37.9%-33.7%
  % Gain to Breakeven61.0%50.9%
  Time to Breakeven61 days140 days
Q4 2018 Fed Policy Error / Growth Scare
  % Loss-26.7%-19.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven36.5%23.8%
  Time to Breakeven62 days105 days
2015-2016 China Devaluation / Global Growth Scare
  % Loss-23.3%-12.2%
  % Gain to Breakeven30.3%13.9%
  Time to Breakeven83 days62 days
2011 US Debt Ceiling Crisis & European Contagion
  % Loss-34.8%-17.9%
  % Gain to Breakeven53.3%21.8%
  Time to Breakeven772 days123 days
2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis
  % Loss-26.0%-53.4%
  % Gain to Breakeven35.2%114.4%
  Time to Breakeven42 days1085 days

Compare to CRM, NOW, APPN, MSFT, ORCL

In The Past

Pegasystems's stock fell -25.8% during the 2025 US Tariff Shock. Such a loss loss requires a 34.8% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Pegasystems (PEGA)

Pegasystems Inc. (PEGA) is a global software company that develops, markets, and supports enterprise applications designed to help large organizations enhance customer engagement and automate complex digital processes. Its flagship offering, Pega Infinity, is a unified software platform that brings together these crucial business capabilities.

The company offers a range of key products, including customer engagement applications such as Pega Customer Decision Hub, which optimizes customer acquisition and experiences across various channels, and Pega Sales Automation, designed to streamline and manage the sales process. Pega Customer Service provides intelligent automation to anticipate customer needs and improve service delivery. Pegasystems also offers the Pega Platform for application development and Pega Cloud for hosting and deploying client applications.

Pegasystems primarily markets its software and services to large enterprises across a broad spectrum of industries. Its main customer segments include financial services, life sciences, healthcare, communications and media, government, insurance, manufacturing and high tech, and consumer services. The company utilizes a direct sales force and strategic partnerships to reach its global clientele.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Here are 1-2 brief analogies to describe Pegasystems:

  • Like Salesforce, but with a powerful underlying AI that automates complex customer interactions and drives real-time decision-making across all channels.
  • A highly specialized ServiceNow for customer engagement and core business operations, focused on intelligent automation and personalized experiences.

AI Analysis | Feedback

  • Pega Platform: An application development product for clients.
  • Pega Infinity: A software platform that unifies customer engagement and digital process automation.
  • Pega Customer Decision Hub: Enhances customer acquisition and experiences across inbound, outbound, and paid media channels.
  • Pega Sales Automation: Automates and manages the sales process for enterprises.
  • Pega Customer Service: Anticipates customer needs, automates interactions, and enhances employee productivity for customer service.
  • Intelligent Automation Software: Provides software designed for automating various business processes.
  • Pega Cloud: An Internet-based infrastructure for developing, testing, and deploying applications and the Pega Platform.
  • Pega Academy: Offers instructor-led and online training to employees, clients, and partners.
  • Technical & Implementation Services: Provides guidance, implementation, and technical support services to clients.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Pegasystems Inc. (PEGA) primarily sells its enterprise software applications and services to other companies.

Based on the provided background information, specific names of individual customer companies are not listed. However, the company primarily markets its software and services to major customers within the following industry categories:

  • Financial Services
  • Life Sciences
  • Healthcare
  • Communications and Media
  • Government
  • Insurance
  • Manufacturing and High Tech
  • Consumer Services

AI Analysis | Feedback

Major Suppliers:

  • Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
  • Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

AI Analysis | Feedback

Alan Trefler, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Alan Trefler founded Pegasystems in 1983 at the age of 27. Before establishing Pegasystems, he served as a senior project manager for Casher Associates Inc. from 1978 to 1980 and subsequently led the development of a funds transfer product at TMI Systems from 1980 to 1983. A chess master, he co-championed the 1975 World Open Chess Championship, and his collegiate involvement in tournament chess at Dartmouth College, where he earned a degree in Economics and Computer Science, led to his development of early AI systems. Trefler is the author of the best-selling book "Build for Change" and holds multiple patents for Pega's distinctive architecture. In 1996, he co-founded the Trefler Foundation with his wife, Pam, dedicated to improving educational outcomes.

Ken Stillwell, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Ken Stillwell joined Pegasystems in July 2016 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in April 2021. He brings over 25 years of financial leadership experience in high-growth technology organizations. Prior to Pegasystems, Stillwell served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Dynatrace, and as EVP/CFO at SOVOS, a financial and compliance software as a service (SaaS) company. He also held the role of divisional CFO at PTC, a publicly traded software company, for five years. Stillwell is a Certified Public Accountant, holding an undergraduate degree in business and economics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master's in accounting and finance from the University of South Carolina. He currently serves as a Board Member at Sovos and a Trustee at The Rivers School.

Don Schuerman, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Product Marketing

Don Schuerman is the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Product Marketing at Pegasystems, a position he has held since January 2014, having joined the company in August 1997 as a Software Services Consultant. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in delivering enterprise software solutions for Fortune 500 organizations, focusing on digital transformation, mobility, analytics, business process management, cloud, and CRM. Schuerman has led significant enterprise software implementations and provided technology and architecture consulting to senior executives at major corporations, including American Express, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, and BP. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Philosophy from Boston College.

Katherine Parente, Chief People Officer

Katherine Parente serves as the Chief People Officer at Pegasystems.

Kerim Akgonul, Chief Product Officer

Kerim Akgonul holds the position of Chief Product Officer at Pegasystems.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Pegasystems (PEGA) faces several key risks to its business:
  1. Intense Competition: Pegasystems operates in a rapidly evolving and fiercely competitive landscape across business process management (BPM), customer relationship management (CRM), and low-code application development. The company faces significant challenges from major platform vendors such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP, who leverage their scale, ecosystems, and existing enterprise relationships. This intense competition puts constant pressure on Pegasystems' pricing power and market share.

  2. Litigation Risk: Pegasystems has been involved in significant trade secret litigation with Appian Corp. While an earlier multibillion-dollar judgment against Pegasystems was reversed and the case remanded for a new trial, the ongoing nature of this litigation represents a material financial and legal risk.

  3. Challenges with Cloud Transition and Revenue Volatility: The company's strategic shift to a recurring revenue, cloud-centric model, particularly with its Pega Cloud offerings, has been a central theme. While this transition aims to improve revenue predictability, it has historically created lumpiness in reported GAAP revenue and pressured near-term profitability. There is an ongoing risk that the adoption of its cloud solutions and new offerings like Pega Blueprint might take longer than anticipated, which could further impact financial forecasts.

AI Analysis | Feedback

The rapid advancement and adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and highly capable low-code/no-code platforms, especially those integrated into broader enterprise ecosystems by major technology providers, pose a clear emerging threat. These technologies simplify and accelerate application development and process automation, potentially allowing enterprises to build custom solutions and automate workflows with significantly less reliance on specialized platforms like Pega Platform or Pega Infinity. This could undermine demand for Pegasystems' core offerings by providing alternative, potentially more accessible and cost-effective, methods for achieving similar outcomes in application development, digital process automation, and customer engagement.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Pegasystems Inc. (PEGA) operates within several significant addressable markets for its core products and services.

Pega Platform (Low-Code Development Platform)

The global low-code development platform market was valued at approximately USD 24.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to about USD 167.0 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.4% from 2024 to 2030. Another estimate places the market at USD 35.2 billion in 2025, with a projection to reach USD 236.9 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 21.0%. North America is a leading region in this market, holding a 45% share in 2023 and approximately 32.6% of the revenue in 2024.

Pega Infinity (Customer Engagement and Digital Process Automation Platform)

Pega Infinity unifies customer engagement and digital process automation. Therefore, its addressable market encompasses both of these segments.

Customer Engagement Solutions:

The global customer engagement solutions market was estimated at USD 23.45 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 50.03 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 11.8% from 2024 to 2030. Other estimates for the global market include USD 29.39 billion in 2025, projected to reach USD 86.39 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 11.38% from 2026 to 2035. North America held a significant share of this market, accounting for 71.5% in 2023 and approximately 40% in 2025.

Digital Process Automation (DPA):

The global digital process automation market was valued at USD 12.4 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow to USD 42.7 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2022 to 2031. More recent figures indicate the global market size was USD 15.15 billion in 2024 and is poised to grow to USD 43.39 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 12.4% from 2026 to 2033. North America was the largest region in the digital process automation market in 2025. The U.S. Digital Process Automation Market alone was valued at USD 4.55 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 11.39 billion by 2035.

Customer Engagement Applications (Pega Customer Decision Hub, Pega Sales Automation, Pega Customer Service)

These applications fall under the broader Customer Relationship Management (CRM) market.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM):

The global customer relationship management market size was valued at USD 112.91 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 320.99 billion by 2034, registering a CAGR of 12.40% from 2026 to 2034. Another projection places the global CRM market at USD 90.10 billion in 2025, reaching USD 304.03 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 12.93% from 2026 to 2035. North America accounted for the largest CRM market share of 31.70% in 2025 and the United States alone accounts for 37% of CRM software spending.

Intelligent Automation Software

The global intelligent automation market size was recorded at USD 10.59 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 51.58 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 14.1% from 2025 to 2033. Another source indicates the global intelligent automation market is projected to grow from USD 16.62 billion in 2024 to USD 54.86 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 16.10%. North America holds a significant share, accounting for 39.20% of the global market revenue in 2025.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Here are 3-5 expected drivers of future revenue growth for Pegasystems (PEGA) over the next 2-3 years:

  1. Growth of Pega Cloud and Cloud Adoption: A primary driver of future revenue growth for Pegasystems is the continued expansion and adoption of its Pega Cloud offerings. The company is strategically focused on migrating clients to the cloud, with a goal for Pega Cloud to account for a significant portion of its overall Annual Contract Value (ACV) in the coming years. Pega Cloud ACV demonstrated strong growth in 2025, increasing approximately 30-33%, and is projected to continue growing above 30% in 2026. This shift to a cloud-first, subscription-driven model is also expected to enhance recurring revenue and improve gross margins.
  2. AI-driven Innovation, particularly Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI: Pegasystems is heavily investing in artificial intelligence, with a strong focus on Generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI capabilities embedded within its Pega Infinity platform. The Pega GenAI Blueprint strategy is expected to unlock significant monetization potential by accelerating application development and enabling clients to envision and build new applications faster. New agentic AI enhancements to Pega Infinity App Studio are designed to guide developers through application creation, enhance workflow optimization, and boost productivity, thereby driving enterprise transformation.
  3. Expansion of Client Engagement and New Customer Acquisition: Pegasystems aims to deepen and expand its relationships with existing clients while also acquiring new customers, particularly within Global 2000 accounts. The company is targeting new logos and expanding into horizontal use cases, such as customer service in utilities. This "land-and-expand" strategy involves embedding Pega deeply into clients' core operations through vertical-specific workflows and pursuing multi-year transformation programs.
  4. Product-Led Growth and Packaged Industry Applications: Revenue growth will also be driven by scaling Pega Cloud for AI-powered customer decisioning, case management, and workflow orchestration. Pegasystems plans to expand its packaged industry applications, such as next-best-action solutions for banking and claims/underwriting solutions for insurance, to meet specific sector needs. The low-code and intelligent automation markets are forecasted to experience significant growth, creating tailwinds for Pega's product roadmap.
  5. Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Expansion: Deepening routes to market through strategic partnerships with systems integrators (e.g., Accenture, Capgemini, TCS, Cognizant, Infosys) and hyperscalers (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) is a key driver. These collaborations are intended to accelerate cloud migrations and facilitate co-selling of regulated-industry deals, expanding Pega's market reach and accelerating its growth.

AI Analysis | Feedback

Share Repurchases

  • Pegasystems repurchased $498 million in shares in 2025.
  • The annual share buybacks for Pegasystems were $499.689 million in 2025 and $68.057 million in 2024.
  • In February 2026, the board authorized an additional $1 billion in share buyback capacity, extending the program to June 30, 2027.

Share Issuance

  • Shareholders approved an increase in authorized common shares from 200 million to 400 million in June 2025, in conjunction with a two-for-one forward stock split.
  • Pegasystems' shares outstanding increased by 3.08% to 0.185 billion in 2025 from 0.179 billion in 2024.

Capital Expenditures

  • Pegasystems invested $6.0 million in capital expenditures in Q4 2025.
  • Capital expenditures were $14.5 million in 2025, with estimated expenditures of $19.23 million for 2026 and $20.72 million for 2027.
  • Capital expenditures are primarily focused on funding long-term assets and infrastructure.

Better Bets vs. Pegasystems (PEGA)

Peer Outperformance in Application Software

PEGA has outperformed 53% of its 125 Application Software peers over 5Y. Among the peers that beat it are ACIW, BOX and PTC. Application Software ranks 12th of 12 industries in Information Technology by median 5Y return. The sector’s gains have largely come from elsewhere.
Share of Application Software constituents that PEGA has outperformed, by holding period. Peers without a full price history over a given window are excluded from that window.
1Y
31%
of 151 industry peers · -46.7% return
3Y
78%
of 137 industry peers · 72.5% return
5Y
53%
of 125 industry peers · -42.4% return
Application Software peers with revenue growth within 4pp of PEGA's that beat it on at least 2 of 3 windows, and by at least 20pp over 5Y. Growth is matched by construction, so the gap is largely a re-rating gap. The multiple column is the context for it.
Ticker Name Rev Growth 3Y Avg P/E 1Y3Y5Y 5Y Gap
PEGA Pegasystems 9.1% 19.6x -46.7%72.5%-42.4% —
ACIW ACI Worldwide 9.9% 24.6x 8.9%176.8%80.9% +123pp
BOX Box 6.6% 44.7x 30.0%76.6%65.5% +108pp
PTC PTC 12.9% 18.2x -4.3%43.0%55.7% +98pp
MANH Manhattan Associates 10.0% 65.4x 24.3%24.1%30.3% +73pp
SSNC SS&C Technologies 6.8% 22.1x -4.8%71.7%15.1% +58pp
Price returns, excluding dividends. P/E shown for context only and not used for matching.
Median price return by industry across the Information Technology sector, ranked by 5Y. Application Software is PEGA's own industry. Use this to see which corners of the sector have carried the returns.
Industry Names 1Y med3Y med5Y med Top 3 by 5Y
Electronic Manufacturing Services 10 31.6%137.9%237.0% TTMI 538% · FLEX 521% · JBL 375%
Technology Distributors 9 44.5%96.5%94.8% AVT 187% · SNX 165% · CNXN 118%
Semiconductor Materials & Equipment 28 54.0%81.5%78.3% AXTI 579% · KLAC 374% · LRCX 358%
Communications Equipment 36 4.9%83.3%74.5% LITE 973% · AAOI 901% · ANET 643%
Electronic Components 26 0.5%70.7%58.0% CLS 2722% · BELFA 1262% · APH 332%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 21 18.1%109.1%29.4% DELL 913% · SMCI 894% · WDC 823%
Semiconductors 55 10.4%48.4%23.5% MU 1294% · NVDA 795% · AVGO 615%
Internet Services & Infrastructure 6 2.5%54.5%3.4% GDDY 53% · VRSN 46% · DOCN 11%
Electronic Equipment & Instruments 27 -9.7%28.3%-4.8% PI 213% · OSIS 112% · KEYS 90%
IT Consulting & Other Services 30 -30.6%-2.1%-28.9% CHRN 460163% · APLD 296% · ADEA 175%
Systems Software 69 -11.1%36.3%-45.2% ZETA 303% · CRWD 284% · FTNT 189%
Application Software ← 126 -19.4%-2.8%-46.0% PLTR 693% · FROG 209% · AGYS 176%
Median of constituents with a full price history over each window. Top names are limited to companies above $2B market cap.

Latest Trefis Analyses

Recent Active Movers

Peer Comparisons

Peers to compare with:

Financials

PEGACRMNOWAPPNMSFTORCLMedian
NamePegasyst.Salesfor.ServiceN.Appian MicrosoftOracle  
Mkt Price35.33239.80154.3949.88532.61131.89143.14
Mkt Cap5.8196.60.23.63,955.1-5.8
Rev LTM1,74843,93814,732795331,839-14,732
Op Inc LTM2159,4551,68010155,237-1,680
FCF LTM44215,1544,5717766,987-4,571
FCF 3Y Avg39913,0373,8091570,890-3,809
CFO LTM46315,7505,30881182,935-5,308
CFO 3Y Avg41213,6644,62819145,882-4,628

Growth & Margins

PEGACRMNOWAPPNMSFTORCLMedian
NamePegasyst.Salesfor.ServiceN.Appian MicrosoftOracle  
Rev Chg LTM0.9%11.2%22.2%20.9%17.8%-17.8%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg9.1%9.9%22.5%16.3%16.1%-16.1%
Rev Chg Q3.1%10.8%24.0%19.1%17.7%-17.7%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM0.7%2.6%5.5%4.3%4.3%-4.3%
Op Inc Chg LTM-29.1%12.8%4.9%172.8%20.8%-12.8%
Op Inc Chg 3Y Avg1,823.2%31.8%55.3%99.5%20.6%-55.3%
Op Mgn LTM12.3%21.5%11.4%1.3%46.8%-12.3%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg13.8%20.6%11.8%-5.5%45.7%-13.8%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM1.0%-0.3%-2.0%0.7%-0.0%--0.0%
CFO/Rev LTM26.5%35.8%36.0%10.2%55.1%-35.8%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg24.8%34.1%38.0%1.7%50.6%-34.1%
FCF/Rev LTM25.3%34.5%31.0%9.6%20.2%-25.3%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg24.0%32.5%31.1%1.1%25.3%-25.3%

Valuation

PEGACRMNOWAPPNMSFTORCLMedian
NamePegasyst.Salesfor.ServiceN.Appian MicrosoftOracle  
Mkt Cap5.8196.60.23.63,955.1-5.8
P/S3.34.50.04.611.9-4.5
P/Op Inc26.920.80.1358.525.5-25.5
P/EBIT31.915.50.1284.023.4-23.4
P/E19.620.40.1-342.429.6-19.6
P/CFO12.512.50.045.021.6-12.5
Total Yield5.4%5.7%1,046.2%-0.3%4.1%-5.4%
Dividend Yield0.3%0.8%0.0%0.0%0.7%-0.3%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg5.9%6.0%2,084.2%0.6%2.2%-5.9%
D/E0.00.253.10.10.0-0.1
Net D/E-0.00.223.80.0-0.0-0.0

Returns

PEGACRMNOWAPPNMSFTORCLMedian
NamePegasyst.Salesfor.ServiceN.Appian MicrosoftOracle  
1M Rtn4.8%2.5%13.8%38.5%3.2%-3.4%4.0%
3M Rtn20.0%32.4%39.6%82.4%35.7%10.4%34.0%
6M Rtn-1.3%32.8%70.6%128.9%24.6%-20.0%28.7%
12M Rtn-46.7%-5.3%-18.4%60.5%1.0%-52.5%-11.9%
3Y Rtn72.6%24.3%39.3%24.8%65.3%35.3%37.3%
1M Excs Rtn7.2%6.3%18.2%43.2%5.4%0.6%6.7%
3M Excs Rtn10.3%23.3%29.2%69.4%32.4%8.2%26.3%
6M Excs Rtn-8.1%26.1%63.8%122.1%17.8%-26.8%21.9%
12M Excs Rtn-58.6%-17.3%-29.2%45.5%-9.7%-65.2%-23.3%
3Y Excs Rtn0.1%-60.2%-38.0%-58.9%-13.8%-47.2%-42.6%

Comparison Analyses

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment
$ Mil20252024202320222021
Single segment1,7461,4971,4331,3181,212
Total1,7461,4971,4331,3181,212


Net Income by Segment
$ Mil202520242023
Single segment3939968
Total3939968


Price Behavior

Price Behavior
Market Price$35.32 
Market Cap ($ Bil)5.8 
First Trading Date07/19/1996 
Distance from 52W High-46.7% 
   50 Days200 Days
DMA Price$35.20$37.28
DMA Trendupdown
Distance from DMA0.3%-5.3%
 3M1YR
Volatility42.8%51.1%
Downside Capture64.09182.46
Upside Capture138.5985.96
Correlation (S&P 500)13.1%18.7%
PEGA Betas & Captures as of 9/30/2026

 1M2M3M6M1Y3Y
Beta0.150.930.120.380.731.22
Up Beta-1.040.53-0.92-0.570.161.16
Down Beta-1.58-0.97-2.90-0.240.211.10
Up Capture8%150%135%45%62%205%
Bmk +ve Days6162766132424
Stock +ve Days8203357120393
Down Capture135%87%82%145%136%108%
Bmk -ve Days16263760120328
Stock -ve Days14223169131356

[1] Upside and downside betas calculated using positive and negative benchmark daily returns respectively
Based On 1-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with PEGA
PEGA-46.5%51.1%-1.05-
Sector ETF (XLK)29.7%26.7%0.948.2%
Equity (SPY)14.6%12.7%0.7917.7%
Gold (GLD)-1.4%28.5%-0.06-1.7%
Commodities (DBC)47.3%20.6%1.76-13.7%
Real Estate (VNQ)3.8%13.9%0.0219.5%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)-27.9%43.4%-0.6321.0%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 5-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with PEGA
PEGA-11.3%53.0%-0.04-
Sector ETF (XLK)19.9%26.0%0.6838.0%
Equity (SPY)12.8%17.1%0.5643.2%
Gold (GLD)17.6%18.9%0.750.8%
Commodities (DBC)9.2%19.5%0.352.8%
Real Estate (VNQ)1.0%18.9%-0.0636.0%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)4.5%51.6%0.2722.4%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How
Based On 10-Year Data
Annualized
Return
Annualized
Volatility
Sharpe
Ratio
Correlation
with PEGA
PEGA9.4%44.9%0.36-
Sector ETF (XLK)24.4%25.1%0.8848.3%
Equity (SPY)15.5%17.9%0.7350.5%
Gold (GLD)12.0%16.4%0.602.1%
Commodities (DBC)8.2%18.1%0.3711.1%
Real Estate (VNQ)5.2%20.7%0.2139.8%
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)62.2%66.2%1.0215.4%

Smart multi-asset allocation framework can stack odds in your favor. Learn How

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date10152026
Short Interest: Shares Quantity10.8 Mil
Short Interest: % Change Since 93020268.7%
Average Daily Volume2.0 Mil
Days-to-Cover Short Interest5.3 days
Basic Shares Quantity163.8 Mil
Short % of Basic Shares6.6%

Earnings Returns History

Updated 10/28/2026
Expand for More
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
10/20/2026-2.9%-2.5% 
7/21/2026-16.0%-4.6%9.6%
4/21/2026-4.6%-8.5%-12.5%
2/10/20262.8%6.4%4.2%
10/21/202515.0%14.8%-5.3%
7/22/202513.9%18.6%1.8%
4/22/202528.8%32.6%44.8%
2/12/20252.7%-18.5%-34.0%
...
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive141213
# Negative111311
Median Positive7.5%15.1%10.0%
Median Negative-4.6%-7.4%-12.8%
Max Positive28.8%32.6%44.8%
Max Negative-16.0%-23.2%-34.0%
Collapse to Preview
 Forward Returns
Earnings Date1D Returns5D Returns21D Returns
10/20/2026-2.9%-2.5% 
7/21/2026-16.0%-4.6%9.6%
4/21/2026-4.6%-8.5%-12.5%
2/10/20262.8%6.4%4.2%
10/21/202515.0%14.8%-5.3%
7/22/202513.9%18.6%1.8%
4/22/202528.8%32.6%44.8%
2/12/20252.7%-18.5%-34.0%
10/23/202414.7%17.2%28.4%
7/24/202412.8%14.1%10.0%
4/24/20240.3%2.9%3.0%
2/14/20244.8%30.1%29.4%
10/25/20237.2%15.4%37.2%
7/26/2023-10.6%-8.1%-12.8%
4/26/20233.5%-2.3%3.0%
2/15/20237.9%18.5%18.7%
10/26/20229.7%2.0%12.6%
7/27/2022-15.4%-15.2%-22.0%
4/28/20226.9%-2.1%-29.6%
2/16/2022-3.4%-23.2%-22.8%
10/27/2021-4.9%-2.1%-7.7%
7/28/2021-7.0%-7.4%-1.7%
4/28/2021-1.3%-8.2%-6.6%
2/17/2021-2.9%-3.4%-17.7%
10/28/2020-1.3%0.8%9.9%
SUMMARY STATS   
# Positive141213
# Negative111311
Median Positive7.5%15.1%10.0%
Median Negative-4.6%-7.4%-12.8%
Max Positive28.8%32.6%44.8%
Max Negative-16.0%-23.2%-34.0%

SEC Filings

Expand for More
Report DateFiling DateFiling
09/30/202610/20/202610-Q
06/30/202607/21/202610-Q
03/31/202604/21/202610-Q
12/31/202502/10/202610-K
09/30/202510/21/202510-Q
06/30/202507/22/202510-Q
03/31/202504/22/202510-Q
12/31/202402/12/202510-K
09/30/202410/23/202410-Q
06/30/202407/24/202410-Q
03/31/202404/24/202410-Q
12/31/202302/14/202410-K
09/30/202310/25/202310-Q
06/30/202307/26/202310-Q
03/31/202304/26/202310-Q
12/31/202202/15/202310-K
Collapse to Preview
Report DateFiling DateFiling
09/30/202610/20/202610-Q
06/30/202607/21/202610-Q
03/31/202604/21/202610-Q
12/31/202502/10/202610-K
09/30/202510/21/202510-Q
06/30/202507/22/202510-Q
03/31/202504/22/202510-Q
12/31/202402/12/202510-K
09/30/202410/23/202410-Q
06/30/202407/24/202410-Q
03/31/202404/24/202410-Q
12/31/202302/14/202410-K
09/30/202310/25/202310-Q
06/30/202307/26/202310-Q
03/31/202304/26/202310-Q
12/31/202202/15/202310-K
09/30/202210/26/202210-Q
06/30/202207/27/202210-Q
03/31/202204/28/202210-Q
12/31/202102/16/202210-K
09/30/202110/27/202110-Q
06/30/202107/28/202110-Q
03/31/202104/28/202110-Q
12/31/202002/17/202110-K
09/30/202010/28/202010-Q
06/30/202007/28/202010-Q
03/31/202004/29/202010-Q
12/31/201902/12/202010-K

Insider Activity

Updated 10/5/2026
Expand for More
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Ledingham, Dianne Dianne Ledingham Family Legacy TrustSell1005202634.151,00034,1501,307,262Form
2Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell917202637.3598236,67837,686Form
3Ledingham, Dianne Dianne Ledingham Family Legacy TrustSell917202638.001,00038,0001,492,640Form
4Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell915202636.037,000252,2103,776,088Form
5Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell915202635.7739,6271,417,4383,406,151Form
Collapse to Preview
#OwnerTitleHoldingActionFiling DatePriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
1Ledingham, Dianne Dianne Ledingham Family Legacy TrustSell1005202634.151,00034,1501,307,262Form
2Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell917202637.3598236,67837,686Form
3Ledingham, Dianne Dianne Ledingham Family Legacy TrustSell917202638.001,00038,0001,492,640Form
4Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell915202636.037,000252,2103,776,088Form
5Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell915202635.7739,6271,417,4383,406,151Form
6Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell903202638.751,06341,19145,105Form
7Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell902202636.501,01236,93836,828Form
8Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell826202633.993,000101,9663,672,448Form
9Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell811202633.1086028,46633,398Form
10Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell811202632.3086027,77860,369Form
11Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell618202632.3175024,23576,778Form
12Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell602202636.9975027,74279,307Form
13Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell602202634.7575026,062100,566Form
14Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell520202633.354,545151,5763,570,784Form
15Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell506202636.458,383305,5603,955,991Form
16Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell403202643.171,00043,1704,685,326Form
17Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell317202643.397,594329,5044,834,904Form
18Trefler, LeonChief of Clients and MarketsDirectSell312202644.766,700299,8585,297,739Form
19Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell312202644.8144,0001,971,6404,889,802Form
20Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell303202643.847,000306,9044,382,684Form
21Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell303202643.371,00043,3705,833,959Form
22Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell219202645.0317,930807,3881,995,719,783Form
23Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell219202645.1211,742529,7992,000,517,565Form
24Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell217202643.167,000302,1554,570,915Form
25Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell203202643.691,00043,6905,324,937Form
26Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell123202649.5645,0002,230,3102,198,067,232Form
27Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell123202649.0245,0002,205,9572,176,272,131Form
28Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell106202659.994,000239,9607,371,571Form
29Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1219202558.6845,0002,640,8022,626,462,332Form
30Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1219202558.1345,0002,615,7652,604,177,364Form
31Akgonul, Rifat KerimChief Product OfficerDirectSell1209202560.194,000240,7606,792,141Form
32Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell1209202557.8714,405833,6027,616,767Form
33Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1107202558.6745,0002,640,2872,631,155,611Form
34Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1107202560.0345,0002,701,4592,694,816,774Form
35Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell1105202562.1811,442711,4647,948,221Form
36Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell1028202567.254,425297,58113,854Form
37Stillwell, KennethCOO, CFODirectSell1028202566.4017,1711,140,1548,487,646Form
38Trefler, LeonChief of Clients and MarketsDirectSell1027202563.4014,865942,4417,531,857Form
39Kouninis, Efstathios ASVP, Chief Accounting OfficerDirectSell1027202565.503,993261,54213,493Form
40Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1023202564.2345,0002,890,1592,885,943,798Form
41Trefler, AlanC.E.O. & ChairmanDirectSell1023202556.7345,0002,552,8002,551,628,863Form

Investor Activity (13F)

Updated Oct 28, 2026
13F holdings as of Mar 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)

Active managers (13F portfolio over $250M, at least 3 holdings) with a position over $5M that is either over 10% of their portfolio or held in a concentrated book of 50 or fewer total positions. Index/ETF, sovereign, bank, community-bank and charitable/donor-advised filers are excluded.

Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Luxor Capital Group, LP$10.5 Mil1.7%38Hold13F
Cadian Capital Management, LP$5.1 Mil0.6%23New13F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Cadian Capital Management, LP$5.1 Mil0.6%23New13F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
North Peak Capital Management, LLC$143.3 Mil15.7%9Exited13F
Shannon River Fund Management LLC$62.0 Mil9.7%26Exited13F
Active ManagerValue% of PortfolioTotal PositionsQoQFiling
Luxor Capital Group, LP$10.5 Mil1.7%38Hold13F
Cadian Capital Management, LP$5.1 Mil0.6%23New13F

PEGA Trade Sentinel


Stock Conviction

Neutral / Watch

CONVICTION RATIONALE

Pegasystems presents a high-risk, high-reward scenario. While its strategic Pega Cloud business shows strong momentum with 20% ACV growth, this is overshadowed by admitted execution failures, decelerating overall growth, and a material litigation overhang with a retrial scheduled for January 2027. A neutral stance is warranted until there is clear evidence the new go-to-market strategy is working.

STOCK ARCHETYPE
Enterprise SaaS

(Number of Customers) x (Workflows/Cases per Customer) x (Price per Case/Workflow) Mix shift from negative-margin consulting services to high-margin, recurring Pega Cloud subscriptions.

Looking for high-conviction positions with a better risk/reward profile? See what's currently in the Trefis High Quality Portfolio.
INVESTMENT THESIS
Can a Go-To-Market Overhaul Reignite Growth in a Confused AI Market?

Evidence suggests a turnaround is possible but not yet visible, hinging entirely on a new sales strategy.

Mechanism: Success would re-accelerate Annual Contract Value growth from its current 7% rate, driving operating leverage and a re-rating of the stock, which trades 45.3% below its 52-week high.
Supporting Evidence:
  • The strategic Pega Cloud business continues to grow, with ACV up 20% year-over-year.
  • Pega Cloud backlog increased 25% in constant currency, providing future revenue visibility.
  • Total backlog of remaining performance obligations grew 15%.
  • Management reports entering Q4 with the 'strongest pipeline' it has ever had.
PRIMARY RISK
Execution Fumbles and Litigation Overhang

The company missed all key 2026 guidance metrics amid slowing growth, while a potential $1.36 billion liability from a January 2027 retrial threatens its financial stability.

Mechanism: An adverse legal verdict or continued failure to accelerate ACV growth would confirm the bear case.
Supporting Evidence:
  • Total ACV growth decelerated to 7% in Q3 2026, down from 14% for full-year 2025.
  • Management lowered full-year 2026 ACV growth expectations to below 10%, from 15% initially.
  • Operating margin compressed to 12.3% from 17.5% a year ago as expenses outpaced revenue.
  • A retrial where the opposing party seeks up to $1.36 billion in damages is set for January 2027.
Key KPI Watchlist
KPI Status Rationale
Annual Contract Value (ACV) Growth7% constant currency growth in Q3 2026 - DeceleratingThe year-over-year growth rate for total ACV has slowed significantly through 2026. Management attributes this to execution challenges and a more complex buying environment, with clients subjecting large technology investments to greater scrutiny. While sequential net new ACV additions improved in Q3, it was not enough to reverse the broader deceleration in the year-over-year growth rate.
Remaining Performance Obligations (Backlog) Growth15% constant currency growth as of September 30, 2026 - DeceleratingWhile the overall backlog growth has slowed from the prior year, the Pega Cloud component remains strong, with management reporting on the latest earnings call that Pega Cloud backlog increased 25% year-over-year in constant currency. This indicates the strategic part of the business continues to build future revenue.
Total Annual Contract Value (ACV) (as of September 30, 2026)Represents the annualized value of active contracts and is considered the best indicator of underlying business momentum and future recurring revenue.
Pega Cloud ACV Growth (Constant Currency)20% (Year-over-year as of September 30, 2026)Measures the growth of the company's strategic cloud hosting business, which is the primary engine for overall growth.
Core Investment Debate

Cloud Momentum vs. Litigation and Execution Drag

BULL VIEW

Bulls focus on 20% Pega Cloud ACV growth and 25% cloud backlog growth, seeing a deeply undervalued asset temporarily obscured by manageable execution issues and legal noise.

CORE TENSION

Can 20% Pega Cloud growth offset decelerating total ACV and a legal risk that the market has punished with a -16% post-earnings drop?


PREVAILING SENTIMENT
NEUTRAL

The latest evidence favors caution. Management lowered its full-year ACV growth outlook to below 10% and acknowledged that 'execution has not kept up.'

BEAR VIEW

Bears see a company that has missed all 2026 targets, with decelerating ACV growth to 7%, and faces a potentially crippling $1.36 billion legal judgment in January 2027.

Next 6 months: Risks and Catalysts
Timeline Event & Metric To Watch
November 6 and December 18, 2026
Appian Litigation Pre-Trial Rulings
Watch: Court orders on motions that could limit evidence or arguments, altering the perceived risk of the January trial.
November 6 and December 18, 2026
Appian Litigation Pretrial Hearing
Watch: A pretrial motion hearing is scheduled in the Appian trade secret litigation.
November 30, 2026
Defamation Trial Begins
Watch: A jury trial is scheduled to begin in the defamation litigation between Pegasystems and Appian.
12/1/2026
Peer Earnings Confirm Market Slowdown
Watch: Commentary from Salesforce (CRM) and Oracle (ORCL) on enterprise demand, deal scrutiny, and sales cycle elongation.
12/8/2026
Oracle Earnings Report
Watch: Peer Oracle (ORCL) is scheduled to report earnings.
January 11, 2027
Appian Retrial Catalyst
Watch: Trial commencement, daily headlines from the proceedings, and any potential settlement announcements before or during the trial.
January 11, 2027
Appian Retrial Commences
Watch: A retrial is scheduled to commence in the Appian trade secret litigation.
1/26/2027
ServiceNow and Microsoft Earnings
Watch: Peers ServiceNow (NOW) and Microsoft (MSFT) are scheduled to report earnings.
February 4, 2027
Credit Facility Expiration
Watch: The company's senior secured revolving credit facility is scheduled to expire.
2/8/2027
Disappointing Q4 Results and Guidance
Watch: Full-year 2026 ACV growth results and initial full-year 2027 guidance for ACV, revenue, and free cash flow.
Key Events in Last 6 Months
Date Event Stock Impact
2026-10-21
Q3 Results and Go-To-Market Shakeup
Details: The company reported Q3 results with latest-quarter revenue growth of 3.1%. Management announced operational changes and a new regional go-to-market model to improve execution.
-2.9%
$36.23 -> $35.18
2026-08-14
Special Dividend from Litigation Settlement
Details: The company announced a special cash dividend of $7 million, or approximately $0.083 per share, related to the settlement of a derivative lawsuit.
-4.6%
$33.37 -> $31.85
2026-08-06
Forrester Names Pega AI Leader
Details: An independent research firm named Pega a Leader in its AI Platforms report for Q3 2026, citing its comprehensive platform.
+2.9%
$31.70 -> $32.63
2026-07-22
Q2 Earnings Miss and Stock Plunge
Details: The company reported Q2 results and discussed market disruption and buyer confusion. The two-day stock reaction was -16.0%.
-15.9%
$30.83 -> $25.92
2026-06-08
PegaWorld AI Strategy Unveiled
Details: At its annual conference, the company announced clients could run agentic workflows without paying per token, shifting heavy AI reasoning to design time.
-1.6%
$34.56 -> $34.01
2026-04-22
Q1 Earnings Miss and Stock Drop
Details: The company reported weaker than expected Q1 results. The two-day stock reaction around the earnings call was -10.0%.
-10.3%
$39.12 -> $35.09
Risk Management
Position Sizing

4% - 6%

NORMAL POSITION

Sizing is volatility-based: PEGA trades at roughly 44% annualized realized (three-month) volatility versus about 11% for the S&P 500 (4.0x the market). A 4% - 6% position keeps a single-name swing of that size within a diversified portfolio's risk budget.

Diversification Alternatives
NOW - ServiceNow
High-Growth AI Platform

ServiceNow demonstrates stronger growth momentum, reporting 21.5% constant currency growth in its remaining performance obligations and positioning itself as the 'AI control tower for the enterprise'.

Core Thesis: Investing in a larger, faster-growing platform that is successfully capturing significant AI-specific contract value.
CRM - Salesforce
Scale and Profitability

With revenue 25.1 times larger than Pegasystems and a 21.5% operating margin, Salesforce offers exposure to enterprise software with greater scale, market power, and demonstrated profitability.

Core Thesis: Owning the dominant, scaled, and profitable leader in the enterprise application software market.
How Is The Market Pricing PEGA?

Pegasystems is a bet on enterprises choosing governed, predictable, and cost-effective AI over the 'chaotic' and expensive token-based models of competitors.

In a confused AI market, Pega offers a 'recipe' for enterprise AI, not just 'ingredients'. Its Blueprint tool uses AI at design time to reimagine workflows, while its Infinity platform executes them predictably at scale with no variable token costs. This 'harness for AI' approach is designed to appeal to large, regulated organizations that prioritize governance, reliability, and cost control over pure experimentation.

What will confirm the thesis

Announcements of large enterprise wins for legacy modernization projects, evidence of accelerated sales cycles from the new go-to-market model, and strong growth in partner-led implementations.

What will damage the thesis

Evidence of customers choosing to build their own AI workflow systems, major competitors successfully launching similar 'governed AI' platforms with predictable pricing, or a significant negative outcome in the Appian litigation.

Noise: Real but irrelevant to thesis

General market commentary about the 'SaaSpocalypse' or the death of enterprise software, and short-term stock price volatility unrelated to fundamental execution.

Repricing Catalyst

Successful execution of the recently implemented go-to-market changes, leading to a re-acceleration of ACV growth and demonstrating that its differentiated AI strategy can capture market share despite buyer uncertainty.

What PEGA Makes & Who Pays
TTM figures based on the twelve months through fiscal Q2 2026
PEGA Evolution: Price Return by Era
Began in 2017 · Subscription Transition
+31%
The company began a strategic shift from a traditional license/maintenance model to a subscription-based, cloud-first business. This involved transitioning its customer base to recurring revenue contracts, primarily on its Pega Cloud offering, which improved revenue predictability.
· AI-First Transformation
In response to the generative AI boom, the company pivoted to an 'AI-first' strategy, centering its platform and go-to-market motion around its Pega Blueprint AI design tool. This positions the company as a provider of governed, predictable AI for enterprise workflows, differentiating itself from token-based models by offering fixed, outcome-based pricing.
Market Appears To Be Cautiously Supportive
Price structure is showing early stress, with SMA alignment beginning to break down. Relative to SPY: Decisively outperforming and improving. Potential evidence of active institutional rotation. Volume and momentum are strongly confirming. The institutional accumulation is evident and momentum is accelerating. Earnings history is strongly validating. The market rewarded the print and institutional follow-through confirms thesis re-rating is underway.
① Structure
-1
Structural pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by trend regime, SMA cross events, proximity to 52W high, and relative strength vs SPY.
② Volume / Momentum
+3
Volume/Momentum pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by institutional footprint score, OBV divergence, and momentum character.
③ Catalyst
+3
Catalyst pillar score (-4 to +4). Driven by earnings day reaction, 20D post-earnings drift, and post-earnings volume character.
Combined Score
5 / 12
1 Price Structure & Trend Potential Bottoming · - ▾
2 Momentum Accelerating ▾
3 Relative Strength vs. SPY Strong Outperformance ▾
4 Institutional Footprint & Volume Neutral / Mixed ▾
5 Volatility Normal ▾
6 Key Price Levels Range · Vol Falling ▾
7 Earnings Reaction History Emerging Resilience ▾
8 How the Verdict Is Derived Three Pillars ▾
Core Cache Last Updated: 10/27/2026