Cloudflare (NET) Q1 Results Beat Expectations, But Market Reaction Tells A Mixed Story

With a short float of 2.71% and upside potential of 21.60%, Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) earns a place on our list of the best cloud stocks to buy as Azure growth hits 40%.

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET)’s first-quarter results came in ahead of expectations, but the market’s reaction told a mixed story.

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) had climbed over 30% YTD heading into earnings but pulled back more than 23% since Q1 results on May 7, settling at $197.56 on May 15, 2026. Despite that move, roughly 25 of 37 covering analysts remain bullish on the shares.

On May 8, 2026, Bernstein cut its price target to $136 from $146, keeping a “Market Perform” rating, and said the quarter essentially delivered a growth rate consistent with the fourth quarter rather than the acceleration some had hoped for following strong results at AWS and Datadog. Net revenue retention fell to 118%, and while the beat relative to guidance was normal, Bernstein kept a more measured tone.

Susquehanna saw it differently.

On May 11, 2026, analyst Shyam Patil raised the firm’s price target to $200 from $190, maintaining a “Neutral” rating, and described the quarter as a fine one, with strength particularly visible among large customers.

Patil also noted Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET)’s announcement of a significant headcount reduction as it pivots toward an AI-first operating structure aimed at driving efficiency and productivity, and flagged the more conservative second-quarter guidance as prudent rather than alarming.

The company’s first-quarter revenue came in at $639.8 million, well ahead of the $621.9 million estimate, with adjusted earnings of 25 cents per share, beating the 23-cent consensus. Second-quarter revenue was guided at $664 million to $665 million, just below the $665.3 million Wall Street estimate, and adjusted earnings are expected at 27 cents per share .

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) is a leading connectivity cloud company that specializes in improving the security, performance, and reliability of websites and applications.

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