- CLEAR Secure, Qualys, and Veeva Systems Shares Plummet, What You Need To Know
May 17, 2026
What Happened?
A number of stocks fell in the morning session after the April PPI report sent Treasury yields to 10-month highs, with the 10-year yield rising to 4.49%.
This 'sticky and accelerating' inflation data effectively eliminated 2026 rate-cut hopes, raising the discount rate applied to long-duration growth earnings. BNN Bloomberg noted technology-related inflation was emerging as a structural concern, with computer software prices up year-over-year, potentially triggering a pullback in enterprise software spending.
Software companies sell long-duration subscription revenue, recurring contracts whose value is heavily weighted toward future earnings. When Treasury yields rise, the discount rate investors apply to those future cash flows rises with them, which mechanically reduces the present value of the business and compresses the price-to-earnings multiple. Beyond the rate channel, the PPI print confirmed that software-specific inflation was running well above the headline rate. This 'sticky' pricing power for vendors is a double-edged sword: while it supports current revenue, it risks forcing enterprise customers to consolidate seats or delay new deployments to protect their own margins in a negative real-wage environment.
The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks.
Among others, the following stocks were impacted:
Data Analytics company CLEAR Secure (NYSE:YOU) fell 2.9%. Is now the time to buy CLEAR Secure? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free. Vulnerability Management company Qualys (NASDAQ:QLYS) fell 3.4%. Is now the time to buy Qualys? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free. Healthcare And Life Sciences Software company Veeva Systems (NYSE:VEEV) fell 2.8%. Is now the time to buy Veeva Systems? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
Zooming In On Qualys (QLYS)
Qualys’s shares are somewhat volatile and have had 13 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 6 days ago when the stock gained 3% on the news that Fortinet delivered blowout quarterly earnings, triggering a broad sector rally as investors wagered that strong demand for network security is an industry-wide phenomenon rather than a single-company story.
Fortinet's surge acted as a rising tide, lifting peers including Zscaler, CrowdStrike, and Palo Alto Networks, as traders rotated into the space ahead of their own upcoming earnings reports. The macro backdrop reinforced the optimism. Enterprise spending on cybersecurity has proven remarkably resilient despite broader IT budget pressures, driven by an escalating threat landscape, AI-powered attack vectors, and tightening regulatory requirements around data protection.
Story Continues
Qualys is down 33.5% since the beginning of the year, and at $87.11 per share, it is trading 43.4% below its 52-week high of $153.80 from November 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Qualys’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at only $897.48.
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- Clear Secure (YOU) Valuation Check After Earnings Beat And Ongoing Airport Expansion
May 16, 2026
Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St.
Clear Secure (YOU) is back in focus after quarterly results topped earnings and revenue forecasts, supported by continued airport rollouts such as the new deployment at Northwest Arkansas National Airport, along with broader sector tailwinds.
See our latest analysis for Clear Secure.
The latest move at Northwest Arkansas National Airport and stronger guidance come after a powerful run in the stock, with a 90 day share price return of 81.2% and a 1 year total shareholder return of 143.77% signaling strong momentum around the growth story and risk outlook.
If this kind of momentum has your attention, it may be useful to see what else is moving across AI related platforms and infrastructure, starting with 42 AI infrastructure stocks
With Clear Secure posting higher sales and net income, lifting guidance, and trading only slightly below the average analyst price target despite a reported intrinsic discount of about 42%, you have to ask: is there still a buying opportunity here, or is the market already pricing in the next leg of growth?
Most Popular Narrative: 26.2% Overvalued
At a last close of $58.89 versus a narrative fair value of $46.66, the most followed view on Clear Secure’s upside is already baking in ambitious growth and margin assumptions.
The future PE ratio is estimated at 35x by 2030, slightly above the current 27.59x PE ratio but below the broader software industry average, reflecting CLEAR''s hybrid business model of both software and physical infrastructure.
Read the complete narrative.
Want to see what has to happen for that valuation to make sense? The narrative leans heavily on faster revenue expansion, rising margins and a richer future earnings multiple. Curious which specific growth targets and profit assumptions sit behind that $46 handle and the overvaluation call?
According to Brogers, this narrative rests on a detailed set of forecasts for enrollment growth, revenue compounding and margin uplift, alongside a premium earnings multiple that reflects Clear Secure’s mix of software and physical infrastructure exposure. It is a forward looking story that differs from the current analyst price target and the SWS DCF estimate, so it is worth viewing as one scenario among several rather than a definitive outcome.
Result: Fair Value of $46.66 (OVERVALUED)
Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.
However, this story can still be knocked off course if airport partners increase fees or if any serious biometric security issue reduces user confidence.
Story Continues
Find out about the key risks to this Clear Secure narrative.
Another View: Cash Flows Point the Other Way
The narrative fair value of $46.66 suggests Clear Secure is 26.2% overvalued, yet the SWS DCF model points in the opposite direction, with an estimated future cash flow value of $102.06 and the stock trading about 42.3% below that level. Which story do you put more weight on: earnings multiples or cash flows?
Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value.YOU Discounted Cash Flow as at May 2026
Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Clear Secure for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover 50 high quality undervalued stocks. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match - so you never miss a potential opportunity.
Next Steps
With such a split between narratives, DCF outputs and recent price moves, sentiment is clearly mixed. It therefore makes sense to review both the concerns and the upside case quickly and decide where you stand using our breakdown of 2 key rewards and 2 important warning signs
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include YOU.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
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- Clear Secure (YOU) Recently Broke Out Above the 20-Day Moving Average
May 15, 2026
Clear Secure (YOU) is looking like an interesting pick from a technical perspective, as the company reached a key level of support. Recently, YOU crossed above the 20-day moving average, suggesting a short-term bullish trend.
A well-liked tool among traders, the 20-day simple moving average offers a look back at a stock's price over a 20-day period. This is very beneficial to short-term traders, as it smooths out short-term price trends and gives more trend reversal signals than longer-term moving averages.
The 20-day moving average can show signals that are similar to other SMAs as well. If a stock's price is moving above the 20-day, the trend is considered positive. When the price falls below the moving average, it can signal a downward trend.Moving Average Chart for YOU
Shares of YOU have been moving higher over the past four weeks, up 9.9%. Plus, the company is currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, suggesting that YOU could be poised for a continued surge.
Once investors consider YOU's positive earnings estimate revisions, the bullish case only solidifies. No earnings estimate has been lowered in the past two months, compared to 1 raised estimates, for the current fiscal year, and the consensus estimate has increased as well.
Investors may want to watch YOU for more gains in the near future given the company's key technical level and positive earnings estimate revisions.
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CLEAR Secure, Inc. (YOU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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- 1 Software Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 We Brush Off
May 15, 2026
Software is rapidly reducing operating expenses for businesses. Companies bringing it to life have been rewarded with high valuation multiples that make fundraising easier, but they have weighed on the returns lately as the industry has pulled back by 15.8% over the past six months. This drawdown is a noticeable divergence from the S&P 500’s 7.9% return.
A cautious approach is imperative when dabbling in these businesses as the best will deliver robust earnings growth while the rest will be disrupted by competition and AI. On that note, here is one resilient software stock at the top of our wish list and two that may face trouble.
Two Software Stocks to Sell:
Tenable (TENB)
Market Cap: $2.35 billion
Starting with the widely-used Nessus vulnerability scanner first released in 1998, Tenable (NASDAQ:TENB) provides exposure management solutions that help organizations identify, assess, and prioritize cybersecurity vulnerabilities across their IT infrastructure and cloud environments.
Why Are We Cautious About TENB?
Customers had second thoughts about committing to its platform over the last year as its average billings growth of 6.9% underwhelmed Estimated sales growth of 6.8% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend Operating margin improvement of 3.4 percentage points over the last year demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently
Tenable’s stock price of $21.34 implies a valuation ratio of 2.4x forward price-to-sales. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why TENB doesn’t pass our bar.
Varonis Systems (VRNS)
Market Cap: $3.21 billion
Beginning with protecting Windows file shares in 2005 and evolving into a comprehensive security platform, Varonis Systems (NASDAQ:VRNS) provides data security software that helps organizations protect sensitive information, detect threats, and comply with privacy regulations.
Why Do We Think VRNS Will Underperform?
Revenue increased by 16.1% annually over the last five years, acceptable on an absolute basis but tepid for a software company enjoying secular tailwinds Long payback periods on sales and marketing expenses limit customer growth and signal the company operates in a highly competitive environment Efficiency has decreased over the last year as its operating margin fell by 2.5 percentage points
At $28.46 per share, Varonis Systems trades at 4.3x forward price-to-sales. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including VRNS in your portfolio, it’s free.
One Software Stock to Buy:
CLEAR Secure (YOU)
Market Cap: $5.73 billion
Story Continues
Recognized by its signature blue lanes and biometric pods at airport checkpoints across America, CLEAR Secure (NYSE:YOU) provides biometric identity verification technology that allows subscribers to bypass regular security lines at airports and access secure experiences at various venues.
Why Should You Buy YOU?
Market share has increased as its 33.8% annual revenue growth over the last five years was exceptional Fast payback periods on sales and marketing expenses allow the company to invest heavily and onboard many customers concurrently YOU is a free cash flow machine with the flexibility to invest in growth initiatives or return capital to shareholders
CLEAR Secure is trading at $56.76 per share, or 5.1x forward price-to-sales. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
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- Clear Secure (YOU) Recently Broke Out Above the 20-Day Moving Average
May 15, 2026 · zacks.com
Clear Secure (YOU) is looking like an interesting pick from a technical perspective, as the company reached a key level of support. Recently, YOU crossed above the 20-day moving average, suggesting a short-term bullish trend.
- CLEAR Expands to Northwest Arkansas National Airport
May 13, 2026
New launch brings CLEAR+ Lanes, automated eGates, and CLEAR Concierge to XNA for faster, more predictable travel
BENTON COUNTY, Ark. and NEW YORK, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), the secure identity company, has launched at Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), bringing a faster, more seamless travel experience to a region on the rise. With CLEAR+ Lanes, automated eGates, and CLEAR Concierge, the launch helps XNA keep pace with growing demand while making travel more predictable from home to gate.CLEAR (PRNewsfoto/CLEAR)
As part of the launch, CLEAR is bringing its biometric eGates to XNA, allowing CLEAR+ Members to verify their identity in under five seconds and proceed directly to physical screening. CLEAR is on track for a network-wide eGate rollout in 2026.
CLEAR Concierge, which is also launching at XNA, is a premium curb-to-gate service that provides travelers with a personal escort from arrival through security and directly to their gate. Designed for families, executives, and frequent flyers alike, CLEAR Concierge transforms stressful travel days into seamless, fully guided experiences.
"As one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, travelers deserve an experience that moves at their pace," said Caryn Seidman Becker, CEO of CLEAR. "At XNA, we're building the home-to-gate journey with CLEAR+ Lanes, automated biometric eGates, our beloved Ambassadors, and CLEAR Concierge — to give Members a seamless, stress-free travel day they can enjoy."
CLEAR's expansion at XNA supports the region's growth and job creation, and is expected to generate positive economic impact for XNA annually.
"Bringing CLEAR to XNA is another step in making the passenger experience more convenient for the growing number of people choosing to fly from Northwest Arkansas," said Aaron Burkes, CEO of XNA. "As our region continues to grow, we remain focused on adding services that help travelers move through the airport with ease and confidence."
CLEAR's investment in new technology and product innovation reinforces the company's commitment to improving security and the traveler experience, and today's launch builds on CLEAR's continued national growth. CLEAR now serves more than 8.2 million Active CLEAR+ Members at 61 airports, and more than 41 million Total CLEAR Members across its secure identity platform.
About CLEAR
The mission of CLEAR, the secure identity company, is to strengthen security and create frictionless experiences. With over 41 million Members and a growing network of partners across the world, CLEAR's secure identity platform is transforming the way people live, work, and travel. Whether you are traveling, at the stadium, or on your phone, CLEAR connects you to the things that make you, you—making everyday experiences easier, more secure, and friction-free. CLEAR is committed to privacy done right. Members are always in control of their own information, and we do not sell biometric or sensitive personal data. For more information, visit clearme.com.
Story Continues
About Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) serves as the gateway to one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. As Arkansas' busiest commercial airport, XNA provides convenient air service for residents, businesses, and visitors across Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding region. With nonstop flights to 27 direct destinations across the United States, XNA supports the region's continued growth by connecting travelers to the people, places, and opportunities that matter most.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This includes, without limitation, statements regarding job creation, anticipated economic impacts, and plans to expand eGates. Investors are cautioned that any and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results, developments and events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including actual staffing needs, production schedules and regulatory approvals and those described in the Company's filings within the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections titled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10- K. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.
Contact
CLEAR
media@clearme.com
XNA
Olivia Tyler
(479) 445-0995
olivia.tyler@flyxna.comCision
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clear-expands-to-northwest-arkansas-national-airport-302770249.html
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- CLEAR Expands to Northwest Arkansas National Airport
May 13, 2026 · prnewswire.com
New launch brings CLEAR+ Lanes, automated eGates, and CLEAR Concierge to XNA for faster, more predictable travel BENTON COUNTY, Ark. and NEW YORK, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), the secure identity company, has launched at Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), bringing a faster, more seamless travel experience to a region on the rise.
- CLEAR EXPANDS TO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATIONAL AIRPORT
May 13, 2026
NEW LAUNCH BRINGS CLEAR+ LANES, AUTOMATED EGATES, AND CLEAR CONCIERGE TO XNA FOR FASTER, MORE PREDICTABLE TRAVEL BENTON COUNTY, ARK. AND NEW YORK, MAY 13, 2026 /PRNEWSWIRE/ -- CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), THE SECURE IDENTITY COMPANY, HAS LAUNCHED AT NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATIONAL AIRPORT (XNA), BRINGING A FASTER, MORE SEAMLESS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE TO A REGION ON THE RISE.
- CLEAR Secure, Inc. (YOU) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
May 12, 2026
Clear Secure (YOU) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Shares of this airport security company have returned +17.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +8.8% change. The Zacks Internet - Software industry, to which Clear Secure belongs, has gained 3.9% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate Revisions
Rather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Clear Secure is expected to post earnings of $0.39 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +50%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.62 points to a change of +44.6% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.2%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.98 indicates a change of +22.6% from what Clear Secure is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -7.9%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Clear Secure is rated Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Story Continues
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS12-month consensus EPS estimate for YOU
Projected Revenue Growth
Even though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
In the case of Clear Secure, the consensus sales estimate of $270.16 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +23.1%. The $1.1 billion and $1.28 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +22% and +16.5%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise History
Clear Secure reported revenues of $253 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +19.7%. EPS of $0.38 for the same period compares with $0.32 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $244.73 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.38%. The EPS surprise was +8.57%.
Over the last four quarters, Clear Secure surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
Valuation
Without considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Clear Secure is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom Line
The facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Clear Secure. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
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CLEAR Secure, Inc. (YOU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
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- CLEAR Secure, Inc. (YOU) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
May 12, 2026 · zacks.com
Clear Secure (YOU) has received quite a bit of attention from Zacks.com users lately. Therefore, it is wise to be aware of the facts that can impact the stock's prospects.
