-- ServiceNow's (NOW) competitive advantage may have eroded amid growing evidence that workflow automation tasks can be automated by harnessing artificial intelligence models, UBS Securities said in a note e-mailed Friday.
The company, which provides both software- and platform-as-a-service offerings, may also be facing headwinds from indications of reduced enterprise spending on non-AI or core software, the brokerage said.
"Our view to date, and the reason why ServiceNow has been our only buy-rated application software stock, has been that it has a wider moat and a more compelling 'AI winner' narrative than peers such as Salesforce (CRM) and Workday (WDAY)," UBS analysts Karl Keirstead and Claire Gerdes said in a note to clients.
"Now, we have less confidence in that view given anecdotes that workflow automation tasks can indeed be automated by harnessing AI models, raising the risk that more enterprises may do so instead of upgrading to ServiceNow's Pro Plus/Now Assist stock keeping unit," the duo wrote.
UBS downgraded its rating on the ServiceNow stock to neutral from buy and lowered its price target to $100 from $170.
The company's shares were down 8.6% in Friday afternoon trade, bringing its year-to-date losses to 46%.
UBS said it now sees ServiceNow posting "skinnier-than-normal" beats in the quarters ahead.
"While ServiceNow has a strong track record of beating its guidance and hence we're not calling for a miss, the most likely scenario now appears to be skinnier-than-normal beats in the coming quarters and more limited upside to the guidance for stable organic (constant-current subscription revenue) growth of 19% in 2026," the analysts said.
Earlier this year, ServiceNow agreed to integrate OpenAI's AI models directly into its business software under a multiyear deal aimed at helping accelerate enterprise AI adoption and outcomes.
ServiceNow is scheduled to report first-quarter financial results April 22.
Price: $82.33, Change: $-7.48, Percent Change: -8.33%