Okta Board Approves $1B Buyback as Asset Management One Boosts Stake by 14%

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Asset Management One Co. Ltd. increased its Okta stake by 14.3% in Q3 to 167,857 shares valued at $15.39 million. The company's board authorized a $1.00 billion share repurchase program to buy back up to 6.8% of outstanding shares.

1. Institutional Investor Activity

During the third quarter, Asset Management One Co. Ltd. increased its holding in Okta by 14.3%, acquiring an additional 21,024 shares to hold 167,857 shares worth $15.39 million at period end. Other major investors made significant moves: Norges Bank initiated a new position valued at $211.9 million in Q2; UBS Asset Management Americas grew its stake by 76.3% to 2.75 million shares valued at $289.2 million; Ninety One UK Ltd. added 939,589 shares for a 52.1% gain, bringing its total to 2.74 million shares worth $274.4 million; Vanguard Group increased its holding by 5.3%, reaching 18.73 million shares valued at $1.87 billion; and Massachusetts Financial Services Co. lifted its stake by 20.4% to 4.46 million shares worth $445.4 million. Overall, institutional and hedge fund ownership accounted for 86.6% of the company’s shares.

2. Analyst Ratings and Price Targets

A total of 39 analysts cover Okta, with 24 issuing Buy recommendations, 13 Hold, and 2 Sell, resulting in an average rating of Moderate Buy. Recent research notes include reaffirmation of a Buy rating with an $110 target by Needham & Company, downward adjustments by Goldman Sachs (from $137 to $117) and Stifel Nicolaus (from $130 to $121), and a Hold (C–) from Weiss Ratings. The aggregate consensus target stands at approximately $114.

3. Quarterly Earnings Performance and Guidance

In the quarter ended early December, Okta reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.82, surpassing consensus by $0.06, and generated revenue of $742 million, 1.6% above estimates. Year-over-year revenue growth reached 11.6%, while net margin expanded to 6.9% and return on equity was 3.8%. For fiscal year 2026, the company projects adjusted EPS of $3.43–$3.44 and anticipates Q4 EPS of $0.84–$0.85. Analysts forecast full-year earnings of $0.42 per share for the current fiscal year.

4. Share Repurchase Plan and Insider Transactions

On January 5, the board authorized a $1.0 billion repurchase program, representing up to 6.8% of outstanding shares, signaling management’s confidence in valuation. Insider activity in the past quarter included the sale of 1,318 shares by Director Larissa Schwartz (value approximately $113,000) and 11,286 shares by CEO Todd McKinnon (value approximately $1.03 million). Total insider disposals for the period amounted to 24,828 shares valued at about $2.22 million, with insiders retaining a 5.7% ownership stake.

Sources

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