Cloud software keeps modern businesses running. It powers customer communications, sales management, cybersecurity, databases, and data analytics—services companies rely on every day. For investors, the attraction starts with the business model. Software as a service, or SaaS, generates recurring subscription revenue, while multiyear contracts can make future sales easier to forecast. As platforms expand, serving additional customers can also become less expensive, creating room for stronger profit margins.
But steady subscription payments do not mean steady stock prices. On October 16, all ten cloud stocks in this selection suffered losses exceeding the Nasdaq’s 2.14% decline. The retreat exposed a familiar pressure point in technology investing. Even when customers keep paying, investors can quickly mark down how much they are willing to pay for a company’s future growth.
That leaves investors with a more useful question than whether cloud software remains essential. Which companies have the earnings, cash flow, and valuations to turn that demand into attractive shareholder returns?
Hedge Funds Show Interest, but Valuations Tell Different Stories
Hedge fund positioning provides one starting point. Eight of the ten companies recorded an increase in hedge fund holders during the second quarter of 2026, indicating broader participation among the funds tracked ahead of the October selloff. That interest offers context, although quarterly filings do not establish whether those investors maintained their positions through the decline.
The valuation gap is equally striking. Forward price-to-earnings ratios across this group range from 13.99 to 208.33—a nearly fifteenfold difference. Investors are clearly paying very different prices for exposure to cloud computing, enterprise software, and data-driven services.
Those multiples also deserve careful comparison. Earnings estimates can use different accounting measures, particularly when adjusted profits exclude stock-based compensation. A recurring revenue stream strengthens the business model, but its value to shareholders still depends on profitability, cash generation, and how much dilution accompanies growth.
A Sharp Selloff After Months of Strong Gains
The October decline also needs perspective. Nine of these ten cloud stocks remained sharply higher over six months, including five that had advanced more than 50%. A steep daily loss can grab attention without making an already expensive stock cheap.
The opportunity, therefore, requires looking beyond the size of the pullback. Durable demand, sustained earnings growth, and a reasonable purchase price matter more than a dramatic red day on the trading screen.
The following 10 most promising cloud stocks according to hedge funds offer a closer look at that balance, bringing together institutional positioning, recent performance, and the wide range of valuations across the cloud software sector.
Twilio Inc. (NYSE:TWLO) ranks 9th in our list of 10 Cloud Stocks Hedge Funds Are Betting On After a Sharp Selloff. Click HERE to find out other stocks on the list.
Twilio Inc. (NYSE:TWLO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders — 72
Value of Holdings — $3.49 billion
Cloud Communications Delivers Growth With an Accounting Twist
Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO) reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.50 billion, up 22%, while organic revenue grew 17%. GAAP operating income increased 129% to $84.5 million, and free cash flow reached $352.6 million.
Its cloud communications infrastructure connects businesses and customers through messaging, voice, email, and other channels. The opportunity extends into conversations involving AI agents, although the commercial test remains paid usage and profitable delivery.
The difference between reported and organic growth deserves attention. The company’s organic measure excludes specified items, including incremental carrier messaging fees. That makes it useful for separating underlying expansion from changes that lift reported revenue.
Earnings also need a closer read. GAAP diluted earnings per share of $6.68 included a $5.91 noncash benefit from releasing a deferred-tax valuation allowance. That benefit should not be treated as recurring operating performance. Management raised its full-year reported revenue growth outlook to 18%–18.5% and its free cash flow forecast to $1.135 billion–$1.155 billion.
Stronger operating income and cash generation support the business case. Future analysis should focus on whether underlying communications demand and margins sustain that progress.
Ranking Rationale
Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO) takes ninth place with 72 hedge fund holders, three more than the preceding entry. Its $3.49 billion combined stake adds context, while the holder count determines its position.
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Disclosure: No material interests to disclose. This article was originally published on Global Market Bulletin.
