On Monday (NASDAQ:MNDY), Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) Securities adjusted its outlook on Toast Inc. (NYSE:NYSE:TOST) shares, a cloud-based restaurant software company, by increasing its price target to $40.00, up from the previous $33.00. The firm maintained its Outperform rating on the stock. This revision follows Toast's third-quarter performance, which stood out in the payment processing sector.
The company's success was highlighted by its ability to enhance its full-year revenue guidance, a feat that other payment operators did not achieve. Toast Inc. raised its annual recurring non-GAAP Gross Profit (GP) forecast from 27-29% to 32-33%. This significant growth is a testament to the company's resilience and operational strength, particularly during challenging times.
The analyst from Mizuho praised Toast's third-quarter achievements, describing it as a "triumph." Factors contributing to the optimistic outlook include strong net location additions and rapid product development. These elements are becoming increasingly vital for Toast's customer base, ensuring that the company's offerings remain essential for their operations.
Furthermore, Toast's strategic approach to small and medium-sized business (SMB) lending products, such as TOST Capital, is expected to continue propelling the company forward. The analyst anticipates that these initiatives will play a significant role in driving Toast's stock higher.
In light of these developments, Mizuho has raised its estimates and price target for Toast Inc. This adjustment reflects confidence in the company's growth trajectory and its potential for continued success in the competitive payment processing landscape.
In other recent news, Toast Inc. showcased strong growth in its Q3 2024 earnings call, raising its full-year outlook based on robust third-quarter results. The company experienced significant expansion, adding roughly 7,000 net new locations, a 28% year-over-year increase, bringing the total to nearly 127,000. Recurring gross profit streams grew by 35%, with adjusted EBITDA hitting $113 million and GAAP operating income reaching $34 million.
In addition to its financial growth, Toast launched new products aimed at enhancing customer engagement and strategically expanded into food and beverage retail and international markets. These developments included a partnership with Potbelly (NASDAQ:PBPB) Sandwich Works.
However, it is worth noting that operational expenditures increased by 11% due to investments in sales, marketing, and research and development. Despite this, the company remains optimistic about maintaining momentum and strategically expanding offerings, particularly in the retail and international markets.
For the full year, Toast projects an adjusted EBITDA between $352 million to $362 million, reflecting a 26% margin. These are some of the recent developments surrounding Toast Inc.
InvestingPro Insights
Toast Inc.'s recent performance aligns with several key metrics and insights from InvestingPro. The company's market capitalization stands at $21.29 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the restaurant software industry. Toast's impressive revenue growth of 29.5% over the last twelve months, with Q3 2024 showing a 26.45% increase, supports Mizuho's positive outlook.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Toast's net income is expected to grow this year, and analysts predict the company will be profitable in the current fiscal year. This aligns with the company's enhanced full-year revenue guidance mentioned in the article. Additionally, the stock's strong return over the last month (32.25%) and three months (58.61%) corroborates the analyst's optimistic stance.
It's worth noting that Toast is trading near its 52-week high, with the current price at 97.6% of its peak. This, combined with the significant year-to-date return of 105.26%, underscores the market's confidence in Toast's growth strategy and product development.
For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 13 additional tips for Toast Inc., providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
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