TD Cowen has maintained its Hold rating on Snap Inc (NYSE: NYSE:SNAP) with a steady price target of $11.00. The firm's analysis projects that Snap will report a slowdown in revenue growth for the third quarter (Q3) of the year, anticipating a year-over-year increase of 14%.
The growth is expected to be primarily driven by the company's Direct Response advertising.
The forecast for Snap's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for Q3 is set at $96 million, which is slightly above the consensus estimate of $93 million.
According to TD Cowen's recent quarterly survey in the United States, there has been a marginal year-over-year improvement in user engagement on the platform. Additionally, checks within the digital advertising sector have shown strong growth in ad impressions.
TD Cowen has also introduced its quarterly estimates for the year 2025 and adjusted its financial model to extend through the year 2030. Despite these updates, the firm has decided to maintain its Hold rating and $11 price target for Snap Inc.
In other recent news, Snap Inc. has been the focus of various analyst reports. BMO Capital maintained its Outperform rating on Snap, citing positive trends such as a significant increase in user engagement due to the company's collaboration with Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Cloud to bolster artificial intelligence features.
BofA Securities, however, maintained a neutral stance following modest growth in Snap's third-quarter user reach metrics. Roth Capital Partners noted a significant strength in Snap's Cost Per Mille (CPM) trends for the third quarter, suggesting increased revenue potential from advertising.
In addition to these analyst notes, Snap reported a 16% year-over-year increase in total revenue, reaching $1.24 billion in Q2 2024, with advertising revenue accounting for $1.13 billion. The company also engaged in merger activity, with its partner Sahara AI securing $43 million in a funding round led by Pantera Capital.
In a separate development, Snap and Meta (NASDAQ:META) have committed to working with U.S. and British authorities to enhance online safety for children. This comes in response to the formation of a trans-Atlantic government working group aimed at protecting young users on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram.
InvestingPro Insights
To complement TD Cowen's analysis, recent data from InvestingPro offers additional insights into Snap Inc's financial position. The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 stands at $4.98 billion, with a revenue growth of 11.08% over the same period. This aligns with TD Cowen's projection of slowing revenue growth, though the quarterly revenue growth for Q2 2024 was higher at 15.84%.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Snap operates with a moderate level of debt and its liquid assets exceed short-term obligations, which could provide some financial flexibility as the company navigates the anticipated slowdown. However, it's worth noting that Snap is not currently profitable, with a negative operating income of $1.15 billion for the last twelve months.
The market seems to be reflecting these mixed signals, as Snap's stock price has fallen significantly over the last three months, yet has shown a strong return over the last month. This volatility underscores the importance of keeping a close eye on Snap's upcoming earnings report, scheduled for October 29, 2024.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 5 additional tips for Snap Inc, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
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