Duolingo Stock Plummets Despite Beating Q4 Sales Estimates

Duolingo shares dropped 14.6% after reporting Q4 sales that surpassed expectations. The discrepancy between sales growth and earnings disappointed investors, raising questions about the company's outlook for future performance.

Date: 28-02-2025

AI Rating: 5

Q4 Performance Insights
Duolingo's stock experienced a significant decline of 14.6% despite reporting Q4 sales of $209.6 million, surpassing analyst expectations of $205.5 million. However, the earnings per share (EPS) of $0.28 fell short of the expected $1.09, leading to investor disappointment.

Revenue Growth
On a positive note, Duolingo reported a 39% year-over-year growth in sales for Q4. This growth indicates strong demand for their services, an essential factor that could positively influence the stock price in the long run.

Earnings Overview
For the full year, Duolingo achieved earnings of $88.6 million, marking a substantial 450% increase from the previous year. This impressive growth suggests better profitability over a longer timeline, although the quarterly results showed less impressive gains.

Free Cash Flow
Duolingo generated a free cash flow (FCF) of $274.9 million in 2024, showing a remarkable growth rate of over 90% compared to the previous year's FCF of $144.3 million. This strong cash generation capability is a positive indicator for potential investments, as solid free cash flow can support business operations and future growth.

Future Projections
Management projects approximately $970 million in revenue for 2025, reflecting a growth rate of just under 30%. Such projections can attract investors if accompanied by faster earnings growth, implying that Duolingo’s prospects for a strong performance might still be intact despite current market jitters.

Stocks: DUOL