Snap Reports Slight Revenue Growth, Earnings Miss Expectations

Snap's Q1 results show revenue growth of 14%, but an adjusted loss per share of $0.08, disappointing investors. The stock fell 13% post-earnings amid concerns over guidance and macroeconomic uncertainties.

Date: 02-05-2025

AI Rating: 4

Performance Overview: Snap reported revenue of $1.36 billion in Q1, exceeding analysts' expectations slightly, while its adjusted loss of $0.08 per share fell significantly short of estimates for a profit. This earnings miss, coupled with a lack of forward guidance, has led to considerable negative market sentiment, resulting in a 13% drop in share price after hours.

Revenue Growth and Performance Metrics: The reported revenue reflects a 14% increase year-over-year, thanks to the growth in Snap's subscriber base. Daily active users climbed to 460 million, which is a 9% increase from the prior year, indicating a healthy expansion of its platform. The average revenue per user (ARPU) also saw a moderate rise, suggesting improved monetization strategies.

Profitability Metrics: Notably, Snap's adjusted EBITDA margin improved significantly to 8%. Despite this, the company is still in a loss position, with an earnings report of -$0.08 per share indicating that they are operating at a net loss, albeit a reduced one from the previous year's loss of $0.19. While the improving margins can be seen as positive, the ongoing losses remain a consideration for investors.

Lack of Guidance and Macro Concerns: The company's decision not to provide guidance in the face of uncertainties related to trade policies could signal to investors that they should remain cautious about future revenue stability. This lack of predictability has coincided with the stock's underperformance relative to the S&P 500 index, which some investors find unappealing given the current high volatility.

Valuation Outlook: Despite the disappointing earnings report, Snap's current trading price of around $8 suggests an undervaluation based on its historical price-to-sales ratios, particularly with the ratio sitting at 2.4x against a three-year average of 4.1x. This provides a potential upside but also requires investors to weigh the risks of operational losses and market volatility.

Stocks: SNAP