Roblox Reports Strong Q4 Results Amid High Stock Compensation Costs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 4 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy RBLX?
Source: Fool
- Strong Bookings Growth: Roblox's bookings surged 63% year-over-year in Q4 to $2.22 billion, indicating a significant increase in user spending on the platform; however, the overall revenue growth of 43% to $1.42 billion raises concerns about the impact of high stock compensation expenses on profitability.
- User Engagement Surge: Daily active users (DAUs) soared 69% to 144 million, while monthly unique payers (MUPs) jumped 94% to 36.7 million, with much of the growth driven by international markets, particularly Japan, India, and Indonesia, which saw growth rates of 160%, 110%, and over 700%, respectively.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: The company forecasts revenue growth of 23% to 29% for 2023, reaching between $6.02 billion and $6.29 billion, with bookings expected to rise 22% to 26%, indicating strong confidence in future growth prospects.
- Profitability Risks: Despite robust revenue and user growth, adjusted EBITDA fell from $65.6 million to $2.7 million, primarily due to stock compensation expenses totaling $298.4 million, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving profitability for the company.
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Analyst Views on RBLX
Wall Street analysts forecast RBLX stock price to rise
22 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
8 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 63.150
Low
70.00
Averages
133.89
High
180.00
Current: 63.150
Low
70.00
Averages
133.89
High
180.00
About RBLX
Roblox Corporation operates a platform for connection and communication (Roblox Platform), where every day, people come to create, play, work, learn, and connect with each other in experiences built by its global community of creators. The Company’s platform consists of the Roblox Client, the Roblox Studio, and the Roblox Cloud. Roblox Client is an application that allows users to seamlessly explore 3D immersive experiences. Roblox Studio is the free toolset that allows developers and creators to build, publish, and operate three-dimensional (3D) immersive experiences and other content accessed with the Roblox Client. Roblox Cloud includes the services and infrastructure that power its Platform. The Company operates the Roblox Platform as a live service that allows users to play and socialize with others for free. The Company offers developers and creators the ability to build engaging, immersive experiences and marketplace items that they can easily share with the Roblox community.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Stock Decline: Roblox's shares have plummeted 52% over the past six months, with a current market cap of $45 billion, indicating significant challenges in the competitive gaming market.
- Investor Buying Surge: Billionaire investor Cathie Wood's ARK Invest purchased $17.5 million in Roblox stock over two days, reflecting strong confidence in the stock's potential.
- Institutional Investor Involvement: Major investment firms like Blackrock disclosed buying over 2 million shares of Roblox in their latest quarterly filings, while State Street and Vanguard Group each added over a million shares, indicating rising interest among institutional investors.
- Market Rebound Potential: Despite the challenges Roblox faces with declining stock prices, the active buying by Wall Street investors may signal potential for future market rebound and investment opportunities.
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- Major Investments: Recently, Cathie Wood's ARK Invest funds purchased a total of $17.5 million in Roblox stock within two days, with $7.4 million allocated to the ARK Innovation ETF, indicating a strong interest in the stock despite its recent performance.
- Institutional Involvement: In addition to ARK Invest, Blackrock disclosed acquiring over 2 million shares of Roblox in its latest quarterly filing, while State Street and Vanguard Group each added more than a million shares, reflecting growing confidence among institutional investors in Roblox's potential.
- Uncertain Market Outlook: Despite the influx of institutional buying, analysts noted that Roblox is not included in the current list of top ten recommended stocks, suggesting a cautious outlook on its future performance and advising investors to carefully assess associated risks.
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- Call Option Returns: The $65.00 call option has a current bid of $7.60, and if an investor buys RBLX shares at $63.96 and sells this contract, they could achieve a total return of 13.51% if the stock is called away at expiration, showcasing the potential profitability of covered calls.
- Risk-Reward Consideration: Given that the $65.00 strike price is only about 2% above the current stock price, there is a possibility that the call option could expire worthless, allowing the investor to retain both their shares and the premium collected, thereby enhancing the overall return potential.
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- Stock Decline: Roblox's shares have plummeted 52% over the past six months, with a current market cap of $45 billion, indicating significant challenges in the competitive gaming market.
- Investor Buying Surge: Billionaire investor Cathie Wood's ARK Invest purchased $17.5 million in Roblox stock over two days, reflecting strong confidence in the stock's potential.
- Institutional Investor Involvement: Major investment firms like Blackrock disclosed buying over 2 million shares of Roblox in their latest quarterly filings, while State Street and Vanguard Group each added over a million shares, indicating rising interest among institutional investors.
- Market Rebound Potential: Despite the challenges Roblox faces with declining stock prices, the active buying by Wall Street investors may signal potential for future market rebound and investment opportunities.
See More
Roblox Stock Plummets, Attracts Major Investors
- Stock Decline: Since October, Roblox's stock has plummeted over 52%, underlining a broader downturn in the gaming sector, particularly when compared to Nintendo's 43% drop and Sea Limited's 27% decline over the same period.
- Major Investments: Recently, Cathie Wood's ARK Invest funds purchased a total of $17.5 million in Roblox stock within two days, with $7.4 million allocated to the ARK Innovation ETF, indicating a strong interest in the stock despite its recent performance.
- Institutional Involvement: In addition to ARK Invest, Blackrock disclosed acquiring over 2 million shares of Roblox in its latest quarterly filing, while State Street and Vanguard Group each added more than a million shares, reflecting growing confidence among institutional investors in Roblox's potential.
- Uncertain Market Outlook: Despite the influx of institutional buying, analysts noted that Roblox is not included in the current list of top ten recommended stocks, suggesting a cautious outlook on its future performance and advising investors to carefully assess associated risks.
See More
Roblox (RBLX.US) Executive Plans to Sell $3.84 Million in Common Stock via Form 144
- Stock Sale Announcement: Roblox officer Mark Reins intends to sell 60,000 shares of the company's common stock.
- Market Value: The total market value of the shares being sold is approximately $3.84 million.
See More
RBLX Options Contract Analysis and Investment Opportunities
- Put Option Appeal: The current bid for the $60.00 put option is $5.90, and if an investor sells this contract, they commit to buying the stock at $60.00, effectively lowering their cost basis to $54.10, which is approximately a 6% discount from the current price of $63.96, making it attractive for those interested in RBLX.
- Yield Potential Analysis: Should the put option expire worthless, the premium would yield a 9.83% return on cash commitment, or an annualized 39.46%, highlighting the potential attractiveness of this investment strategy in the current market environment.
- Call Option Returns: The $65.00 call option has a current bid of $7.60, and if an investor buys RBLX shares at $63.96 and sells this contract, they could achieve a total return of 13.51% if the stock is called away at expiration, showcasing the potential profitability of covered calls.
- Risk-Reward Consideration: Given that the $65.00 strike price is only about 2% above the current stock price, there is a possibility that the call option could expire worthless, allowing the investor to retain both their shares and the premium collected, thereby enhancing the overall return potential.
See More
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- Legal Action Intensifies: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., alleging the company failed to adequately warn parents and consumers about inappropriate content on its app, highlighting significant shortcomings in user safety.
- False Safety Claims: The lawsuit claims that Snapchat knowingly misrepresented its app as safe for children aged 12 and up, while its addictive design poses potential psychological harm to minors, raising serious ethical concerns.
- Negative Market Reaction: Following the lawsuit announcement, SNAP shares fell nearly 4%, indicating investor concerns over the company's legal risks and potential financial repercussions, which could adversely affect future market performance.
- Increased Regulatory Pressure: This lawsuit represents not only a direct challenge to Snapchat but also reflects the growing scrutiny of the social media industry, potentially prompting other platforms to reassess their content management and user safety strategies.
See More
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- Executive Shakeup Impact: PayPal's CEO Alex Chris is replaced after less than two years, resulting in a nearly 20% drop in stock price following earnings reports, indicating strong market reaction to management changes that could undermine investor confidence.
- Performance Decline Warning: While PayPal reported a 9% increase in total payment volume, a 5% drop in transactions per active account highlights challenges in user growth and profitability, potentially affecting future market competitiveness.
- New CEO Challenges: The appointment of Enrique Lores raises concerns due to his lackluster performance at HP, leading investors to question his ability to effectively drive PayPal's transformation, which may impact the company's strategic direction.
- Market Valuation Slump: With a current P/E ratio around 8.5, significantly below market averages, PayPal is seen as a value investment opportunity; however, investor concerns about future growth may lead to further stock price pressure.
See More
