Chewy's Subscription Growth Drives Stock Surge
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 09 2026
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Chewy Inc. saw its stock rise by 5.29% as it reached a 5-day high, reflecting positive investor sentiment amid strong subscription service growth.
The company's Autoship subscription service accounted for 83% of total revenue in fiscal 2025, up from 76% two years prior, indicating robust demand for pet food and medications. Additionally, Chewy's adjusted EBITDA margin improved from 3.3% in fiscal 2023 to 5.7% in 2025, with management guiding for further margin expansion, showcasing its focus on operational efficiency. However, the company faces pricing pressures from competitors like Amazon and Walmart, which could impact future profitability.
Chewy's strong financial position, with approximately $880 million in net cash and no debt, allows it to invest in growth areas such as vet clinics. The increase in free cash flow by 24% to $562 million last year further demonstrates its solid cash generation capabilities.
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Analyst Views on CHWY
Wall Street analysts forecast CHWY stock price to rise
20 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 21.380
Low
42.00
Averages
47.06
High
52.00
Current: 21.380
Low
42.00
Averages
47.06
High
52.00
About CHWY
Chewy, Inc. is an e-commerce business geared toward pet products and services. The Company’s products consist of pet food and treats, pet supplies and pet medications, other pet-health products, and pet services. It serves its customers through its retail websites, and its mobile applications and focuses on delivering customer service, competitive prices, convenience, including Chewy’s Autoship subscription program, and a range of pet food, treats and supplies, and pet healthcare products and services. It partners with approximately 3,200 of the brands in the pet industry, and it creates and offers its own private brands. It owns a number of trademark registrations and applications in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions. These trademarks include American Journey, Blue Box Event, Careplus, Chewy, Chewy.com, Chewy Vet Care, Dr. Lyon’s, Frisco, Goody Box, Onguard, PetMD, PracticeHub, Tiny Tiger, True Acre Farms, Tylee’s, Vibeful, and The Zoo.
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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- Improving Profitability: Chewy's adjusted EBITDA margin has increased from 3.3% in fiscal 2023 to 5.7% in 2025, with management guiding for an additional 100 basis points of margin expansion this year, indicating a strong focus on enhancing profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Chewy faces significant price pressure from competitors like Amazon and Walmart, and a potential price war could further squeeze its margins, presenting a risk that investors need to monitor closely.
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- Competitive Comparison: Walmart's strategy contrasts sharply with Target's experience-driven approach, highlighting Walmart's flexibility and adaptability in meeting diverse consumer needs.
- Intensified Market Competition: As competition in the retail sector intensifies, Walmart's omnichannel upgrades enable it to more effectively respond to challenges from other major retailers, enhancing its market share.
- Shifting Consumer Behavior: With evolving consumer demands for price and convenience, Walmart's omnichannel strategy aims to address these needs, thereby increasing customer loyalty and purchase frequency.
See More
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- Delivery Capability Upgrade: Walmart's enhancements to its delivery and mobile ordering systems significantly improve everyday shopping convenience, optimizing the balance between price, convenience, and delivery options for consumers, thereby strengthening its market competitiveness.
- Market Strategy Comparison: Unlike Walmart's price competition strategy, Target is focusing on enhancing the high-end in-store experience, attempting to attract consumers through differentiated services, although this may place it at a disadvantage in price competition.
- Omnichannel Capability Reshaping: Walmart's omnichannel capabilities are reshaping how consumers shop, particularly among major retailers, as shoppers increasingly prioritize convenience and delivery options, which could impact Target's market share.
- Investor Attention: Although Target did not make it onto The Motley Fool's list of top stocks, Walmart's ongoing innovation and market adaptability may draw more investor interest in its stock performance.
See More
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- Tech Stock Focus: Analyst recommendations for Dell highlight its advantages in AI infrastructure integration, potentially driving its stock price higher, while Intel's shares have surpassed $120, with expectations of reaching $150, reflecting strong demand in the semiconductor sector.
- Data Storage Industry Prospects: Evercore ISI raised Western Digital's price target to $575, emphasizing the critical role of data storage in the AI ecosystem, and despite its stock rising over 180%, the market still appears to undervalue this sector.
- Software Industry Challenges: Goldman Sachs lowered Workday's price target to $151 due to concerns about its AI integration, reflecting intensified competition in the enterprise software market that could pressure related software stocks.
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- Eli Lilly Outlook: Although Eli Lilly's stock has slipped about 1% this year, Goldman believes only 9% of its recent returns are driven by the U.S. economic outlook and AI, while Morgan Stanley's analyst sets a $1,344 price target, implying a 26.2% upside potential.
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See More
Chewy Transitions to Integrated Healthcare Provider
- Subscription Service Growth: Chewy's Autoship subscription service accounted for 83% of total revenue in fiscal 2025, up from 76% two years prior, indicating strong demand for pet food and medications despite overall revenue growth of only 6%.
- Profitability Improvement: The adjusted EBITDA margin increased from 3.3% in fiscal 2023 to 5.7% in 2025, with management guiding for another 100 basis points of margin expansion this year and a long-term target of at least 10%, reflecting the company's efforts to enhance operational efficiency and profitability.
- Market Competition Pressure: While Chewy continues to see growth in active customers and free cash flow, it faces pricing pressures from competitors like Amazon and Walmart, which could further squeeze margins in a price-sensitive consumer market.
- Financial Flexibility: Chewy has approximately $880 million in net cash and no debt, providing financial support for investments in growth areas like vet clinics, with free cash flow increasing by 24% to $562 million last year, demonstrating strong cash generation capabilities.
See More
Chewy Faces Market Pressure Amid Growth Opportunities
- Stable Customer Growth: Despite Chewy's stock price plummeting over 40% year-to-date, the company continues to see growth in active customers and spending per customer, with Autoship sales accounting for 83% of total revenue in fiscal 2025, highlighting the stability and core importance of its subscription model.
- Improving Profitability: Chewy's adjusted EBITDA margin has increased from 3.3% in fiscal 2023 to 5.7% in 2025, with management guiding for an additional 100 basis points of margin expansion this year, indicating a strong focus on enhancing profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Chewy faces significant price pressure from competitors like Amazon and Walmart, and a potential price war could further squeeze its margins, presenting a risk that investors need to monitor closely.
- Strong Financial Flexibility: With approximately $880 million in net cash and no debt, Chewy is well-positioned to invest in growth initiatives such as expanding its vet clinics, and its free cash flow grew by 24% to $562 million last year, reflecting a solid financial foundation.
See More
