Spotify, Sabra Health Care, Apollo Global Management, and Others Featured in CNBC's 'Final Trades'
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 11 2025
0mins
Should l Buy SPOT?
Source: Benzinga
Investment Insights: Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington highlighted Sabra Health Care REIT's 6.3% dividend yield, supported by Wells Fargo's Overweight rating and a price target increase from $20 to $21.
Apollo Global Management: Kari Firestone selected Apollo Global Management as her final trade, with Morgan Stanley upgrading the stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raising the price target from $151 to $180.
ETF and Spotify Picks: Liz Thomas chose the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF, while Joseph M. Terranova expressed interest in buying Spotify, which reported strong Q3 earnings exceeding expectations.
Market Performance: On the trading day, Sabra Health Care shares fell 1.6%, Apollo Global Management rose 3.6%, the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF gained 1.4%, and Spotify jumped 3.4%.
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Analyst Views on SPOT
Wall Street analysts forecast SPOT stock price to rise
21 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 484.850
Low
525.00
Averages
750.79
High
900.00
Current: 484.850
Low
525.00
Averages
750.79
High
900.00
About SPOT
Spotify Technology SA a Luxembourg-based company, which offers digital music-streaming services. The Company enables users to discover new releases, which includes the latest singles and albums; playlists, which includes ready-made playlists put together by music fans and experts, and over millions of songs so that users can play their favorites, discover new tracks and build a personalized collection. Its users can either select Spotify Free, which includes only shuffle play or Spotify Premium, which encompasses a range of features, such as shuffle play, advertisement free, unlimited skips, listen offline, play any track and audio. The Company operates through a number of subsidiaries, including Spotify LTD and is present in over 20 countries. Its service offers a music listening experience without commercial breaks.
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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Beta Testing with Artists: The feature is currently in beta testing, with select artists and creators being the first to access and utilize the tool for deeper engagement with their music.
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- Job Cut Scale: Spotify has laid off approximately 3% of its staff in the podcast division, affecting The Ringer and Spotify Studios, following a 5% reduction last June, indicating the company's ongoing efforts to optimize team structure.
- Reason for Cuts: Although the company has not publicly commented on the layoffs, internal sources indicate that these cuts are not aimed at cost reduction but rather to facilitate faster coordination and alignment across teams, enhancing management efficiency.
- Affected Programs: The layoffs impact several programs, including "New York, New York With John Jastremski," which was part of Spotify's $250 million acquisition of The Ringer from ESPN in 2020, reflecting strategic adjustments in the company's podcast content.
- Future Investment Focus: Despite the layoffs, Spotify continues to invest in growth areas within its podcast business, demonstrating the company's commitment to driving business development through streamlined management structures in a competitive market environment.
See More
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- AI Integration: Spotify's recent ChatGPT integration allows users to receive personalized music recommendations through AI chat, enabling requests for songs, albums, and podcasts based on mood or genre, thereby enhancing user experience and platform stickiness.
- Increased User Engagement: With approximately 90 million users on its interactive iDJ feature, Spotify has accumulated over four billion hours of usage on the app, indicating that AI-driven discovery plays a crucial role in boosting user engagement and solidifying Spotify's position in the competitive streaming market.
- Innovative Playlists: The newly launched Prompted Playlist feature enables users to create custom mixes based on feelings or memories, enhancing user interaction and differentiating Spotify's offerings from competitors like Apple Music, potentially attracting more users to the platform.
- Intensifying Industry Competition: While Spotify's investments in AI are seen as key to strengthening its competitive edge, analysts note that with Apple and Amazon also rolling out similar features, Spotify must accelerate its AI technology adoption to maintain its market leadership.
See More
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- AI Integration Innovation: Spotify's recent ChatGPT integration allows users to receive personalized music recommendations through AI chat, which is expected to enhance user stickiness and strengthen the platform's competitive edge against rivals like Apple and Amazon.
- User Engagement Boost: The interactive DJ feature has attracted approximately 90 million users, with over four billion hours spent on the platform, indicating that AI-driven personalized recommendations are effectively increasing user activity and satisfaction.
- Prompted Playlists Feature: The newly launched Prompted Playlists feature enables users to create custom playlists based on feelings or memories, further enhancing user interaction with the platform and improving user experience and competitive differentiation.
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- Earnings Report Concerns: Although the fourth-quarter revenue grew 15.9% to $1.24 billion, beating expectations, the adjusted earnings per ADS only increased by 8.8%, indicating that profit growth is lagging behind revenue, which may suggest competitive pressures.
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