Stock Picks: Adobe Pays Record Sum, Twilio Undergoes Restructuring

Stock picks

Stock picks: By the close of day trading on Tuesday, Twilio traded at 76.01, up +2 points, while ADBE dropped 3 points to close at 296.06.

Growth-oriented software equities remained unprofitable in September. Twilio’s (NYSE:TWLO) restructuring and Adobe’s (NASDAQ:ADBE) sizable acquisition are two significant milestones for the industry.

Despite the drop in the value of publicly traded software companies, Adobe splurged $20 billion in the purchase of Figma, as announced on September 15. The transaction, which will be finalized in 2023, represents a multiple of 50 times Figma’s anticipated $400 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) for the calendar year 2022.

The transaction, which will be finalized in 2023, represents a multiple of 50 times Figma’s anticipated $400 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) for the calendar year 2022. In a report by Morgan Stanley, it was stated that the buyout is the “highest revenue multiple ever paid” for a scaled SaaS company. 

The collaborative Web-based interface design platform Figma is for sale. Adobe anticipates the transaction will have a positive impact on its earnings by the conclusion of the third year after the close. Additionally, Figma’s CEO and staff will each receive an additional 6 million restricted stock units with a four-year vesting schedule.

Twilio revealed a reorganization strategy on September 12 that will result in a headcount reduction of 930 people, or around 11%. By June 30, the business had 8,510 employees. Chief Executive Jeff Lawson explained in a letter to employees that the company’s rapid growth (including acquisitions) and lack of attention to its main priorities were factors in the layoffs.

TWLO stock has decreased by about 72% since 2022.

A Pullback in Software Growth Stocks

Dreamforce, the annual user conference for Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), is scheduled for September 20–22. One product announcement might be the direct integration of audio and video environments into the Slack platform. Last year, workplace collaboration software developer Slack Technologies was acquired by Salesforce.

Additionally, Salesforce will have an investor day on September 21. Because Dreamforce is happening earlier than usual and the future of the economy is uncertain, Salesforce is not likely to provide preliminary 2023 revenue guidance as it does at an investor day.

Investor Day was held by Workday on September 13. According to Wolfe Research, management reiterated organic subscription growth of 20% or more for WDAY shares and suggested cash flow growth of 20% to 25% over the next few years. Some businesses cut their 2023 earnings projections during the reporting period of July to August.

Brent Thill, an analyst at Jefferies, wrote in a note that “Companies are taking the correct steps to temper expectations and recognize the uncertainties in the current climate.” Software stocks, meanwhile, have lagged behind the S&P 500. The group’s decline in 2022 is roughly 19%.

The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) experienced a decline of around 5% in August and a 33% decline in 2022. The enterprise software group at IBD is ranked No. 126 out of the 197 industrial groups that were studied.

The hardest hit were the high-growth software stocks that were trading at high multiples of projected revenues. A few businesses hinted at a downturn in activity on earnings calls for the June-July quarter amid concerns that the US economy could enter a recession.

The Reasons Behind Adobe Stock’s Continued Decline

Rising Interest Rates and Software Growth Stocks

Some experts have avoided investing in companies with more exposure to stock-based compensation as a result of the shake-out in software growth stocks. The danger of employee churn is higher for software businesses with “more options underwater” amid declining stock prices, according to a Baird analysis.

Earnings may eventually be impacted by problems with stock-based remuneration, too. Positively, private equity firms have been active in 2022 in acquiring publicly traded software companies. Citrix, Anaplan, CDK, and SailPoint are a few of the businesses that were bought this year.

Concerns about interest rate increases have had an impact on IT stocks, including software. Concern over supply chain limitations also puts pressure on software developers working in the e-commerce industry. Additionally, businesses that profited from work-from-home practices during the COVID epidemic are seeing slower growth as the economy returns to normal.

Growth in Free Cash Flow: A Plus?

Some software stocks with higher free cash flow are preferred by some experts.

The technology industry’s best revenue growth is still being offered by the software industry. The surge in corporate investment in big data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital transformation all contributed to higher revenue for software stocks.

Low code development tools have the potential to expand the use of cloud-native applications and artificial intelligence in the long run. Cloud application development is becoming simpler thanks to software container technologies.

Additionally, software stocks that generate the greatest amount of subscription-based, recurring revenue stand out. Software-as-a-service stocks are what they are known as. In terms of subscription-as-a-service, Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) has been a pioneer. Instead of one-time software licensing, SaaS consumers acquire reoccurring subscriptions. Customers also get automatic software upgrades online.

Software Growth Stocks Slid in 2020

The 2022 decline in software stock prices came after spectacular advances. In comparison to the S&P 500’s approximately 27% increase for the entire year of 2021, the IGV software index rose 12.3%. Compared to the S&P 500’s gain of 16.3% in 2020, the software index increased by about 52%. In both 2019 and 2018, software stock prices increased.

Additionally, investors will want to keep an eye on the IBD Stock of the Day, which offers readers a detailed analysis of a company’s technical and fundamental performance.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) has currently fallen off the IBD Leaderboard. The Leaderboard is an edited collection of top stocks from IBD that excel on both technical and fundamental measures.

Relative Strength Ratings are significant when determining whether it is the correct moment to purchase software stocks. They are offered at the IBD Stock Check-up.

Furthermore, investors want to search for software stocks with Composite Ratings of over 90. IBD’s Composite Rating takes into account both technical and fundamental elements. These elements include the increase in earnings, return on equity, and relative price performance.

Financial Investment In Digital Transformation

In the midst of COVID-19, businesses transitioned to work-from-home policies, driving up demand for next-generation collaboration and productivity solutions. The pandemic also compelled several businesses to digitize customer-facing tasks for the first time.

Analysts argue that corporate goals should continue to include projects involving cloud computing, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.

In addition to vertical industries like the financial and medical ones, IBD organizes software businesses under enterprise stocks. A few businesses are also associated with certain product categories, such as database software and computer security.

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About the author: I'm a financial freelance writer keen on the latest market developments which i articulate with writing stock updates, press releases and investor news. As a person i live by the code of a sustainable human existence and a carbon neutral universe. When off work, i spend time reading non-fiction books, flying drones, and outdoor cycling.