Adam Foroughi, CEO of AppLovin.
CNBC
AppLovin shares soared almost 30% in extended trading on Wednesday after the company reported earnings and revenue that sailed past analysts’ estimates and issued better-than-expected guidance.
Here’s how the company performed compared with analysts’ expectations, according to LSEG:
Earnings per share: $1.73 vs. $1.24 expectedRevenue: $1.37 billion vs. $1.26 billion expected
Net income in the quarter more than tripled to $599.2 million, or $1.73 per share, from $172.3 million, or 51 cents per share, a year earlier, the company said in a statement.
Revenue jumped 43% from $953.3 million a year earlier.
AppLovin was the best-performing U.S. tech stock last year, soaring more than 700% driven by the company’s artificial intelligence-powered advertising system. In 2023, AppLovin released the updated 2.0 version of its ad search engine called AXON, which helps put more targeted ads on the gaming apps the company owns and is also used by studios that license the technology.
Advertising revenue climbed 73% in the quarter to almost $1 billion. The ad business was previously categorized as Software Platform. The company said it made the change because advertising accounts for “substantially all of the revenue in this segment.”
AppLovin said it expects first-quarter revenue of between $1.36 billion and 1.39 billion, exceeding the $1.32 billion average analyst estimate, according to LSEG. Over $1 billion of that will come from its advertising segment, as the company said it’s “still in the early stages” of bolstering its AI models.
“The roadmap ahead is filled with opportunities for iteration,” the company said in its shareholder letter. “As we execute, we believe we can continue to drive value creation for our shareholders.”
WATCH: AppLovin shares jump
