On Thursday, Toast Inc. (NYSE:TOST), a cloud-based restaurant software company, saw its shares target increased to $25 from $20 by Piper Sandler, while the firm kept a Neutral rating on the stock.
The revision follows Toast's first-quarter results, which surpassed expectations and showcased enhanced operational efficiency after restructuring efforts.
The company also upgraded its full-year 2024 growth and profit forecasts, now anticipating a 26% year-over-year increase in subscription and fintech gross profit, up from the previously expected 24%, and projecting $260 million in adjusted EBITDA, a rise from the former estimate of $210 million.
Despite the positive developments, Piper Sandler remains cautious, citing the stock's current valuation as appropriate given the approximately 20% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue and roughly 50% CAGR in free cash flow through 2028.
The firm noted that while Toast's key performance indicators (KPIs) such as location growth and gross payment volume (GPV) per location are less clear, the start of 2024 has been strong for the company.
Toast's improved guidance reflects its ability to maintain healthy growth prospects while improving operating efficiency. The company's focus on subscription services and financial technology solutions within the restaurant industry appears to be driving its positive performance outlook.
Investors and analysts will be looking forward to further insights from Toast's upcoming analyst day on May 29th, which could provide additional information affecting the company's medium-term growth and profitability forecasts.
Piper Sandler indicated that any new commentary from this event could potentially lead to adjustments in their assessment of the company's future financial trajectory.
InvestingPro Insights
As Toast Inc. (NYSE:TOST) continues to surpass expectations with its latest financial results and upgraded forecasts, real-time data from InvestingPro provides a deeper look into the company's performance and market sentiment. The company's market capitalization stands at a robust $14.84 billion, reflecting investor confidence in its business model and growth prospects. Despite not being profitable over the last twelve months, analysts are optimistic, predicting profitability this year, with four analysts having revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Toast's net income is expected to grow this year, a significant indicator of its potential to leverage its enhanced operational efficiency into bottom-line results. Furthermore, the company's liquid assets surpassing short-term obligations suggests a strong financial position to support ongoing growth initiatives. Notably, Toast has experienced a significant return over the last week, month, and three months, with a 14.71%, 13.16%, and 39.11% total price return, respectively, signaling robust short-term performance and investor enthusiasm.
For readers interested in a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional insights and metrics for Toast Inc., which can be found at https://www.investing.com/pro/TOST. Utilize coupon code PRONEWS24 to receive an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription, and discover the 12 additional InvestingPro Tips that can guide your investment decisions.
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