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Pinterest shares (NYSE: PINS) are skyrocketing in premarket trading this morning after the company announced Q4 results for its fiscal 2024 yesterday. PINS stock is currently up over 22% to above $41 per share as of the time of this writing. It hasn’t seen that price point seen since last July. Heres what you need to know about Pinterests latest results and its surging stock. Pinterests revenue and growing user base shine in Q4 Almost any way you look at it, Pinterest had a great Q4, with two metrics really seeming to have made investors happy: Revenue: $1.15 billion Global Monthly Active Users (MAUs): 553 million For its fourth quarter, Pinterest generated revenue of $1.15 billion. Not only did that exceed analyst estimates of $1.14 billion for the quarter (per CNBC), but its the first time that Pinterest has generated over $1 billion in revenue in a single quarter. It also represents a growth of 18% versus the quarter a year earlier. Pinterests first billion-dollar quarter also helped lift the companys total revenue for its entire fiscal 2024. The company reported that it brought in total revenue of $3.6 billion during its 2024 financial yeargrowth of 19% over fiscal 2023. But it wasnt just revenue that has pleased investors. Pinterest also saw its global monthly active user base (MAU) grow by double digits in the quarter. The company ended Q4 2024 with 553 million monthly active users. That’s 11% more than the quarter a year earlier and an all-time high for the social media company. Pinterest, like other smaller social media networks, has faced ad pressures in recent years as advertisers wrestle with where to spend their moneywith most opting to do so on Metas and Google’s platforms where engagement and user bases are larger. But not only has Pinterests Q4 results suggested the company is growing its ad revenues, its user base growth also bodes well for the company in attracting more advertisers in the future. Announcing the companys Q4 results, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready said, 2024 was a banner year for Pinterest, capped off by a milestone Q4achieving the companys first billion-dollar revenue quarter and a record 553 million monthly active users, as we continue to drive profitable growth and free cash flow. Looking ahead to 2025 Pinterest is currently in its first quarter of fiscal 2025. On yesterdays earnings call, the company offered revenue guidance for the period, saying it expects revenue to come in between $837 million and $852 million, a year-over-year growth of between 13% and 15%. As MarketWatch noted, that is above the FactSet consensus, which was only $836 million. As of yesterdays close, before its Q4 results boost, PINS shares ended the day at $33.59. That equates to a year-to-date return of nearly 16%. However, over the past year, the stock price has fallen over 18%. Todays premarket boost, if it holds up once the markets open, can help erase much of those losses. Our strategy is paying off. People are coming to Pinterest more often, the platform has never been more actionable, and our lower funnel focus is driving results for users and advertisers, Ready said. Looking ahead, Im confident that our focus on being a positive platform is a competitive advantage in driving long-term success for the business and value for our advertisers and users.”
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E-Commerce
With over 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn often feels like the ultimate goldmine for professional networking and career growth. But figuring out the right blend of authentic expertise, personal flair, and audience engagement can feel more daunting than its worth. Yes, its crucial to know how to boost engagement, but its just as important to understand which kinds of posts can hurt your reputation and sabotage your efforts to be seen as an expert. Here are three types of posts youre better off avoiding. Algorithm-chasing posts LinkedIns algorithm is constantly changing, influencing the likes, views, and social interactions your posts receive from potential clients, employers, and your network. Unlike platforms like Instagram and TikTokwhich thrive on trendy, high-engagement contentLinkedIn actually pushes back on posts that seem to be gaming the system. Instead, the best way to stand out is to focus on credibility, expertise, and meaningful conversations within your industry, all while keeping your clients needs in mind. When you chase a moving algorithm, you risk posting controversial or hot take content that aims for quick reactions rather than thoughtful engagement. To avoid the trap of chasing engagement, create a checklist of relevant and engaging topics you gather from client and colleague conversations. This allows you a check and balance to make sure you remain relevant and professional-brand appropriate in any content you share. In fact, many senior leaders use LinkedIn to post and build engagement around their businesses and brands. Staying consistent with your professional identity and goals is a much better use of the exposure and investment in LinkedIn than hoping that big engagement numbers will drive others to be curious about what you stand for and what your work is all about. Wondering how to create engagement without constantly chasing the algorithms latest quirks? The simple answer is to stay authentic to yourself and your clients. Focus on meaningful, conversation-sparking content that resonates with the people you want to reach. That way, youll naturally attract the right audiencethose who are genuinely interested in you and what you do. The AI-wrote-me post In a world intrigued by the capabilities of AI tools, the impulse to allow AI to draft your LinkedIn content is appealing especially in the face of competing interests for your time and focus. Yet, that simple choice can often lead to more complications than it is worth. With much of LinkedIns content being posted by individual professionals, rather than company profiles, the content is reflective of your unique expertise. When posting on LinkedIn, the individuals engaging on the platform want to get to know other professionals and build relationships that can lead to client work, collaborations, and referrals. Behind each of these goals is the desire to connect with other humans who can relate to clients and build trusting work relationships. And nothing hurts this trust than inauthentic content or turning your cheek to the judgment calls needed to ensure your content remains appropriate and consistent with not only your voice, but that of your company. While ever-evolving AI tools might help generate ideas, the start of a post, or content outlines, individual involvement in drafting and creating the proper viewpoints for sharing on the platform cannot be outsourced to the smart-tools. AI lacks the judgment needed to understand how content lands with users and to predict the engagement and conversations that might develop from content on a social media platform. When posting without this vision and understanding of the topic, the comments on any particular post might veer from where you were hoping to drive engagement. This change in the discussion may diminish your goals and influence how others view your expertise and whether it is content that youre wanting to be known for when trying to build a professional relationship. What do you do if AI cant be your ghostwriter? Ask AI for a list of sub-topics from your initial post idea, ask for assistance in writing a complicated sentence, or talk to a colleague or client for their input, because they do have the judgment missing from AIs capabilities. The kitchen sink post Ever seen a post that tries to cram in everything but the kitchen sink? Usually, its a rant against some enemy of the momentmaybe big corporations, certain work styles, or generational quirksand its stuffed with random, not-so-relevant points. The problem with this throw it all in approach is that big, bold statements lacking facts or expert insight can easily backfire. You might not see it right away, but that harsh commentary could cost you a client or lead to getting passed over for a dream job. So, what should you post instead? Pick one angle on a hot topicsay, work-life balanceand share a thoughtful perspective that sparks genuine conversation. Instead of demanding rigid us vs. them boundaries, talk about practical ways to create a healthier work environment. Remember, the real goal on LinkedIn isnt to rack up millions of views; its to build an engaged community that values your unique voice and insights. Thats what counts in the long run.
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E-Commerce
A year ago, a small California-based EV charging startup was quickly expanding to other states. The company, called GreenWealth Energy, had multimillion-dollar projects planned in places like Colorado and Texas. Then came the election, and everything changed. Donald Trump attacked EVs throughout his campaign, despite the fact that electric cars can save consumers money and automakers have invested more than $300 billion in EV and battery manufacturing in the United States. Now the new administration is already making it a priority to fight anything EV-related. In January, when the president issued an executive order that paused spending from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, he specifically called out the funding that Congress allocated to build a national network of EV chargers. Ariel Fan [Photo: GreenWealth Energy] The majority of the $7.5 billion for charging stations has already been committed to states and cities. Legally, its theirs; the president doesnt have the authority to take away the money. But because states and local governments have long planning processes, most of the new charging stations still havent been built. The federal programs work through reimbursement, so states dont have the money in handand with funds now frozen, the uncertainty about the future means that some projects are on indefinite hold, including those that the startup was planning outside of California. Basically, we can assume those projects are dead in the water, or being scaled down so significantly that we wouldnt be able to participate, says GreenWealth founder and CEO Ariel Fan. For the company, that means adapting quickly. The team is leaning into its work in California, where the state is still planning for all new car sales to be zero-emission vehicles within a decade. (The Trump administration is suing to revoke California’s right to set strict air pollution goals, though experts expect that the state will prevail.) The state has some separate funding sources for EV chargers, including through an offset program that gets money from oil companies. Utilities also offer rebates and are investing in chargers for their own fleets; in one project, GreenWealth is planning to help build 1,500 charging stations for SoCalGass fleet of electric vehicles. In another new project, the startup will operate and maintain chargers for the city fleet of EVs in Santa Monica. Weve actually seen an uptick in the last couple of months because California [is] doubling down on their policy, says Fan. Theres no indication that this is going to change as a result of whats happening federally. With all of our signed contracts in California, we arent directly impacted by any of the federal rollbacks of funds. [Photo: GreenWealth Energy] The need for more chargers is clear in California, where around 25% of new car sales last year were zero-emission vehicles. (Colorado, which also has strong incentives, has a similar rate of EV sales.) California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that the state will provide tax credits if the Trump administration gets rid of the federal program, helping boost EV sales more. The state’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Program requires manufacturers to ramp up the percentage of clean car sales each year. To meet demand as more people drive electric, nearly 10 times as many charging stations will be needed in the state by 2030. Public chargers are especially in demand at apartment buildings, one of the places where GreenWealth focuses its work. Still, Fan says it feels like the company is on California island, as she watches governments pause projects in other states. As the startups short-term pipeline of projects has changed, shes had to lay off some of her staff of 20, reduce pay and hours for others, and delay hiring for some planned positions. To compound the challenges, the company’s headquarters in Pasadena is a mile from where the Eaton Fire burned; some team members lost their homes, and work slowed to a standstill in January. The disaster is temporarily affecting new projects. Multifamily building owners are focusing on housing for displaced people rather than EV infrastructure. Permitting is delayed. New charger projects may not ramp up again for three to six months. (At that point, the company will hire more staff.) Fan has also had to work harder to secure financing at a time when lenders are spooked by the uncertainty in the market. It helps, Fan says, that the startup is scrappy and quick to adapt. She launched the business in 2017 as a 25-year-old, focused first on connecting building owners with incentives to improve efficiency with LED lighting, and then on providing sustainability consulting. She later saw an opportunity in EV charging, and pivoted in 2019, working through dozens of leads for new charging station projects each month. She believes that the company is resilient. “Our industry needs hope right now, and people really feel that it’s life or death for their companies,” she says. “One thing that I would want to convey with this story is that we’ve been nimble enough to survive.” It’s not clear yet how the shift in federal policy will affect the growth of EV chargers as a whole. So far, at least five states have paused their participation in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program (one part of the federal funding) according to Paren
Category:
E-Commerce
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