Needham has reiterated its Buy recommendation on AppLovin Corp (NASDAQ: APP) and kept a $700 price target in the wake of the company’s fourth-quarter earnings that topped expectations. The $700 target implies substantial upside relative to the stock’s trading level of $456.81, although available data indicate the share price is currently above what some models identify as fair value.
In its note, Needham pointed to AppLovin’s robust recent performance and raised its 2026 projections after factoring in a faster-than-expected recovery in e-commerce revenue. Over the last twelve months AppLovin has posted a striking 98.48% increase in revenue along with a gross profit margin of 79.69%, metrics the firm cited in support of its positive view.
The research house also raised its 2026 adjusted EBITDA estimates by around 4%, attributing the bump primarily to the firm’s outlook for stronger growth in the e-commerce segment. Needham noted that current adjusted EBITDA stands at $3.91 billion and that analyst price targets across the market range from $458 to $860.
At the same time, Needham addressed investor concerns about competitive pressures. The note identified specific rival initiatives - including projects tied to CloudX, META and Project Genie - and described the competitive landscape as "increasingly fluid" amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence. Despite that assessment, Needham expressed confidence that AppLovin is well-positioned to defend its market share.
AppLovin’s reported fourth-quarter financials for 2025 underpinned the broker commentary. The company reported earnings per share of $3.24, above the $2.96 analysts had forecast, and revenue of $1.66 billion, versus an expected $1.61 billion. Those results exceeded consensus, but the company’s guidance for the first quarter fell short of investor expectations and triggered a pullback in the stock.
Responding to the mixed signal from results and guidance, BTIG lowered its own price target on AppLovin to $640 from $771 while leaving a Buy rating intact. BTIG acknowledged that the fourth-quarter showing surpassed its internal expectations, though it noted the revenue figure was slightly below some buy-side forecasts that were around $1.68 billion.
Beyond the analyst activity, AppLovin faces a broader market dynamic: rising competition for advertising dollars from large technology platforms and newer entrants, even as demand remains solid for the company’s ad services and AI-enabled tools. These factors frame both the opportunities and challenges reflected in recent analyst actions and investor reactions.
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