Truist Securities has reduced its price target for Robinhood Markets to $120.00 from $130.00, but the brokerage maintained a Buy rating on the shares. At the time referenced in the report, Robinhood stock was trading at $78.02 and carried a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.76, which InvestingPro data classifies as a high earnings multiple compared with peers.
The cut in the target followed what Truist described as a "frustrating earnings print" from Robinhood. The firm said the quarterly disclosure offered few positives among the company’s financial or key performance indicators outside of activity in prediction markets.
According to Truist, cryptocurrency weakness was a notable headwind in the quarter. The brokerage flagged that important customer-facing metrics were underwhelming in December - specifically user growth and net deposits - with only modest improvement reported for January. Those dynamics informed Truist’s decision to temper its near-term financial outlook for the shares.
Despite the immediate concerns, Truist noted signs that momentum continued into February. The analysts suggested seasonal factors could lend support in March and April, providing some potential upside to the near-term trajectory.
On the longer horizon, Truist remained constructive on Robinhood’s ability to gain market share over time, pointing to what it characterized as "superior product & tech" and the firm’s efforts to expand upmarket and internationally. At the same time, the note acknowledged that Robinhood’s stock may experience short-term volatility tied to fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market.
Robinhood’s fourth-quarter financial results were mixed. Revenue fell short of expectations by 4%, while earnings per share came in at $0.67, beating estimates by 6%. For the full year, reported EPS was $2.12, exceeding projections by 2%.
Market reaction from sell-side analysts following the quarterly release was varied. Bernstein reiterated an Outperform rating with a $160.00 price target. Barclays trimmed its target to $124.00, citing softer Q4 results. Piper Sandler lowered its target to $135.00 but kept an Overweight rating, pointing to missed revenue and adjusted EBITDA expectations. Compass Point reduced its target to $127.00, attributing the move to higher operating expenses and a 9% EBITDA miss. Citizens maintained a Market Outperform rating with a $180.00 target, noting Robinhood’s slight EPS beat versus their estimate.
Analyst price targets across the sell-side spectrum ranged from $90 to $180, indicating diverse views on the company’s prospects and potential upside from current levels.
Summary of the situation: Truist trimmed its price objective but retains a positive stance on Robinhood’s long-term market opportunity, even as short-term performance metrics and crypto market weakness weigh on the near-term outlook.