Workiva Inc. (NYSE: WK ) is an SaaS company offering a cloud platform to connect customers’ financial reporting, sustainability management, and governance, risk, compliance (GRC) solutions. In recent quarters, the company has experienced robust growth in large contract customers. I think the current stockAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article m ...

Core Insights - The S&P 500 has nearly recovered from a 19% drop due to tariffs, but many enterprise software stocks, including Datadog and Workiva, have not returned to their 2021 highs [1][2] Datadog - Datadog offers an observability platform that monitors cloud infrastructure, with over 30,500 businesses using its services across various industries [4] - The company has expanded into AI observability, with customer usage of its new AI tool more than doubling in the first quarter of 2025 compared to six months prior [5] - Datadog reported that 4,000 customers were using at least one of its AI products in Q1 2025, also doubling year over year [6] - Following strong Q1 results, Datadog raised its full-year revenue forecast for 2025 to $3.235 billion, representing a 21% growth from 2024 [7] - The price-to-sales (P/S) ratio for Datadog has decreased from around 70 in 2021 to 15.5, making it more attractive compared to its historical valuation [8] - Analysts are optimistic, with 31 out of 46 assigning a buy rating, and an average price target of $140.72 indicating a potential upside of 15% over the next 12 to 18 months [10] Workiva - Workiva provides a platform that integrates various digital applications, allowing managers to streamline workflows and reduce human error [11][12] - The company is becoming significant in the ESG reporting space, helping businesses track their impact on stakeholders [13] - Workiva had 6,385 customers at the end of Q1 2025, a 5% increase year-over-year, with higher-spending customer segments growing even faster [14] - The company expects to generate up to $868 million in revenue for 2025, a 17.5% increase compared to 2024 [15] - Workiva's P/S ratio is currently at 4.8, near its lowest level since going public [15] - Analysts are bullish on Workiva, with 11 out of 13 giving it a buy rating and an average price target of $97.64, suggesting a potential upside of 44% over the next 12 to 18 months [17][18]

Summary of Workiva (WK) 2025 Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Workiva (WK) - **Industry**: Software, specifically focusing on integrated reporting, financial reporting, governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), and sustainability reporting Key Points and Arguments Demand Environment - Workiva experienced strong growth momentum in the previous year but noted a shift to a more cautious buying environment in Q1 2025 due to market uncertainty [7][8][12] - The cautious environment is broad-based across the software portfolio, with buyers reassessing their needs and business cases [8][9] - Despite the cautious environment, Workiva did not change its revenue guidance for the year, indicating confidence in its bookings from 2024 [11] Margin Improvement - Workiva aims to improve its margins significantly, targeting a thousand basis points increase by 2027 [16][20] - The improvement will primarily come from R&D and gross margin enhancements, leveraging automation and AI [17][18] - The company is also focusing on outsourcing low-margin services to partners to improve overall margins [18][19] Platform Expansion - Workiva has transitioned from a single product to a platform with multiple solutions, now serving 91 customers paying over $500,000 annually, a 32% year-over-year growth [22] - The platform includes financial reporting, GRC, and sustainability reporting, with a strong emphasis on account expansion and building trusted relationships with partners [25][26] Partner Ecosystem - Workiva has developed a robust partner ecosystem, including collaborations with major consulting firms, which enhances its market reach and sales efficiency [30][31] - The company is focused on ensuring partner success, which in turn drives sales of Workiva's software [29] ERP Relationships - Workiva sees significant opportunities in ERP migrations, particularly with S4HANA, as companies look to upgrade their financial systems [37][39] - The company collaborates with system integrators to facilitate these migrations, enhancing its market presence [41] ESG and Sustainability Reporting - The demand for ESG reporting remains, particularly in Europe, where regulatory requirements are stringent [46][48] - In the U.S., while the regulatory environment has changed, there are still state-level mandates, such as California's carbon emissions reporting for large companies [49][50] - Workiva's revenue is primarily driven by financial reporting, followed by GRC, with sustainability reporting being a smaller but growing segment [55] Pricing Strategy - Workiva employs a value-based pricing model rather than a seat-based model, allowing flexibility in how solutions are consumed [64][65] - This model positions Workiva advantageously as it integrates generative AI into its offerings, avoiding the pitfalls of user-based pricing [63] Additional Important Insights - The company acknowledges the current challenges in the ESG landscape but emphasizes ongoing sustainability initiatives as essential for risk management and business performance [50][51] - Workiva's platform resilience is attributed to its diverse capabilities, which provide a buffer against market fluctuations [55] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the Workiva conference call, highlighting the company's strategic direction, market challenges, and growth opportunities.

Workiva (WK) FY Conference June 04, 2025 04:20 PM ET Speaker0 We good to go? All set? Okay. Well, thanks everyone who is here joining the room in person as well as those that are joining over the webcast. Before we start off, my name is Jacob Berge. I'm the research analyst here at William Blair that covers Workiva. And for a full list of our research disclosures please visit our website at williamblair.com. With that though, really excited to have Chief Financial Officer, Joe Clinton and Chief Strategy Off ...

Core Viewpoint - Workiva has developed a software platform that integrates data for organizations, enabling efficient reporting for executives, investors, and regulators, and has reported strong financial results for Q1 2025, exceeding expectations on both revenue and earnings [1][8][11]. Financial Performance - Workiva generated $206 million in revenue for Q1 2025, marking a 17% increase year-over-year and surpassing management's guidance of $205 million [8]. - The company reported a GAAP loss of $0.38 per share, which was better than the forecasted loss of $0.45 per share, while achieving a non-GAAP profit of $0.14 per share, exceeding the expected $0.07 [11][12]. - Workiva's net revenue retention rate decreased to 110% from 111% year-over-year, indicating slower spending growth from existing customers [13]. Customer Growth and Market Position - Workiva had 6,385 customers at the end of Q1 2025, reflecting a modest 5% year-over-year increase, with significant growth in high-spending customer cohorts [9]. - The company’s addressable market is valued at $35 billion, suggesting substantial growth potential based on its current revenue of $206 million [19]. Analyst Sentiment and Stock Valuation - Analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on Workiva, with an average price target of $102, indicating a potential upside of 54% over the next 12 to 18 months [16]. - The stock is currently 55% below its 2021 high, with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 4.9, close to its lowest level in five years and a 49% discount to its average P/S ratio of 9.6 during that period [2][17]. Strategic Outlook - Workiva's management plans to continue investing in growth, supported by a solid balance sheet with $767 million in cash and equivalents [14][15]. - Despite a forecast of steady revenue growth at 17% for Q2, there are concerns regarding worsening bottom-line results [14].

Group 1 - The stock market is experiencing a shift from value stocks to growth stocks, driven by a strong Q1 earnings season and recovery from tariff-related lows [1] - Investors are advised to exercise caution during this rotation in the market [1] Group 2 - Gary Alexander has extensive experience in covering technology companies and has been involved with several seed-round startups, providing insights into current industry trends [1]

Group 1 - Workiva reported $206.28 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, a year-over-year increase of 17.4% [1] - The EPS for the same period was $0.14, down from $0.22 a year ago, with a surprise of +100.00% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.07 [1] - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $203.87 million by +1.18% [1] Group 2 - Subscription and support revenue was $185.51 million, surpassing the average estimate of $184.23 million, reflecting a year-over-year change of +19.7% [4] - Professional services revenue reached $20.77 million, exceeding the average estimate of $19.60 million, with a year-over-year change of +0.4% [4] - Gross profit for professional services (non-GAAP) was $7.48 million, above the average estimate of $6.69 million, while subscription and support gross profit (non-GAAP) was $154.79 million, slightly above the average estimate of $153.98 million [4] Group 3 - Workiva's shares have returned -2.4% over the past month, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.7% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Workiva reported quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.07 per share, but down from $0.22 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 100% [1] - The company posted revenues of $206.28 million for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.18%, compared to year-ago revenues of $175.67 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, Workiva has surpassed consensus revenue estimates four times, but has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - Workiva shares have declined approximately 31.3% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has decreased by 5.3% [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, as it includes current consensus earnings expectations for upcoming quarters and any recent changes to these expectations [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.18 on revenues of $208.88 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.05 on revenues of $865.12 million [7] Group 3: Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, to which Workiva belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 43% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stock performance [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact investor decisions [5] - The estimate revisions trend for Workiva is currently unfavorable, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6]

Workiva (WK) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 05:00 PM ET Company Participants Katie White - Senior Director - IRJulie Iskow - President and Chief Executive OfficerJill Klindt - Executive VP & CFOPatrick Schulz - Vice President & Senior Research AssociateRyan Krieger - VP - Software Equity ResearchDominique Manansala - Equity Research AssociateBrett Huff - Managing DirectorJohn Messina - Research Associate Conference Call Participants Steve Enders - AnalystJake Roberge - Equity Research AnalystAdam Hotchk ...

Workiva (WK) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 05:00 PM ET Company Participants Katie White - Senior Director - IRJulie Iskow - President and Chief Executive OfficerJill Klindt - Executive VP & CFOPatrick Schulz - Vice President & Senior Research AssociateRyan Krieger - VP - Software Equity ResearchDominique Manansala - Equity Research AssociateBrett Huff - Managing DirectorJohn Messina - Research Associate Conference Call Participants Steve Enders - AnalystJake Roberge - Equity Research AnalystAdam Hotchk ...