Is Coinbase Primed For Growth After Landmark Stablecoin Vote?

Core Insights - Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN) saw a 16% increase in stock price on a recent trading day, with a nearly 20% rise over the past week, following the Senate's approval of a stablecoin regulation bill, which is a significant win for the cryptocurrency industry [2][3] - The new legislation establishes a regulatory framework for stablecoins, requiring issuers to maintain full reserve backing, conduct monthly audits, and comply with anti-money laundering laws, potentially enhancing the legitimacy and mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies [2] - Coinbase's revenue from stablecoins is substantial, being its second-largest source of income, and the company co-founded USD Coin (USDC), sharing in the profits generated from its reserves [3] Financial Performance - Coinbase Global's revenue has grown at an average rate of 18.6% over the last three years, significantly outpacing the S&P 500's growth of 5.5% [6] - The company's revenue increased by 75.2% over the past twelve months, rising from $4.0 billion to $7.0 billion, and quarterly revenue grew by 24.2% to $2.0 billion [7] - Coinbase's operating income for the last four quarters was $2.3 billion, with an operating margin of 33.0%, and a net income of $1.5 billion, reflecting a net income margin of 21.1% [8] Valuation Metrics - Coinbase has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 9.5, compared to 3.1 for the S&P 500, and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 45.0 versus 26.9 for the benchmark [6][5] - The company's price-to-free cash flow (P/FCF) ratio stands at 33.7, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 20.9 [6] Financial Stability - Coinbase's total debt is $4.3 billion, with a market capitalization of $75 billion, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.5%, which is lower than the S&P 500's 19.4% [9] - The company holds $10 billion in cash and cash equivalents, constituting 46.7% of its total assets of $22 billion, indicating a strong cash-to-assets ratio [9] Market Performance - Despite strong growth and profitability, Coinbase stock has shown considerable volatility and has underperformed the S&P 500 during recent downturns, including a 90.9% drop from its peak in November 2021 [10][11] - The stock has not yet returned to its pre-crisis peak, with the highest price since then being $343.62 in December 2024, while currently trading around $295 [11]