ZACKSยท2025-09-16 15:15Core Insights - Pinterest, Inc. (PINS) and Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) are key players in the social e-commerce sector, focusing on discovery-driven shopping experiences that blend social inspiration with e-commerce to capture consumer spending trends online [1][2] - Pinterest offers a platform for users to save and organize visual recommendations, generating revenue through ads targeted at millennials and Gen Z [1] - Etsy operates a two-sided marketplace that allows merchants to manage products and customer relationships, supported by a strong technology infrastructure [2] Pinterest's Competitive Position - Pinterest is establishing a unique value proposition for advertisers, improving its advertising platform to attract consumer discretionary brands [4] - The company is enhancing operational rigor and utilizing AI to improve relevancy and personalization, which is expected to yield long-term benefits [5] - Pinterest projects a sales growth of 15.8% and EPS growth of 33.3% for 2025, indicating strong future performance [8][11] Etsy's Competitive Position - Etsy is enhancing customer experience through personalized shopping experiences, utilizing AI and machine learning for better engagement [7] - The company expects a modest sales growth of 1.3% for 2025, but a significant decline in EPS by 43.4% [8][13] - Etsy's subsidiary, Depop, has shown strong growth, particularly in the U.S. market, contributing positively to overall performance [9] Market Dynamics - Pinterest's stock has gained 23.5% over the past year, while Etsy's has only increased by 6.8% [14] - From a valuation perspective, Pinterest trades at a higher price/sales ratio of 5.3 compared to Etsy's 1.98, indicating a premium valuation for Pinterest [15] - Both companies carry a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), but Pinterest is viewed as a better investment option due to its superior growth expectations and operating metrics [16][17]