monday.com plunges 12.5% YTD: Should You Hold or Fold the stock?

Core Insights - monday.com (MNDY) shares have declined 12.5% year-to-date, underperforming the Zacks Internet-Software industry and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which appreciated by 24.2% and 19.8% respectively [1] Financial Performance - MNDY reported revenue of $299 million in Q2 2025, reflecting a 27% year-over-year growth, but this indicates a slowdown compared to previous quarters [4] - Net dollar retention (NDR) weakened to 111% in Q2, down from higher levels in the prior year, with the third-quarter NDR estimated at 110.11%, indicating moderating expansion within existing customers [4] - Non-GAAP operating margin contracted to 15% in Q2 from 16% a year ago, with expectations of further compression to 11-12% in Q3 [6][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q3 earnings is 89 cents per share, implying a modest 4.71% year-over-year growth, suggesting rising costs are not translating into significant earnings momentum [7] Cost Structure - Research and development expenses reached 20% of revenues in Q2, up from 16% a year earlier, driven by investments in AI initiatives and CRM expansion [5][8] - Sales and marketing expenses remained high at 47% of revenue, reflecting the costs associated with pursuing enterprise customers in a competitive market [5] Competitive Landscape - The collaboration software market is highly competitive, with strong resistance from established platforms like Atlassian, Asana, and Freshworks, which are enhancing their offerings with AI features [9] - These competitors are embedding AI into their ecosystems, making it challenging for MNDY to convert investments into sustainable revenue growth or margin improvement [9] Valuation Concerns - MNDY shares are considered overvalued, trading at a forward P/E of 46.29X, higher than the industry average of 40.16X and peers like Atlassian (39.14X), Asana (46.11X), and Freshworks (20.74X) [10][11] - The premium valuation is increasingly difficult to justify given the deteriorating fundamentals and weakening customer retention [11] Conclusion - MNDY is facing challenges with slowing growth, weakening net dollar retention, and narrowing margins, while elevated spending is not leading to stronger earnings [13] - Competitive pressures are limiting the company's ability to achieve sustainable returns, and the current premium valuation raises concerns for investors [13]