Reddit Rises 21% Year to Date: Buy, Sell, or Hold the Stock?

Core Insights - Reddit (RDDT) shares have increased by 21.5% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector's growth of 19.6% and the Zacks Internet - Software industry's rise of 16.7% [1][11] - The company's advertising revenue surged by 84% year-over-year to $465 million in Q2 2025, driven by a 50% increase in active advertisers and deeper investments from existing advertisers [4][11] - Reddit's Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) grew by 47% year-over-year to $4.53, indicating effective monetization strategies [7][11] Performance Comparison - Reddit has outperformed peers such as Pinterest (PINS), which saw a 4.9% increase, and Snap (SNAP), which experienced a 27.7% decline in share price year-to-date [2] - The company's expanding portfolio and user engagement have contributed to its superior performance compared to competitors in the digital advertising space [3][11] Advertising Growth Drivers - Key growth drivers include the adoption of Dynamic Product Ads, which yield an average return on ad spend that is twice as high as standard campaigns [8] - Reddit's automation tools, such as auto-bidding and integration with third-party platforms, have simplified campaign scaling for advertisers [8] - The launch of the Community Intelligence engine and new ad products is expected to enhance campaign performance and attract more advertisers [9][12] International Expansion - Reddit's international growth is significant, with ARPU from international markets rising by 40% year-over-year to $1.73, aided by machine translation in 23 languages [10] Future Revenue Estimates - For Q3 2025, Reddit anticipates revenues between $535 million and $545 million, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $549.69 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 57.80% [15] - Earnings estimates for the same period are pegged at 52 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 225% [16] Valuation Insights - Reddit's stock is currently trading at a premium, with a forward Price/Sales ratio of 14.23, higher than its median of 14.63 and significantly above peers like Pinterest and Snap [17] - Despite the premium valuation, the company's growth prospects are supported by its expanding advertising business and improved user experience [20]