Pinterest's Growth May Stall If Chatbots Replicate Its Engagement Playbook: Analyst

Core Insights - Pinterest Inc. reported mixed third-quarter results, with revenue of $1.0 billion, a 16.8% year-over-year increase, but earnings fell short of consensus estimates, indicating challenges in the advertising landscape [1] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $306 million with a 29.2% margin, surpassing consensus by 4% and representing a 170-basis-point margin expansion [2] Revenue Outlook - For the fourth quarter, Pinterest projects revenue growth of 13.8% to 15.9% year-over-year, estimating revenue between $1.31 billion and $1.34 billion, with the midpoint trailing Street expectations by approximately 100 basis points [3] - The company anticipates Adjusted EBITDA to range between $533 million and $558 million, compared to a prior estimate of $546 million [3] Analyst Revisions - Following the cautious revenue outlook, Wedbush Securities analysts lowered their 12-month price forecast on Pinterest to $34 from $44 while maintaining an Outperform rating, citing moderating ad spend among large U.S. retailers affected by tariff pressures [4] - Wedbush trimmed its growth forecasts, projecting a three-year revenue Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.5%, down from 15.1%, but noted that Pinterest remains positioned to meet its intermediate-term targets [6] Long-Term Concerns - Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett expressed concerns about long-term structural risks due to the rapid advancement of AI technologies, which could overlap with Pinterest's core use case, leading to potential existential challenges [9] - The firm downgraded Pinterest to Neutral and cut its price forecast by $19 to $30, based on a 12x 2026E EV/EBITDA multiple [9] Market Dynamics - Analysts highlighted rising risks from AI-driven competitors, which may offset easing year-over-year comparisons in consumer packaged goods, with concerns that sustaining growth could become difficult if AI-powered chatbots evolve into alternative platforms for discovery and engagement [10] - Pinterest's core U.S. and Canada market, accounting for about 75% of sales, is pressured by new tariffs and weaker retail ad spending, although stronger gains in Europe and other regions provide some offset [11]