AppLovin's Merchant Boom Hints At Q4 Upside, Analyst Says

Core Insights - AppLovin Corp. is experiencing increased momentum in its ecommerce initiatives, with a significant rise in merchants adopting its Axon ad technology, potentially leading to a positive surprise in Q4 [1][3] - Bank of America Securities analyst Omar Dessouky maintains a Buy rating on AppLovin, projecting a price target of $860, indicating approximately 32% upside from the current price of $653 [2][8] Expansion of Axon Adoption Among Merchants - According to third-party tracking, the adoption of Axon's pixel technology among ecommerce merchants increased by about 25% month-over-month in November, bringing total installations to approximately 3,500 merchants by November 30, up from around 800 on September 30 [4] - Shopify merchants accounted for nearly 80% of the new pixel installations, indicating strong growth in this segment [4] - Data from Triplewhale shows 413 active shops advertising through the end of November, reflecting robust onboarding since early October [5] Fourth-Quarter Setup and Revenue Expectations - Expectations for Q4 2025 have softened following the Q3 results, as company guidance did not fully account for spending from newly added advertisers in November and December [6] - The ecommerce net revenue outlook remains at $340 million, despite the new cohort spending under $20 million through October 31 [6] - The average daily spend of approximately $2,000 per merchant could support the revenue forecast, allowing for potential upside if engagement continues [7] - Management has expressed confidence, stating that Axon ecommerce will be available to all merchants in the first half of 2026, with successful prospecting campaigns and potential for increased ad load as ad durations shorten [7]