AppLovin's High Revenue-to-Profit Conversion is the Story

Core Insights - AppLovin's third-quarter 2025 performance highlights rapid growth and efficient profit conversion, with most incremental revenues translating into adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, a rare achievement for a platform generating billions in quarterly revenues [1] Financial Performance - Revenues reached $1.41 billion in Q3, a 68% year-over-year increase. Adjusted EBITDA grew 79% to $1.16 billion, resulting in an 82% margin, showcasing exceptional operational efficiency [2][8] - Free cash flow surged 92% year over year to $1.05 billion, indicating strong cash generation capabilities from operations [2] Business Model Dynamics - The MAX–AXON flywheel is central to AppLovin's growth, where increased MAX supply enhances impressions and behavioral data, improving AXON's performance models. This attracts more advertiser spending, further strengthening the data advantage [3] - The self-service AXON Ads Manager is gaining traction, reinforcing the growth loop without incurring significant sales or marketing costs [3] Market Position and Comparisons - AppLovin is transitioning from a high-growth ad-tech firm to a structurally cash-generative platform, prompting the market to reassess its margin durability and long-term earnings potential [4] - In comparison, Unity Software struggles with margin stability despite a strong developer reach, while The Trade Desk shows scalable economics but requires higher reinvestment, highlighting AppLovin's superior flow-through profile [5][6] Stock Performance and Valuation - AppLovin's stock has increased by 114% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry's 21% growth [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 45.82X, above the industry average of 26.06X, and has seen a rise in earnings estimates over the past 60 days [10]