Pinterest Shares Pluge 21% as Weak Revenue Outlook Sparks Analyst Downgrades

Core Viewpoint - Pinterest's stock experienced a significant decline of approximately 21% intra-day due to multiple brokerages downgrading the stock, driven by concerns over slowing advertising growth and a weaker revenue outlook [1] Group 1: Revenue Outlook - Pinterest projected first-quarter revenue between $951 million and $971 million, which is below the average analyst estimate of $980.1 million [2] - The revenue outlook indicates a contrast with stronger recent performances from competitors like Snap and Reddit [2] Group 2: Analyst Downgrades - Analysts at Evercore downgraded Pinterest's stock, citing a sustained deceleration in revenue growth and increasing competition from major platforms such as Google, Meta, and Reddit [3] - Bank of America also lowered its rating, noting that Pinterest's growth gap relative to the broader sector appears to be widening [4] Group 3: Competitive Pressures - The downgrades highlight potential risks from the possible return of TikTok in the U.S. market and the emergence of advertising tools from OpenAI [3] - Increased competition from AI-powered advertising tools at larger platforms could limit Pinterest's ability to secure additional advertising budgets [4] Group 4: Margin and Profit Growth - Bank of America suggested that Pinterest's margin expansion phase may have peaked, which could constrain profit growth moving forward [4]