February 5, 2026 FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL- YEAR 2025 OPERATING AND FINANCIAL RESULTS 1 CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our outlook and our future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and o ...

Group 1 - Spotify Technology S.A. is a leading audio streaming service with approximately 700 million monthly active users and over 275 million paying subscribers, controlling about one-third of the global music streaming market [2] - The company operates in two segments: premium (approximately 90% of revenues) and ad-supported (approximately 10% of revenues) [2] - Recently, Spotify has begun to raise prices after not doing so for over a decade, with limited impact on customer churn [2] Group 2 - The company has several growth levers, including adding new users, converting ad-supported users to premium subscribers, and implementing price increases [2] - Despite the potential of Spotify as an investment, some analysts believe that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk [3]

Core Insights - Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is projected to have strong earnings growth over the next five years, supported by recent price hikes for premium subscriptions [1] - Jefferies has adjusted its price target for Spotify to $750 from $800 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, citing revenue acceleration projections and sustained subscriber momentum [2] Group 1: Subscription Pricing - Starting from February, Spotify will increase its premium subscription rate from $11.99/month to $12.99/month [1] - The last price increase for U.S. users occurred in June 2024, when the rate was raised to $11.99/month [1] - Premium subscribers in the U.S., Estonia, and Latvia will receive notifications regarding the subscription updates [1] Group 2: Analyst Insights - Jefferies maintains Spotify as a "Top Pick" due to expected revenue growth driven by price increases and subscriber retention [2] - The firm describes Spotify as an "undermonetized asset" with a favorable outlook, estimating free cash flow per share for 2027 to be nearly 15% above consensus [2] Group 3: Company Overview - Spotify Technology S.A. is headquartered in Luxembourg and provides audio streaming subscription services, operating through two segments: Premium and Ad-Supported [3]

Core Insights - TCW Concentrated Large Cap Growth Fund reported a return of +4.11% in Q3 2025, underperforming the Russell 1000 Growth Index which returned +10.51% [1] - The fund highlighted Spotify Technology S.A. as a key holding, noting its significant market position and growth potential [2][3] Group 1: Fund Performance - The equity markets experienced a rally in Q3 2025, driven by optimism around AI investments and positive corporate earnings [1] - The fund's performance lagged behind the benchmark index, indicating potential challenges in stock selection or market conditions [1] Group 2: Spotify Technology S.A. - Spotify Technology S.A. is a leading audio streaming service with approximately 700 million monthly active users and over 275 million paying subscribers, controlling about one-third of the global music streaming market [3] - The company operates in two segments: premium (approximately 90% of revenues) and ad-supported (approximately 10% of revenues) [3] - Spotify has recently begun to raise prices after a decade of stability, with limited impact on customer churn, indicating a strategic shift to enhance revenue [3] - The company is viewed as having multiple growth levers, including user acquisition, conversion of ad-supported users to premium, and further price increases [3] - As of December 24, 2025, Spotify's stock closed at $586.57, with a market capitalization of $120.771 billion [2]

Core Insights - Janus Henderson Investors reported strong global equity performance in Q3 2025, driven by loose monetary policy and AI growth momentum, with the Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Fund returning 2.95% compared to a 7.27% return for the MSCI World Index [1] Group 1: Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity Fund - The fund's performance was impacted by Spotify Technology S.A., which was one of the biggest relative detractors due to weak results and a muted outlook, despite the fund maintaining its investment thesis on Spotify's growth opportunities [3] - Spotify's introduction of new product features and its leadership in the audio streaming market were highlighted as positive factors that could enhance its business economics [3] Group 2: Spotify Technology S.A. - Spotify's one-month return was -1.04%, but it gained 25.51% over the last 52 weeks, closing at $579.39 per share with a market capitalization of $119.293 billion on December 23, 2025 [2] - Spotify is ranked 25th among the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds, with 116 hedge fund portfolios holding its shares at the end of Q3, an increase from 111 in the previous quarter [4]

Core Insights - Spotify Technology S.A. is set to introduce music videos for premium subscribers in the US and Canada by the end of December, aiming to compete with YouTube for market share [1][3] - The addition of video content is expected to enhance user engagement and attract more advertisers, following a beta launch in nearly 100 markets in 2024 [2] - The initial video catalog will include content from popular artists, and data shows that users are significantly more likely to engage with songs that have music videos [3] Company Developments - Spotify's Wrapped feature engaged over 200 million users within 24 hours, marking a 19% year-over-year increase in user engagement [3] - The company plans to increase subscription prices in the US in the first quarter of 2026, following a price hike for premium plans in over 150 markets [3] - Spotify is recognized as a leading audio streaming subscription service, providing access to songs, podcasts, and audiobooks [4]

​Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is one of the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for 2026. On December 18, Benjamin Swinburne from Morgan Stanley reiterated a Buy rating on Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) but lowered the price target from $800 to $775. A day earlier, on December 17, Matthew Condon from Citizen JPM initiated the stock with a Buy rating and a $800 price target. ​Swinburne of Morgan Stanley sees the Media and Entertainment entering 2026 strongly, with solid fundamentals boosting momentum ...

Core Insights - Spotify Technology (SPOT) has experienced significant stock market success, primarily driven by the growth of its free cash flow (FCF) per share [1] Group 1: Company Performance - The meteoric rise of Spotify's stock is attributed to the increase in the company's FCF per share, indicating strong financial health and operational efficiency [1]

Core Thesis - Spotify Technology S.A. has transformed into an execution engine, delivering faster, cheaper, and better services than its peers, which has become its competitive moat [2][5] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Spotify reported €4.27 billion in revenue, €582 million in operating income (20% above guidance), and a record €806 million in free cash flow, with 713 million monthly active users (MAUs) [2] - Operating expenses decreased by 2% year-over-year while revenue increased by 12%, demonstrating operational leverage [4] Product Development and Innovation - The company has launched over 30 new features recently, resulting in 17 million net additions and increased user engagement through in-app messaging and multi-format use [3] - AI has evolved to automate app development, significantly reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency [3][4] Strategic Positioning - Premium subscriptions account for 90% of revenue, allowing the company to generate record free cash flow without relying on advertising growth [5] - New licensing deals focus on flexibility, enabling innovations like broader video rights and integration with Netflix, which strengthen Spotify's platform power [4] Future Outlook - Revenue growth is expected to accelerate to 15% in 2026, with EPS projected to rise by 77% and margins to expand by 200 basis points by 2027 [5] - The stock is currently priced at 48 times forward earnings, indicating high expectations for continued performance [5]

Core Viewpoint - Spotify Technology S.A. is viewed as a strong investment opportunity despite recent stock performance, with a recommendation to buy due to its robust subscription model and growth potential in the audio streaming market [1]. Company Overview - Spotify provides audio streaming services, allowing users to access music and podcasts through both ad-free subscriptions and free, ad-supported options [1]. - The company has been recognized as a leading platform in the streaming audio sector, with a history of strong performance [1]. Recent Performance - Recent results from Spotify missed expectations, and the guidance for the current quarter was not optimistic [1]. - Despite the challenges in ad revenue, Spotify reported a 40% year-over-year growth in monthly active advertisers [1]. Strategic Outlook - Spotify has acknowledged its shortcomings and has laid out a plan to address them, indicating a proactive approach to improving its business [1]. - The company has completed most of the heavy lifting on its ad tech stack, which may enhance future performance [1].