Core Insights - Upwork Inc. has reported a significant increase in Gross Services Volume (GSV), reaching $988 million in Q1 2025, exceeding management's expectations [1] - The GSV per active client has shown a year-over-year growth of 3%, marking the first increase in six quarters and the third consecutive sequential rise [1] Client Segmentation - Growth in GSV was observed across all client tiers, with large customers contributing an 11% increase [2] - The Business Plus plan is attracting larger clients who tend to spend more and remain on the platform longer, despite a reduction in broad marketing efforts [4] Product Enhancements and AI Integration - Product improvements, such as enhanced search and talent matching, are driving higher customer spending [2] - AI-related GSV has surged by 25% year over year, with prompt engineering jobs experiencing a 52% growth, leading to 40% higher freelancer earnings [3] Future Growth Potential - Rising GSV per client is more critical than raw user growth, indicating stronger network effects and better unit economics [6] - The early performance of Uma, Upwork's in-platform AI assistant, is promising, contributing to increased proposal volume and faster hiring [5] Market Position and Valuation - Upwork shares have declined over 18% year to date, compared to a 10.5% decline in the industry [7] - The forward price-to-sales ratio for Upwork is 2.29, lower than the industry average and its own five-year average, while Fiverr trades at 2.32 [8]

Group 1 - Upwork Inc. is evolving beyond a platform for quick freelance gigs with the introduction of its Business Plus plan, which targets larger clients and has seen the number of active clients more than double in the last quarter, with 40% being new to Upwork [1][3] - The Business Plus plan enhances the hiring experience by providing access to top-vetted talent, assistance with shortlisting, and Net-30 payment terms, facilitating faster onboarding and increased spending by new customers [2][3] - Upwork's Enterprise business is in a transition phase, but Business Plus is attracting larger, high-value customers who are actively utilizing the new features, indicating a strong market fit [3][4] Group 2 - The growth of Business Plus could lead to more stable revenue streams from larger clients, representing a significant shift for Upwork that may not be immediately newsworthy but could have long-term implications [4] - Competitors like Fiverr are also targeting larger clients with their Fiverr Pro offering, while LinkedIn continues to strengthen its position in the professional hiring space with tailored tools for enterprise clients [5][6][7] Group 3 - Upwork's shares have declined by 20% year to date, compared to a 10% decline in the industry [9] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2.25, which is lower than both the industry average and its own 5-year average [11]

Key Takeaways UPWK's AI features drove a 52% Q1 engagement jump, with proposal writing up 58% quarter over quarter. The Objective AI acquisition improved talent matching and expanded multi-modal platform capabilities. Q1 GSV per active client rose year over year, aided by AI-driven search and customer experience upgrades.As the freelance economy evolves and artificial intelligence (AI) gains traction, Upwork Inc. (UPWK) has been accelerating efforts to make its platform AI-native. At the center of this ef ...

Upwork TodayUPWKUpwork$16.24 +0.53 (+3.34%) 52-Week Range$8.43▼$18.14P/E Ratio10.62Price Target$18.50Add to WatchlistUpwork Inc. NASDAQ: UPWK experienced a notable stock increase after its first-quarter 2025 financial results exceeded analyst forecasts. This positive market reaction, driven by robust earnings and an optimistic outlook, highlights the global work marketplace.Get Upwork alerts:While the company's strategies seem to be effective, its performance raises a larger question: Does Upwork's recent ...

Fiverr (FVRR) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 07, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company Participants Jinjin Qian - Executive Vice President of Strategic Finance & IRMicha Kaufman - Founder, CEO & DirectorOfer Katz - President & CFOStefanos Crist - Equity Research AssociateJason Helfstein - Managing Director - Head of Internet ResearchAndrew Boone - Managing DirectorMarvin Fong - Director Conference Call Participants Ronald Josey - AnalystEric Sheridan - AnalystJoshua Chan - Director, Equity Research Analyst Operator Good day ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $107.2 million, up 15% year over year, accelerating from 30% year over year growth in Q4 2024 [15] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was $19.4 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 18%, an improvement of 100 basis points from a year earlier [15] - Free cash flow totaled $27.4 million, up 31.6% year over year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Marketplace revenue reached $77.7 million, driven by 3.5 million active buyers and a take rate of 27.7% [16] - Services revenue was $29.5 million, representing year over year growth of 94%, and accounted for 27.5% of total revenue in Q1 [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall demand for freelancing has been stable, with no direct exposure to tariffs [6] - The company has seen strong engagement for Fiverr Go, with over 6,000 sellers activated and over 200,000 buyers interacting with the product [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company’s strategic priorities for 2025 include strengthening the marketplace by going upmarket, expanding value-added services, and investing in AI [7] - Fiverr Pro has been a key focus, with enhancements to product offerings aimed at driving buyer conversion and maximizing customer leads [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the business for the remainder of the year, citing a stable demand environment and successful execution of strategic initiatives [6][19] - The company raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to a range of $425 million to $438 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 9% to 12% [19] Other Important Information - The Board authorized an additional $100 million for the stock repurchase program, indicating strong confidence in long-term opportunities [16] - The company is on track to reach a 25% adjusted EBITDA target by 2027 and aims for a 14% CAGR in free cash generation for the three years ending in 2027 [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Fiverr Go and broader demand environment - Management highlighted that Fiverr Go is designed to enhance customer satisfaction and conversion, with strong initial results and plans for scaling across more categories [24][25] - The demand for freelancing remains stable, with Q1 showing better opportunities than in the past two years [29] Question: Dynamics for buyers using Fiverr Go - Buyers appreciate the always-on nature of Fiverr Go, which provides instant responses and enhances their confidence in decision-making [39] Question: Sustainability of services revenue growth - Management confirmed that services revenue growth is sustainable and expected to increase as a percentage of total revenue [46] Question: Impact of macroeconomic volatility on freelancing - Management noted that enterprises are increasingly seeking freelancers to complement their internal teams, especially during times of market volatility [54] Question: Sales and marketing opportunities in Q1 - The company capitalized on various opportunities across geographies and channels, which contributed to strong performance in Q1 [84] Question: Incentives for Fiverr Pro customers - Customers are incentivized to engage with Fiverr Pro through exclusive access to high-tier sellers and additional services that enhance their experience [85]

Upwork (UPWK) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 05, 2025 05:00 PM ET Company Participants Samuel Meehan - VP - IRHayden Brown - President & Chief Executive OfficerErica Gessert - Chief Financial OfficerAndrew Boone - Managing DirectorJohn Byun - Senior VPNat Schindler - Managing Director - Equity ResearchMarvin Fong - Director Conference Call Participants Eric Sheridan - AnalystBernie Mcternan - Senior Research AnalystRon Josey - AnalystBrad Erickson - Equity AnalystRohit Kulkarni - MD & Senior Research Analyst Ope ...

Upwork (UPWK) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 05, 2025 05:00 PM ET Speaker0 Good day, thank you for standing by. Welcome to Upwork's First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. After the speakers' presentation, there will be a question and answer Please be advised today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your speaker today, Samuel Meehan, Vice President of Investor Relations. Please go ahead. Spea ...