GoDaddy (NYSE:GDDY) 2025 Conference Summary Industry and Company Overview - **Company**: GoDaddy - **Industry**: Internet Services, specifically focusing on domain registration, web hosting, and online presence solutions Key Points and Arguments AI Strategy and Product Development - GoDaddy has established a three-pillar AI strategy: 1. **Consumer-Facing AI (Airo)**: Transitioned from generative AI to an agentic approach, launching Airo.ai to simplify customer onboarding and growth [12][14] 2. **Internal AI Utilization**: Approximately 90% of new platform code is AI-generated, with 46% of all code written by AI as of October 2023 [13][14] 3. **Community Contribution (ANS)**: The Agentic Name Service aims to promote an open internet, similar to how DNS facilitated website discovery [14] New Product Launches - A new product, the **Co-Founder Agent**, is set to launch, designed to assist users in developing business ideas by conducting market analysis and creating business plans [15][16] - The Co-Founder Agent will also facilitate the creation of an online presence, including branding and e-commerce solutions [16] Customer Acquisition and Market Segmentation - Airo.ai is attracting a different customer cohort compared to traditional GoDaddy.com users, indicating a more sophisticated audience [22] - The average order size and retention rates for customers paying $500 annually have shown improvement, suggesting effective customer engagement strategies [24][25] Incremental Growth and Market Potential - The introduction of Airo and its agentic features is expected to provide incremental growth opportunities, enhancing customer lifetime value (LTV) significantly [25] - GoDaddy's existing customer base will be targeted for improvements in their online presence, leveraging agents to enhance marketing and branding efforts [35][36] Quality and User Experience Focus - GoDaddy emphasizes the importance of quality in product offerings, ensuring that new features provide a seamless experience for users [33] - The company is committed to avoiding "AI slop," focusing on enriching AI-generated content with proprietary data to enhance relevance and effectiveness [36] Customization and Data Utilization - GoDaddy's ability to customize AI models is attributed to its extensive data collection over nearly three decades, which is crucial for scaling AI solutions [38] - The company is focused on building products that are informed by user behavior and feedback, allowing for continuous improvement and value-based pricing strategies [61][62] Market Trends and Customer Behavior - The small business formation landscape has stabilized post-COVID, with GoDaddy seeing an influx of high-intent customers eager to launch their ideas [64][66] - The company aims to facilitate faster ideation and launch processes for entrepreneurs, reducing the need for extensive resources traditionally required for business setup [66] Customer Count and Strategic Focus - GoDaddy is transitioning towards a strategy focused on acquiring higher-intent customers rather than merely increasing customer numbers [69][70] - The company is stabilizing its customer count after previous divestitures and is concentrating on customers who are likely to attach multiple products and generate higher average revenue per user (ARPU) [69][70] Additional Important Insights - GoDaddy's approach to pricing and bundling is evolving, with ongoing experiments to determine the best value propositions for customers [52][54] - The company is preparing to launch additional agents, aiming for a total of 22 agents within a month of the initial launch, enhancing the range of services offered [32][33] This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the GoDaddy conference, highlighting the company's strategic direction, product innovations, and market positioning.

Core Insights - GoDaddy (GDDY) is set to report its third-quarter 2025 results on October 30, 2025, with projected revenues between $1.22 billion and $1.24 billion, reflecting a 7% growth at the mid-point compared to the same quarter last year [1][9] Revenue Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues stands at $1.23 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 7.27% [2] - GoDaddy anticipates Applications & Commerce (A&C) revenue growth in the mid-teens, with A&C revenues estimated at $484 million, representing a 14.4% year-over-year rise [4] - Core platform revenues are expected to reach $747 million, suggesting a 3% year-over-year growth [4] Earnings Projections - The consensus estimate for earnings is $1.50 per share, which has increased by one cent over the past 30 days, indicating a growth of 13.64% from the previous year's figure [2] - GoDaddy's earnings have beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 0.54% [2] Growth Drivers - GoDaddy is expected to benefit from the growing adoption of its high-margin solutions for the Commerce end-market, particularly the newly launched Rate Saver feature, which reduces credit card surcharging costs for merchants by over 50% [5][9] - The GoDaddy Airo and Ask Airo tools are gaining traction, leading to improved attachment rates, term lengths, and renewals [6] Challenges - The company faces challenges such as macroeconomic uncertainties, increased competition in the digital services market, and rising operational costs [6] Earnings ESP and Ranking - GoDaddy currently has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating that the odds of an earnings beat are not favorable [7]

Fund Performance - Artisan Global Discovery Fund's Investor Class APFDX returned 10.84%, Advisor Class APDDX returned 10.83%, and Institutional Class APHDX returned 10.93% in Q2 2025, compared to an 11.84% return for the MSCI All Country World Small Mid Index [1] - Global markets experienced volatility in Q2 2025, with a shift from double-digit declines to gains following President Trump's tariff announcements and subsequent suspension [1] Company Focus: GoDaddy Inc. - GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE:GDDY) is a leader in domain registration, generating 70% of its revenue from core domain services and 30% from higher-margin applications and commerce tools [3] - GoDaddy's stock closed at $141.40 per share on September 26, 2025, with a market capitalization of $19.577 billion [2] - The company faced a one-month return of -4.66% and a 52-week loss of 9.81% [2] Investment Strategy and Concerns - Artisan Global Discovery Fund ended its investment in GoDaddy due to increased competition from Wix and AI-based business models, as well as concerns over incremental marketing investments in its AI-powered suite, Airo [3] - GoDaddy's strategy focuses on cross-selling higher-margin products through domain services, but risks from competition and macro challenges for small and medium-sized businesses remain [3]

Company Overview - GoDaddy has evolved from a domain registration business to a comprehensive service provider for micro businesses, offering IT services that enhance efficiency and competitiveness [22][23]. - The company has reported a 17% sales growth in its applications and commerce segment, which now constitutes about one-third of its revenue [22]. Capital Allocation Strategy - GoDaddy has executed a stock repurchase program, buying back $4 billion worth of stock since 2022, which has reduced its fully diluted share count by 25% [27]. - The company has a new $3 billion stock repurchase authorization plan, reflecting its commitment to returning value to shareholders through buybacks rather than dividends [27]. Financial Performance - Since its IPO, GoDaddy has outperformed the S&P 500 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%, compared to the S&P 500's 12% and Nasdaq's 16% [28]. - The company has expanded its normalized EBITDA margins by 900 basis points over five years while maintaining a CAGR of 20% in free cash flow per share [27]. Market Position and Growth - GoDaddy's business model focuses on maximizing free cash flow per share, which is considered its "North Star" [28][29]. - The company has a strong customer retention rate, with 90% of its revenue coming from existing customers, indicating a durable and predictable business model [29]. Competitive Differentiation - GoDaddy differentiates itself from competitors like Shopify by offering a seamless experience that combines multiple functionalities into one application, making it easier for micro businesses to manage their operations [26]. - The company emphasizes cost-effectiveness and efficiency, allowing customers to set up their businesses quickly and manage them with minimal complexity [26].

Core Insights - GoDaddy (GDDY) is set to report first-quarter 2025 results on May 1, with expected revenues between $1.175 billion and $1.195 billion, indicating a 7% growth at the mid-point from the previous year [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter 2025 revenues is $1.19 billion, suggesting a 7.1% year-over-year rise [1][2] Revenue and Earnings Expectations - The consensus estimate for earnings is $1.41 per share, reflecting a 30.56% growth from the year-ago quarter, despite a 3.4% decline over the past 30 days [2] - GoDaddy has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 3.42% [2] Key Factors Impacting Performance - Currency fluctuations are expected to negatively impact international revenues, with U.S. revenue growth anticipated to outpace international growth by 200 basis points [3] - Increased marketing spend to support the launch of the Airo platform is likely to pressure margins in the first quarter [3] - Customer retention challenges are expected due to divestitures, lack of deep discounting, and ongoing customer migrations [4] Positive Developments - GoDaddy is expected to benefit from strong early adoption of the Airo platform, with 50% of paid subscriptions in Q4 originating from Airo, driven by increased customer engagement [5] - The company aims for Applications & Commerce (A&C) revenue growth in the mid-teens, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for A&C revenues at $441 million, indicating a 15.1% year-over-year growth [6] Earnings Outlook - GoDaddy currently has an Earnings ESP of -17.31% and a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), indicating lower odds of an earnings beat [7]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Internet - Delivery Services industry is facing challenges due to macroeconomic uncertainty, inflation, and high interest rates, which are affecting the near-term outlook [1] - Escalating tariff tensions are threatening to squeeze both consumers and businesses, potentially leading to reduced discretionary and enterprise spending [1] - Companies in the industry are experiencing increased costs due to aggressive hiring and heavy investments in sales and marketing [1][8] - The industry primarily includes companies offering services via Internet-based platforms, such as food delivery, online travel booking, and web hosting [3] Growth Opportunities - Industry participants like GoDaddy, QuinStreet, and Asure Software are well-positioned for growth due to their adaptation to changing consumer preferences [2] - The rise of smartphones and improved Internet access are creating significant opportunities for the industry, with 4G and emerging 5G technology enhancing user experiences [4] - The shift in consumer preferences towards online services, particularly in food ordering and travel booking, is expected to benefit industry players [5] - Technological advancements, such as smart routing algorithms and real-time GPS tracking, are improving customer experiences and operational efficiencies [6] Challenges - The industry is facing risks from tariff wars, which can indirectly impact revenue growth and margins due to reduced spending from small businesses and startups [7] - Higher upfront costs associated with expansion strategies may hurt profitability, especially in the face of competition from larger tech companies like Amazon and Alphabet [8][9] - The industry's Zacks Industry Rank is 209, placing it in the bottom 15% of nearly 250 Zacks industries, indicating dim near-term prospects [10][11] Performance Metrics - The Zacks Internet - Delivery Services industry has outperformed the S&P 500 and the broader Computer and Technology sector over the past year, rising 17.7% compared to declines of 2.2% and 7.6%, respectively [15] - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 1.63X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 4.37X and the sector's 4.92X [18] Company Highlights - **GoDaddy**: Engaged in domain registration and web hosting, benefiting from strong momentum in its Applications & Commerce business and expanding global footprint [23][24] - **QuinStreet**: A provider of online direct marketing services, positioned to capitalize on the shift to online business models and increasing ad spending [28][30] - **Asure Software**: Focused on human capital management solutions, driving growth through new client additions and innovation in its offerings [33][34]