Core Insights - Snap announced a $400 million partnership with AI startup Perplexity, leading to a stock price surge of over 20% after the release of better-than-expected Q3 earnings [1][3] - The partnership aims to integrate Perplexity's AI search engine into Snapchat by 2026, providing users with conversational answers from verified sources [3] - Snap's Q3 revenue increased by 10% year-over-year to $1.5 billion, surpassing analyst expectations, while net losses narrowed to $104 million, significantly better than the anticipated loss of over $200 million [1][3] Financial Performance - Q3 revenue reached $1.5 billion, a 10% increase year-over-year, slightly above analyst forecasts [1] - Net loss for the quarter was $104 million, much lower than the expected loss of over $200 million [1] - Despite the positive quarterly results, Snap's stock has declined approximately 20% year-to-date [1] Advertising and Market Challenges - North American advertising revenue grew only 1% year-over-year, with reduced spending from major brand advertisers being a significant obstacle to overall revenue growth [1] - The partnership with Perplexity is seen as a new revenue channel amid challenges in advertising growth, particularly against competitors like Meta [3] - Snap's monthly active users increased by 7% year-over-year to 943 million, indicating a growing user base despite advertising challenges [3] Strategic Developments - Snap is shifting the development of its augmented reality glasses, Spectacles, to a subsidiary named "Specs," following a model similar to Alphabet's Waymo [3] - The company is in discussions with investors to inject more funds into the Specs division, although the launch of Specs products in 2026 is planned without reliance on external capital [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue increased by 10% year-over-year to $1.51 billion, driven by improved advertising demand and the expansion of direct revenue streams [5][30] - Advertising revenue reached $1.32 billion, up 5% year-over-year, with direct response advertising revenue increasing by 8% year-over-year [30][31] - Net loss reduced by more than 30% year-over-year to $104 million, reflecting progress toward sustained profitability [7][36] - Adjusted EBITDA was $182 million, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding to 12% [7][35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Other revenue, including Snapchat Plus subscription revenue, increased by 54% year-over-year to $190 million [5][30] - Direct response advertising revenue growth was driven by strong demand for pixel purchase and app purchase optimizations, particularly from small and medium-sized business clients [30][31] - The North America large client solutions business experienced a modest decline, while the SMB advertising business grew over 25% [31][64] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue growth accelerated in Europe and the rest of the world, with Europe growing by 12% and the rest of the world by 13% year-over-year [31][32] - North America accounted for approximately 43% of total global revenue, decreasing as a share of total revenue by roughly 10 percentage points over the past two years [32] - Global impression volume grew approximately 22% year-over-year, although total eCPMs decreased by about 13% due to increased inventory from Sponsored Snaps [33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to reach 1 billion monthly active users globally, with a focus on enhancing user engagement through new features and conversation starters [4][15] - Investments in augmented reality and generative AI are central to the company's long-term strategy, with significant user engagement in AR experiences [15][16] - The company is recalibrating investments in community growth and cost structures to improve financial efficiency [12][13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates potential declines in daily active users in Q4 due to internal and external factors, including regulatory changes and age verification initiatives [15][56] - The company remains committed to improving monetization efficiency and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations [15][56] - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential, supported by a robust balance sheet and cash flow generation [37] Other Important Information - The company has authorized a new share repurchase program of $500 million to manage share count for long-term shareholders [40] - A partnership with Perplexity AI will integrate conversational search into Snapchat, expected to enhance user experience and generate revenue starting in 2026 [29][44] Q&A Session Summary Question: On the Perplexity partnership, is the cash stock split already determined? - Management indicated that the cash and stock split for the Perplexity partnership is not finalized and will depend on future developments [42][44] Question: How do you see Snap's role evolving as a distribution channel? - Management highlighted the opportunity to distribute AI agents through the chat interface and Sponsored Snaps, enhancing customer experiences [50][52] Question: Can you provide an update on direct response advertising growth? - Direct response revenue grew by 8% year-over-year, with strong performance in Europe and the rest of the world, while North America lagged [60][63] Question: What is the conviction level on keeping infrastructure costs flat next year? - Management expressed confidence in maintaining flat infrastructure costs through improved capacity utilization and cost structure optimization [66][67] Question: What is the latest thinking on Spectacles and potential financial partners? - Management did not provide specific updates on financial partnerships but emphasized the advanced AR software stack and its potential [69]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, total revenue increased by 10% year-over-year to $1.51 billion, driven by improved advertising demand and the expansion of direct revenue streams [5][29] - Advertising revenue reached $1.32 billion, up 5% year-over-year, primarily due to growth in direct response advertising revenue, which increased by 8% year-over-year [29][30] - Adjusted EBITDA was $182 million, an improvement of $50 million compared to the prior year, with a net loss reduced by over 30% year-over-year to $104 million [6][36] - Free cash flow was $93 million in Q3, with a total of $414 million over the trailing 12 months [6][37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Direct response advertising revenue increased by 8% year-over-year, with strong demand from small and medium-sized business customers [5][29] - Other revenue, including Snapchat Plus subscription revenue, surged by 54% year-over-year to $190 million [5][29] - The community reached 477 million daily active users, an increase of 34 million or 8% year-over-year [4] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue growth in Europe accelerated to 12% year-over-year, while the rest of the world saw a 13% increase [30] - North America advertising revenue grew only 1% year-over-year, with the SMB segment growing over 25% [30][31] - Global impression volume grew approximately 22% year-over-year, although total eCPMs decreased by about 13% due to increased inventory [32] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to reach 1 billion monthly active users globally and is focusing on enhancing user engagement through new features and conversation starters [4][7] - Investments in augmented reality and AI are prioritized, with plans to introduce new monetization tools and premium offerings [5][20] - The strategy includes recalibrating investments in community growth and optimizing cost structures to improve financial efficiency [11][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates potential declines in daily active users in Q4 due to regulatory changes and internal initiatives [13] - The company remains committed to long-term growth despite short-term engagement headwinds, focusing on monetization efficiency and compliance with regulations [12][13] - Future revenue guidance for Q4 is set between $1.68 billion and $1.71 billion, implying year-over-year growth of 8%-10% [37] Other Important Information - The company has approximately $3 billion in cash and marketable securities, providing financial flexibility for future investments [6][37] - A new share repurchase program of $500 million has been authorized to manage share count for long-term shareholders [39] Q&A Session Questions and Answers Question: On the Perplexity partnership, is the cash stock split already determined? - Management expressed excitement about the Perplexity partnership, emphasizing its potential to enhance Snapchat's role as a messaging service and the unique opportunity to distribute AI agents through the chat interface [41][43] Question: Should we presume that the reason for the leverage in cost of revenue is due to not paying out to content owners? - Management clarified that the improvement in gross margins is attributed to a mix shift towards higher-margin ad formats like Sponsored Snaps and Spotlight, which have lower associated costs [42][46] Question: How do you see Snap's role evolving as a distribution channel? - Management highlighted the opportunity to open up the chat interface to more AI agents and conversational commerce experiences, indicating a strategic focus on enhancing customer engagement through these channels [47][49] Question: Could you talk about your conviction level on keeping infrastructure costs flat next year? - Management indicated a strong focus on improving capacity utilization and efficiency in infrastructure costs, aiming to maintain flat costs into 2026 [60][61] Question: What is the latest thinking on Spectacles and potential financial partners? - Management is preparing for the public release of Spectacles and is considering various options to accelerate technical leadership in the AR space, including establishing a standalone subsidiary for better flexibility [63]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue increased by 10% year over year to $1,510,000,000 driven by improved advertising demand and expansion of direct revenue streams [6][35] - Advertising revenue reached $1,320,000,000, up 5% year over year, with direct response advertising revenue increasing by 8% year over year and 13% quarter over quarter [6][35] - Net loss reduced by more than 30% year over year to $104,000,000, reflecting progress towards sustained profitability [7][42] - Adjusted EBITDA was $182,000,000, an improvement of $50,000,000 compared to the prior year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding to 12% [7][42] - Free cash flow was $93,000,000 in Q3, contributing to a trailing twelve-month free cash flow of $414,000,000 [7][42] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Other revenue, including Snapchat Plus subscription revenue, increased by 54% year over year to $190,000,000 [6][35] - The SMB advertising business grew at a rate of more than 25% in Q3, while the large client solutions business posted a modest decline [36][75] - Global impression volume grew approximately 22% year over year, with total eCPMs down approximately 13% year over year due to increased inventory from sponsored snaps [39][40] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising revenue growth in Europe accelerated to 12% year over year, while the Rest of World segment grew by 13% year over year [36][74] - North America advertising revenue growth lagged at 1% year over year, with the large client solutions segment accounting for approximately 43% of total global revenue [36][37] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to reach 1,000,000,000 monthly active users globally, focusing on improving average revenue per user through monetization of core products [17][32] - Investments in augmented reality and AI are prioritized, with new features and tools being introduced to enhance user experience and engagement [6][18][24] - The company is recalibrating investments in community growth and cost structures to improve financial efficiency [14][64] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates potential declines in daily active users in Q4 due to internal and external factors, including regulatory changes and age verification implementations [17][64] - The company remains committed to long-term growth despite short-term engagement headwinds, focusing on monetization efficiency and compliance with evolving regulations [16][64] Other Important Information - The partnership with Perplexity AI is expected to enhance personalization and drive additional subscribers, with monetization from this partnership anticipated to begin in 2026 [34][51] - The company has authorized a new share repurchase program of $500,000,000 to manage share count for long-term shareholders [46] Q&A Session Summary Question: On the Perplexity partnership, is the cash stock split already determined? - Management expressed excitement about the Perplexity partnership, noting that monetization will not begin until the integration rolls out, likely in early 2026 [51][52] Question: How do you see Snap's role evolving as a distribution channel? - Management highlighted the opportunity to open up the chat interface to more AI agents and conversational commerce experiences, indicating a focus on enhancing distribution for advertisers [60][61] Question: Can you provide an update on direct response advertising growth? - Direct response revenue was up 8% year over year, with strong performance in pixel purchase demand and app optimizations, particularly in Europe and the Rest of World [72][74] Question: What is the conviction level on keeping infrastructure costs flat next year? - Management indicated a focus on improving capacity utilization and efficiency in infrastructure costs, aiming to maintain flat costs into 2026 [80][81] Question: Any updates on Spectacles and potential financial partners? - Management confirmed ongoing preparations for the public release of Spectacles, leveraging existing software and developer tools to enhance technical leadership in the AR space [85]

Test driving Snap's latest Spectacles with CEO @evanspiegelHe tells @emilychangtv why the screens of today won’t look anything like the screens of tomorrow.Watch the full episode of The Circuit https://t.co/Ad8utORpZe https://t.co/Sd6JC8eZ6o ...

Core Insights - Snap Inc. is identified as an overlooked AI stock with a cautious 'Hold' rating and a price target of $9.00, indicating a potential upside of nearly 21% [1] - The company has improved its revenue growth guidance for Q3 2025 but faces challenges such as ad auction pricing issues and a temporary dip in ad pricing due to increased Sponsored Snaps inventory [2] - Despite strains from weakened brand advertising and rising infrastructure costs, Snap Inc. benefits from a significant increase in active advertisers and growth in Snap+ revenue, supporting prospects for advertising revenue growth and margin expansion [3] Company Overview - Snap Inc. is a California-based technology company founded in 2010, operating in North America, Europe, and other international markets, offering products like Snapchat, Snapchat+, and Spectacles [4]

Group 1 - Snap Inc's shares are experiencing a surge, up 7.4% to $8.76, following the announcement of Snap OS 2.0 and plans to release Spectacles in 2026 [1] - The stock has gained 21.2% since the beginning of the month and is on track for its seventh daily gain in eight sessions, although it remains down 18.7% year to date [2] - There is significant activity in options trading, with 334,000 calls and 103,000 puts exchanged, indicating heightened interest compared to typical volumes [3] Group 2 - Short interest in Snap Inc has increased by 25.5% over the last two weeks, now representing 13.1% of the stock's available float, with a coverage time of nearly three days at the average trading pace [4]

Core Viewpoint - Snap Inc's stock surged over 7%, reaching a seven-week high of $8.72, following the launch of its new Snap OS 2.0, which supports the upcoming sixth-generation consumer Spectacles augmented reality glasses set to launch in 2026 [1] Company Developments - Snap Inc launched Snap OS 2.0 on September 15, designed specifically for the new Spectacles AR glasses, enhancing mobile applicability across multiple dimensions [1] - The sixth-generation Spectacles are positioned as the first consumer-targeted AR hardware product, indicating a significant technological advancement for the company [1] Market Context - Ongoing uncertainties surrounding TikTok's operations in the U.S. have led investors to view Snap as a potential beneficiary of any market share disruptions that may affect TikTok [1]

Core Viewpoint - Snap's stock price increased by over 6% in pre-market trading, driven by positive investor sentiment towards Snap OS 2.0 and its new Spectacles, which focus on augmented reality (AR) [1] Company Summary - Snap's stock reached a high of $8.7, marking its highest point in recent trading sessions [1]

Core Insights - Snap Inc.'s shares experienced a significant rally of 11.63% over the past week, driven by a major product announcement and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty surrounding TikTok [1][2][6] - The trading volume reached unprecedented levels, with over 202 million shares traded on September 18th, and nearly 400 million shares exchanged in the last two trading days alone, indicating heightened investor interest [2][3] Product Development - The bullish sentiment was fueled by the announcement of Snap OS 2.0 on September 15th, which is a substantial software upgrade for its Spectacles augmented reality glasses, featuring a faster browser, WebXR support, and new developer tools [4][5] - This product innovation highlights Snap's commitment to advancing in the augmented reality sector, with a public launch of Spectacles planned for 2026 [5] Market Dynamics - The uncertainty surrounding TikTok's U.S. operations has positioned Snap as a potential beneficiary, as investors speculate on the impact of any disruptions to TikTok's market share [6][7] - The combination of Snap's product news and external market dynamics has attracted significant attention from both institutional and retail investors [7] Stock Performance - Despite a 3.32% drop on Friday, Snap's shares surged 8.46% overnight on Monday, although the stock remains down 27.40% year-to-date and 20.00% over the past year [8] - Snap's long-term price trend is weaker, while short and medium-term trends show strength, although its growth ranking is relatively poor [8]