Core Insights - Toast, Inc. (TOST) reported a strong first-quarter 2025 performance, with revenue increasing by 24.4% year-over-year to $1.34 billion and adjusted EBITDA reaching $133 million, reflecting a margin of approximately 32% [1][2] - The company is experiencing significant growth in annual recurring revenues, which reached $1.7 billion, a 31% increase year-over-year, and operates in about 140,000 locations, marking a 25% growth [3] - Toast has raised its full-year EBITDA outlook to around $550 million with a 31% margin, an increase from the previous estimate of $510-$530 million at a 30% margin [5] Financial Performance - Operating costs, excluding bad-debt charges, rose only about 12%, primarily due to increased spending on sales and marketing [2] - Free cash flow turned positive at $69 million, compared to a loss of $33 million a year ago [2] - Toast's adjusted EBITDA margin improved significantly, driven by gross profit growth and strict cost discipline [1][2] Market Position and Growth Potential - Toast has only 10% penetration into its total addressable market (TAM) of 1.4 million locations, indicating substantial long-term expansion opportunities [3] - The company is leveraging its scale to introduce new services, including AI-powered analytics and fintech products, which contribute to revenue without proportional cost increases [4] - Management anticipates record net additions in the current quarter, with expectations for 2025 to surpass 2024's full-year net additions [3] Competitive Landscape - Block (formerly Square) reported an adjusted EBITDA of $812.8 million for Q1 2025, with an operating margin of 8.1% [7] - Lightspeed Commerce (LSPD) achieved total revenues of $253.4 million in Q1 2025, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 32% [9] - TOST's shares have increased by 61.4% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Internet-Software industry's growth of 34.3% [12] Valuation Metrics - TOST trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 3.12X, which is lower than the industry's average of 5.76X [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TOST's earnings for 2025 has been rising over the past 60 days, indicating positive market sentiment [14]

Key Takeaways TOST stock gained 19% in 3 months, outperforming the S&P 500 and nearing its 52-week high of $45.56. Declining GPV per location and rising operating costs pose near-term profitability concerns for TOST. Stretched valuation and intensifying competition may limit TOST's upside despite recent market momentum.Toast, Inc. (TOST) shares have gained 19.2% in the past three months, outperforming the Internet Software market and the Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s growth of 12.5% and 9.7%, respe ...