Fastly is the leader in edge compute, driving the massively valuable shift of compute processing to edge servers. The stock is down over 20% today after announcing tepid Q2 sales guidance (below our & analysts' estimates) and the news that it will be transitioning to a new CFO.
Below is our analysis of what went wrong with this Q1 earnings release, what management's forward guidance may imply, and how we're thinking about the stock.
First, a quick reminder on what Fastly does:
Overall, Q1 results were generally solid:
Unlike the Q1 results, Fastly's Q2 guidance and its implications for the remainder of 2021 were mixed to negative.
On the plus side, management did raise its full year 2021 revenue guidance to $380-390M, implying a major acceleration into the 2nd half of the year (38-42% growth). Their reasons for this guidance included land and expand opportunities, cross-selling and better sales execution.
The company is suffering from an "air pocket" of tough 2Q20 comparisons while the Signal Sciences acquisition and important product efforts (Compute@Edge) have not yet kicked in. The weak 2Q21 guidance and the CFO resignation news were the nails in the coffin for the stock today.
It's clear that many investors are not buying that full-year guidance (and the 2nd half ramp it implies) and need to see a quarter or two of improving execution before trusting guidance again.
In some ways, these quarterly results and FSLY's sharp sell-off reminds us of our experience with Twilio in 2nd half 2019.
At the time, we published an update explaining our napkin math on the long-term Twilio opportunity. To summarize our thinking: "Bears are assuming Q4 sales guidance is representative of the next 3+ years for Twilio. We disagree." We stuck to our thesis and held onto the position for our Flagship strategy despite the short-term volatility. The stock is up 200%+ since then.
The jury is obviously still out on whether FSLY will end up looking like TWLO (i.e. this Q1 release being a one-off execution failure in an otherwise strong secular growth story), or if the fundamentals are breaking down (with an optically high EV/Sales valuation multiple to boot). The stock is now a "show me" story: we need to see improving progress in the coming months to reassure ourselves that our long-term thesis is tracking.
At the current valuation, we believe FSLY is quite attractive -- if you believe management's guidance. That's a big if, to be sure, and the reason the stock is down so much today.
We do continue to believe in our original 5-year thesis for the company and are tempted to buy more of the stock here, but we need clearer signposts first.
For now, we are holding onto the stock and not selling based on one quarter's results alone. Our thesis has always been a long-term one to be measured in years, not quarters.
Learn with titan
Become the smartest investor you've ever been through straightforward, easy-to-read investment articles.
Titan Global Capital Management USA, Inc ("Titan") is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). By using this website, you accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Titan’s investment advisory services are available only to residents of the United States in jurisdictions where Titan is registered. Nothing on this website should be considered an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any historical returns, expected returns [or probability projections] are hypothetical in nature and may not reflect actual future performance. Account holdings are for illustrative purposes only and are not investment recommendations. The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a comprehensive description of Titan’s investment advisory services.
Refer to Titan's Program Brochure for more information. Certain investments are not suitable for all investors. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and Titan’s fees. The rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long term investments. Investment losses are possible, including the potential loss of all amounts invested. The introducing Broker Dealer is Titan Global Technologies LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. Brokerage services are provided to Titan Clients by Apex Clearing, an SEC registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. For more information, see our disclosures. Contact: 508 LaGuardia Place NY, NY 10012. Information provided by Titan Support is for informational and general educational purposes only and is not investment or financial advice. Check the background of these firms on FINRA's BrokerCheck.
© Copyright 2022 Titan Global Capital Management, Inc. All Rights Reserved.