Jefferies, a global investment banking firm, has raised the price target for Workday (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:WDAY) shares to $350 from the previous target of $330. The firm continues to endorse a Buy rating for the stock.
The adjustment follows Workday's recent financial performance, which exhibited a slight outperformance in critical revenue metrics despite a challenging economic climate.
Workday reported a modest earnings beat with its calculated remaining performance obligations (CRPO) growth at 16%, marginally surpassing the anticipated 15.6%. The growth comes amid ongoing global economic uncertainties.
Management at Workday has revised its mid-term subscription revenue growth guidance to 15%, a decrease from the previous forecast of 17-19%. Despite this, the company has expressed a commitment to improving its margin leverage to 30% by Fiscal Year 2027, up from the earlier goal of 25%.
The firm's confidence in Workday's financial prospects is underpinned by several factors. These include the traction of Workday Financial Management (FINS), the company's potential for international expansion, and the strength of its partner ecosystem. The firm believes that these elements will enable Workday to continue growing its margins while maintaining a low to mid-teens growth rate.
Workday's management has outlined a strategy aimed at delivering more margin upside. The focus on margin leverage suggests a drive toward greater efficiency and profitability in the coming years. The company's commitment to achieving a 30% margin by Fiscal Year 2027 is a significant increase from the previously stated 25%.
In other recent news, Workday's second-quarter fiscal year 2025 performance exceeded expectations, reporting adjusted earnings per share of $1.75 and revenue of $2.09 billion, marking a 16.7% increase year over year. However, the projected third-quarter subscription revenue of $1.955 billion and maintained full-year subscription revenue guidance of $7.700 billion to $7.725 billion did not meet investor expectations.
Evercore ISI recently updated its price target for Workday shares to $310, maintaining an Outperform rating, reflecting a more conservative revenue growth outlook paired with an improved forecast for operating margins. Similarly, DA Davidson and Citi have adjusted their price targets for Workday, with DA Davidson raising its target to $270 and Citi to $274, both firms maintaining a Neutral rating.
Workday's management has revised its strategy to support product innovation and go-to-market initiatives, expecting this to drive mid-teens growth in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Workday's 12-month subscription revenue backlog grew 16.1% year over year to $6.80 billion, while the total subscription revenue backlog increased 20.9% to $21.58 billion. The company also announced a new $1.0 billion share repurchase program.
InvestingPro Insights
Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY) has captured the attention of investors and analysts alike with its robust financial performance and strategic growth plans. According to real-time data from InvestingPro, Workday boasts a strong market capitalization of $61.3 billion, reflecting investor confidence in the company's market position. The firm's commitment to financial discipline is evident in its P/E ratio, which stands at 40.99, suggesting that investors are willing to pay a premium for its earnings potential. This is further underscored by the company's impressive revenue growth of 17.01% over the last twelve months as of Q1 2023, indicating a solid trajectory in its business expansion efforts.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Workday holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which is a reassuring sign of financial stability for investors. Additionally, Workday's stock generally trades with low price volatility, providing a level of predictability in an otherwise uncertain market. For those seeking more in-depth analysis, InvestingPro offers a comprehensive list of 11 additional tips for Workday, available on the InvestingPro platform.
The company's forward-looking strategy, as detailed in the article, is supported by its financial metrics and market performance. Workday's emphasis on margin improvements and growth in subscription revenue aligns with its solid gross profit margin of 75.64%, reflecting efficient cost management. With analysts predicting profitability this year and the company having been profitable over the last twelve months, Workday's financial health appears to be on a strong footing as it works towards its ambitious margin target of 30% by Fiscal Year 2027.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.