On Wednesday, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reiterated its overweight rating on shares of Coupang Inc (NYSE:CPNG) with a steady price target of $27.00. The firm's analysis highlighted Coupang's consistent performance and its potential for market share expansion, coupled with an anticipated improvement in free cash flows.
The positive outlook is also supported by Coupang's business ventures in Taiwan and through its partnership with Farfetch (OTC:FTCHQ), which are seen as opportunities for international growth.
Coupang's stock is currently valued at 15 times its expected 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted for projections of over 50% EBITDA growth. Morgan Stanley views this valuation as attractive and justifies maintaining the $27 price target based on a discounted cash flow (DCF) model. The target remains unchanged despite recent updates to the firm's financial model.
In the second quarter of 2024, Coupang experienced a deceleration in growth for its first-party (1P) sales. However, this was counterbalanced by a quicker expansion in higher-margin offerings. As a result of these developments, Morgan Stanley has made slight reductions to its earnings estimates for Coupang.
Despite the adjustments in growth figures, Morgan Stanley's outlook for Coupang remains optimistic. The analyst cites structural drivers that continue to bolster the overweight thesis on the company. These factors are expected to sustain the company's trajectory in the market and justify the current stock rating and price target.
In other recent news, South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang, Inc. reported a robust growth in Q2 2024, with a 30% increase in constant currency revenues and a 12% rise in active customers. The company's focus on customer experience and low-cost operations, along with the growth of their marketplace sales and Eats segment, contributed to these positive results.
Despite a net loss of $77 million for the quarter, Coupang achieved a significant gross profit of over $2.1 billion. The company remains optimistic about the future, particularly with the potential for growth in Taiwan and the expansion of its WOW membership program.
Coupang also reported that marketplace sales grew faster than first-party sales for the 13th consecutive quarter. The company sees significant growth opportunities in Taiwan and is focused on expanding selection, service, and savings to attract customers. Coupang has no plans for mergers and acquisitions, with a focus instead on execution. These are just some of the recent developments in the company's business strategy and performance.
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