Raymond James bullish on Waystar stock amid strong NRR and Rule of 60+ profile

Published 22/11/2024, 10:18
Raymond James bullish on Waystar stock amid strong NRR and Rule of 60+ profile

On Friday, Raymond (NS:RYMD) James made a bullish move on Waystar Holding (NASDAQ:WAY), elevating the stock from Outperform to Strong Buy and setting a price target of $40.00. The firm's optimism is grounded in the belief that Waystar's current market valuation does not fully account for the company's potential to sustain double-digit growth. This positive outlook is bolstered by Waystar's performance in the third quarter (Q3), which saw an increase in Net Revenue Retention (NRR) and benefits from the Change incident, leading to growth exceeding 20%.

Waystar's recent financial results position it as a leading entity within the vertical software sector. The company has demonstrated a robust financial profile, reflected in its Rule of 60+ status at the end of Q3 2024. Despite these strong indicators, the stock is perceived to be undervalued compared to its SaaS peers, which could be attributed to a lack of recognition among software investors.

The analyst from Raymond James highlighted Waystar's attractive risk/reward profile, which is currently priced at 17 times the firm's estimated 2025 EBITDA. Waystar is seen as a resilient software provider within a stable market and is expected to continue its pattern of consistently exceeding expectations and adjusting future projections upward, which should enhance its visibility as 2025 approaches.

In other recent news, Waystar Holding has seen a rise in its stock price target by multiple financial firms following impressive third-quarter financial performance and an updated forecast for the full year 2024, suggesting approximately 18% year-over-year growth. Goldman Sachs increased the stock's price target from $34.00 to $39.00 while maintaining a Buy rating. Similarly, RBC Capital Markets raised its price target to $31.00, maintaining an Outperform rating after evaluating Waystar's second-quarter revenue performance.

These adjustments were influenced by various factors including a surge in the patient payments segment, accelerated customer growth, and improved net revenue retention. Notably, Waystar's $100k+ Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) customers grew by roughly 14% year-over-year, and net revenue retention improved to 109%.

Other financial firms have also shown confidence in Waystar. Barclays (LON:BARC) initiated coverage on Waystar with an Overweight rating, focusing on the company's consistent low double-digit revenue growth and impressive EBITDA margins. BofA Securities began its coverage of Waystar with a Buy rating, projecting approximately 10% revenue growth for the next three years.

William Blair initiated coverage on Waystar, forecasting a significant revenue increase for the fiscal years 2024 and 2025, with total revenue estimated at $885 million and $971 million, respectively. Evercore ISI upgraded Waystar to an Outperform rating, praising the company's strong operating margins and history of organic growth. These are the recent developments concerning Waystar, reflecting a positive outlook from various financial firms.

InvestingPro Insights

Recent data from InvestingPro aligns with Raymond James' bullish stance on Waystar Holding (NASDAQ:WAY). The company's market cap stands at $5.36 billion, with a strong revenue growth of 18.23% over the last twelve months as of Q3 2024. This growth trajectory supports the analyst's view of Waystar's potential for sustained double-digit expansion.

InvestingPro Tips highlight that Waystar's net income is expected to grow this year, and analysts predict the company will be profitable in 2024. These projections reinforce the positive outlook on Waystar's financial performance. Additionally, the stock has shown a strong return over the last three months, with a price total return of 18.63%, and is trading near its 52-week high at 93.65% of that peak.

It's worth noting that Waystar's P/E ratio is currently negative at -76.65, indicating that the company is not yet profitable on a trailing twelve-month basis. However, this aligns with the InvestingPro Tip suggesting that profitability is expected in the near future.

For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 12 additional tips for Waystar Holding, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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