US stock futures flounder amid tech weakness, Fed caution
On Wednesday, Piper Sandler released insights from its latest Teen Survey, revealing significant trends in the digital habits of American teenagers. The survey, which gathered responses from approximately 7,000 teens, indicated that TikTok has extended its lead as the favorite app, with about 47% of teens preferring it, while Instagram and Snapchat saw declines in their standings. According to InvestingPro data, Reddit's impressive 90.49% gross profit margins and projected 39% revenue growth for 2025 suggest the company is well-positioned to capitalize on evolving social media trends.
TikTok's position as the number one app was reinforced by an 8% increase from the previous fall, while Instagram dropped to 28% and Snapchat to 14% as the favorite apps among teens. Despite these shifts, Instagram continues to be the most used app, with a consistent monthly usage rate of around 87%, followed by TikTok at 79% and Snapchat at 72%.
The survey also highlighted a rise in the average daily hours teens spend on social media, which has gone up to approximately 4.9 hours from 4.5 hours reported in the previous survey. Moreover, the results showed an uptick in gig economy engagement, with Uber (NYSE:UBER) and DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH) being the most dominant providers in ridesharing and food delivery, respectively.
Roblox experienced a moderate decrease in active users since Fall 2024, with around 42% of teens using the platform, down from 46%. However, this figure remains higher than the average of approximately 33% from the two surveys prior to Fall 2024.
Social commerce is gaining traction, with 45% of teens having made a purchase directly from a social media site, marking an increase from previous surveys. Teen purchases from emerging retailers like Temu, SHEIN, and TikTok Shops have also risen slightly, with TikTok Shops demonstrating the most resilience.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) continues to dominate as the preferred e-commerce retailer among upper-income teens, maintaining a lead with 52% favoring the platform. Amazon Prime household penetration remained steady at 84%. In the streaming space, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) is securing more of teens' viewing time, reaching 31%, while YouTube's share decreased slightly to 26%.
The survey also touched on virtual reality (VR) device ownership, which remains consistent at about 31% among teens, though usage frequency appears to be declining. Meta (NASDAQ:META)'s Oculus is still the most popular VR headset, commanding a market share of over 75%. Reddit, with its $16.08 billion market capitalization, has shown remarkable performance with a 97.53% return over the past year, despite a recent 45.61% YTD decline. InvestingPro's detailed Research Report offers comprehensive analysis of Reddit's market position and growth potential among 1,400+ top US stocks.
In other recent news, Reddit has seen a series of adjustments in analyst price targets and ratings. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian reduced Reddit's 12-month price target to $125 from $185, maintaining a Neutral rating. This adjustment reflects a cautious outlook on Reddit's potential revenue sources and its vulnerability to market fluctuations. Citizens JMP also lowered Reddit's stock price target from $200 to $155, citing a shift to an EBITDA-based valuation while keeping a Market Outperform rating due to Reddit's growth prospects.
Needham analysts have maintained their Buy rating and $220 price target, citing increased profitability estimates and Reddit's ambitious user growth targets. They highlighted the company's potential in areas like search revenue and international expansion. Guggenheim Securities adjusted Reddit's price target to $170 from $210 but kept a Buy rating, emphasizing the company's growth prospects in user engagement and advertising revenue.
Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James reduced Reddit's price target to $200 from $250, maintaining a Strong Buy rating. The firm noted Reddit's substantial user base and its value in the evolving search and AI landscape. These developments reflect a mixed but generally optimistic sentiment among analysts regarding Reddit's future growth and financial performance.
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