Dj Officer Wagner Sells 1052 Of Twilio Inc >Twlo

Twilio TWLO shares have gained 34.6% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Internet Software industry, Computer and Technology sector and the S&P 500 index’s return of 28.9%, 27.5% and 24.5%, respectively.

The outperformance can be attributed to investors’ confidence in Twilio’s position in the customer engagement and communications space where it leads the market.

AI-Based Solutions Fueling Twilio’s Growth

Twilio is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to offer greater personalization at scale and provide relevant contextual data to its customers. TWLO has integrated AI-driven solutions into its customer engagement platform, enabling its customers to automate capabilities and boost productivity. Products like Twilio Verify and Voice Intelligence are expected to grow as businesses prioritize enhancing customer experiences with AI-driven personalization and operational efficiency.

TWLO has also partnered with industry leaders, including Amazon AMZN and Frame AI, to enhance its AI expertise. Twilio integrated Amazon Sagemaker in Segment’s Customer Data Platform. This enhancement of the Customer Data Platform, with predictive AI technology, enabled TWLO’s clients to better understand their customers. TWLO also enhanced its Flex platform by integrating Frame AI into it. By combining its robust communication tools with AI-powered solutions and data analytics, Twilio differentiates itself in a crowded market.

In 2024, Twilio also launched Agent Copilot, where it combined customer data and AI to enhance customer engagement for its clients. Agent Copilot leverages the data from Twilio’s Unified Profiles platform and improves productivity among employees. TWLO also collaborated with OpenAI to integrate the latter’s Realtime API into the Twilio platform. This integration will enable Twilio’s CPaaS platform to offer conversational AI services with speech-to-speech capabilities.

Twilio YTD Performance

Rising Demand for TWLO’s Products to Strengthen Top Line

Twilio’s developer-friendly platform and extensive API ecosystem have made it a preferred choice for companies looking to build custom communication solutions. Its ability to offer highly customizable communication tools, alongside its extensive global reach in more than 180 countries, gives Twilio a competitive edge. In contrast, competitors often offer more regionalized or standardized services.

Twilio’s API-first approach has attracted a broad range of clients from startups to large enterprises, solidifying its market position. Twilio is experiencing customer growth and strengthened connections in its client base. The company already serves renowned companies like Netflix NFLX, Airbnb ABNB, Lyft, Zendesk, Uber, WhatsApp and DoorDash.

Netflix uses Twilio’s offerings for enabling account notifications, SMS messages, toll-free numbers and email. Airbnb uses Twilio’s SMS features to streamline the rental experience for travelers, where it connects hosts and guests in a low-cost and effective way.

Twilio’s sustained focus on offering innovative products will continue helping it win new customers, which will drive its top-line performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TWLO’s 2024 and 2025 revenues suggests an increase in the mid-single-digit percentage range.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 earnings is pegged at $3.64, indicating a year-over-year increase of 48.57%.

What Should Investors Do?

Twilio’s leadership in the customer engagement space, combined with its AI-driven innovations, positions it well for future growth. It has managed to carve out a unique space for itself in the highly competitive customer engagement and communications space, thanks to its developer-friendly platform and extensive API ecosystem.

Considering these factors, it is prudent that investors should buy this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock right now. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Zacks Investment Research

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 22, 2024 – Stocks in this week’s article are Twilio Inc. TWLO, American Airlines Group Inc. AAL and Klaviyo, Inc. KVYO.

Buy These 3 Stocks with Upgraded Broker Ratings Right Now

Given the current upbeat market performance, it is difficult for retail investors to choose stocks independently and generate solid returns. To do this, one needs to understand the company fundamentals and try to place them against the current economic background to figure out how the stock may fare as an investment.

One way to cut short this task is to follow brokers’ recommendations. Stocks like Twilio Inc., American Airlines Group Inc. and Klaviyo, Inc. are worth betting on.

As brokers directly communicate with top management, they have more insight into what is happening in a particular company. They assess a company’s publicly available documents and even attend conference calls.

Brokers have more understanding of the overall sector and industry. They place company fundamentals against the current economic backdrop to determine how a particular stock will fare as an investment.

When brokers upgrade a stock, one can easily rely on their judgment. Yet, depending on broker upgrades is not enough to build your investment portfolio. Several other factors should be taken into account to ensure steady returns.

3 Stocks with Upgraded Brokers Ratings

Based in San Francisco, Twilio provides Cloud Communications Platform-as-a-Service. It enables developers to build, scale and operate real-time communications within software applications.

Twilio’s 2024 earnings are expected to jump 48.6% year over year. TWLO, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, has witnessed a 3.7% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, American Airlines is the largest airline company globally. AAL’s primary business is to provide passenger and cargo services.

American Airlines’ 2024 earnings are projected to grow marginally on a year-over-year basis. The company, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has witnessed a 5% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

Based in Boston, MA, Klaviyo provides a software-as-a-service platform globally. It offers Klaviyo, a cloud-native platform for data store, segmentation engine, campaigns and flows and messaging infrastructure.

Klaviyo’s 2024 earnings are expected to rise 36.1% year over year. KVYO, carrying a Zacks Rank #2, has witnessed a 4.1% upward revision in broker ratings over the past four weeks.

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For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at: https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2373155/buy-these-3-stocks-with-upgraded-broker-ratings-right-now

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Zacks Investment Research

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

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What are the Zacks Style Scores?

The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value Score

For value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth Score

While good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum Score

Momentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM Score

If you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank

The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +25.41% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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Stock to Watch: Twilio (TWLO)

Headquartered in San Francisco, Twilio Inc. was founded in 2007 and got listed on the NYSE in Jun 2016. Twilio provides Cloud Communications Platform-as-a-Service. The company enables developers to build, scale and operate real-time communications within software applications. The company’s platform consists of three layers, Engagement Cloud, Programmable Communications Cloud and Super Network.

TWLO is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. TWLO has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 39.4% over the past four weeks.

Nine analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2024. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.23 to $3.64 per share. TWLO boasts an average earnings surprise of 31%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, TWLO should be on investors' short list.

Zacks Investment Research

The soon-to-be 47th President of the United States is also known as the author of “The Art of the Deal,” and President-elect Trump's penchant for dealmaking was evident during his campaign when he repeatedly stated that he could leverage his skills to broker peace in two of the most significant geopolitical flashpoints that have erupted in the last five years, in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Here at home, analysts expect another Trump administration to create a conducive environment for corporate dealmaking, and analysts at Goldman Sachs believe that 2025 will be the year of the deal on Wall Street, aided by a softer regulatory environment. The brokerage firm recently released a list of companies with major M&A appeal for investors to consider, and these five candidates - all down sharply from their record highs - could be compelling bargains for potential suitors.

#1. Kosmos Energy

Founded in 2003 by a group of seasoned oil and gas professionals, Kosmos Energy is an international oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Dallas. Kosmos focuses on frontier and underexplored regions, primarily along the Atlantic Margin. Its operations span Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, and the Gulf of Mexico, with additional exploration licenses in locations such as São Tomé and Príncipe and Morocco.

Valued at a market cap of $1.84 billion, KOS stock is down 41.6% on a YTD basis, and has slipped 61% off its 2015 highs.

Analysts maintain a rating of “Strong Buy” for KOS stock, with a mean target price of $6.46. This denotes an upside potential of about 65.6% from current levels. Out of 7 analysts covering the stock, 5 have a “Strong Buy” rating and 2 have a “Hold” rating.

#2. Wolfspeed

Initially founded in 1987 as Cree, Wolfspeed specializes in developing and manufacturing wide-bandgap semiconductors. These materials, particularly silicon carbide, are critical in high-efficiency power and radio frequency (RF) applications. The company's products are used in electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, telecommunications, and defense systems. It is known for being the only vertically integrated, pure-play silicon carbide manufacturer. WOLF's market cap currently stands at $822 million.

WOLF stock has nosedived 85% on a YTD basis, and is down 95% from its November 2021 peak.

Overall, analysts have deemed WOLF stock a “Hold,” down from “Moderate Buy” two months ago. Out of 15 analysts covering the stock, 4 have a “Strong Buy” rating, 9 have a “Hold” rating, 1 has a “Moderate Sell” rating, and 1 has a “Strong Sell” rating.

The mean target price is $14.81, which indicates an upside potential of roughly 133% from current levels.

#3. Unity Software

Founded in 2004, Unity Software provides a comprehensive platform for creating and managing interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content across various industries, including gaming, film, architecture, automotive, and virtual/augmented reality. Its current market cap stands at about $8.7 billion.

Shares of Unity are down 46% on a YTD basis, and have stumbled 88% from their 2021 peak.

Overall, analysts have deemed Unity stock a “Moderate Buy,” up from “Hold” three months ago, with a mean target price of $22.46. This reflects an upside potential of about 4% from current levels. Out of 19 analysts covering U stock, 6 have a “Strong Buy” rating, 1 has a “Moderate Buy” rating, 10 have a “Hold” rating, and 2 have a “Strong Sell” rating.

#4. Zoom

Pandemic darling Zoom has retreated massively from its 2020 highs. Founded in 2011, Zoom is a leading provider of unified communications platforms offering cloud-based video conferencing, online chat, and mobile collaboration solutions. The company's platform offers a user-friendly interface and robust features, making it popular for remote work, virtual meetings, and online education. Zoom currently commands a market cap of $24.2 billion.

ZM stock is up 10.7% on a YTD basis, but has slumped about 86% from its 2020 highs.

Overall, analysts have an average rating of “Hold” for ZM stock, with a mean target price of $75.39, which the shares have already surpassed. Out of 28 analysts covering the stock, 7 have a “Strong Buy” rating, 1 has a “Moderate Buy” rating, 18 have a “Hold” rating, and 2 have a “Strong Sell” rating.

#5. Twilio

We conclude our list with Twilio , a cloud communications platform company headquartered in San Francisco. Twilio's platform enables developers to integrate voice, messaging, and video communication capabilities into applications via APIs. Twilio specializes in communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS). It provides tools for businesses to build seamless communication experiences, such as SMS notifications, email campaigns, and customer engagement solutions.

Valued at a market cap of about $15 billion, TWLO stock is up 31.4% on a YTD basis, outpacing the broader market. However, the shares are down roughly 78% from their 2021 peak.

Overall, analysts consider TWLO stock to be a “Moderate Buy,” although the shares - just shy of $100 currently - trade well above the mean price target of $86.32. Out of 26 analysts covering the stock, 11 have a “Strong Buy” rating, 2 have a “Moderate Buy” rating, 11 have a “Hold” rating, 1 has a “Moderate Sell” rating, and 1 has a “Strong Sell” rating.

On the date of publication, Pathikrit Bose did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.