RDDT Q1 Earnings Call: Advertising Growth, International Expansion, and Product Investment Shape Outlook

Online community and discussion platform Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) reported Q1 CY2025 results topping the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 61.5% year on year to $392.4 million. On the other hand, next quarter’s revenue guidance of $420 million was less impressive, coming in 1.2% below analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.64 per share was 25.9% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

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StockStory’s Take

Reddit’s first quarter results were influenced by rapid growth in advertising revenue, product enhancements, and expanding international markets. Management attributed the quarter’s momentum to improvements in ad targeting, new ad formats, and increasing engagement from both users and advertisers. COO Jen Wong stated the company saw "broad-based strength across objectives, channels, verticals, and geographies," notably highlighting the adoption of Reddit’s dynamic product ads and machine translation features.

Looking ahead, management’s guidance was shaped by ongoing product investments, evolving user behavior, and anticipated variability from macroeconomic factors and changes in online search dynamics. CEO Steve Huffman acknowledged potential near-term fluctuations, citing "some bumps along the way from Google" due to ongoing algorithm changes, but emphasized that Reddit’s long-term strategy remains focused on user growth, international expansion, and product development. CFO Drew Vollero reiterated the company’s commitment to growing revenue at twice the rate of costs to maintain profitability.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Reddit’s leadership highlighted a combination of product innovation, advertiser demand, and operational discipline as the main drivers of Q1 performance. Deviations from consensus expectations were largely attributed to stronger-than-expected ad pricing and international momentum, while operational efficiency contributed to margin improvements.

• Advertising Platform Expansion: Reddit’s advertising business saw growth across brand and performance objectives, with mid-market and SMB (small and medium-sized business) advertisers driving active advertiser growth. Over 50% year-over-year growth in active advertisers was reported, bolstered by improvements in ad solutions and measurement tools.
• International User and Revenue Growth: International ad revenue increased 83% year-over-year, outpacing growth in the U.S., aided by machine translation and focused market playbooks. Management emphasized that France, Spain, and Brazil are growing nearly twice as fast as other international markets.
• Product Enhancements: The launch and expansion of Reddit Answers (an AI-powered search tool) reached 1 million weekly users, and integration of new posting and moderation tools improved user contribution rates and content quality. Dynamic Product Ads, still in beta, delivered higher returns on ad spend and are a focus for further scaling.
• Operational Efficiency: Cost control remained a priority, with adjusted costs rising 19% against 61% revenue growth. Investments were concentrated in sales coverage and engineering, particularly in ad tech, machine learning, and internationalization.
• Data Licensing and AI Partnerships: Data licensing revenue grew 66% year-over-year as partnerships with AI companies continued. Management views ongoing deals as essential for maintaining Reddit’s relevance in AI and search verticals, though renewal timelines remain uncertain.

Drivers of Future Performance

Management’s outlook for the upcoming quarter and year centers on continued product enhancements, advertiser demand, and international expansion, while acknowledging platform traffic variability and macroeconomic uncertainty.

• Product and Ad Platform Development: Further integration of AI-powered search, improvements in ad targeting, and rollout of dynamic product ads are expected to support both user engagement and advertiser outcomes, with ongoing investment in engineering and technology.
• International Expansion Focus: Management is prioritizing growth in non-U.S. markets, using machine translation and localized strategies to drive user and advertiser adoption. Early results in select countries show higher growth rates than average.
• Search Ecosystem Volatility: Changes in search algorithms and the broader shift toward AI-generated answers may impact traffic and user acquisition in the short term. Management recognizes this as an area of potential fluctuation but remains confident in Reddit’s differentiated value proposition.

Top Analyst Questions

• Ron Josey (Citi): Asked about macroeconomic impacts on ad spend and user growth given Google algorithm changes. Management acknowledged volatility but highlighted product improvements as the main driver of long-term user growth.
• Andrew Boone (JMP Securities): Inquired about the drivers of ad pricing increases and the evolution of Reddit Answers. COO Jen Wong pointed to enhanced advertiser outcomes and competitive pricing, while CEO Steve Huffman described plans to integrate Answers into core search functionality.
• Benjamin Black (Deutsche Bank): Questioned sustainability of data licensing revenue and trends in user contribution rates. Management sees ongoing AI partnerships as supportive but noted that it is too early to discuss renewals.
• Tom Champion (Piper Sandler): Pressed on machine translation’s impact on search indexing and cost discipline despite high revenue growth. Reddit confirmed positive collaboration with Google and emphasized revenue growth outpacing cost as a guiding principle.
• John Colantuoni (Jefferies): Sought clarity on the main medium-term ad revenue growth drivers and progress with dynamic product ads. Management cited the scale channel, performance ad objectives, and international opportunities as key contributors.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

As we look to future quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the pace of adoption and engagement with Reddit Answers and dynamic product ads, (2) international user and advertiser growth, especially in markets where machine translation and localized playbooks have been deployed, and (3) the stability of platform traffic in light of ongoing changes to search algorithms. The sustainability of data licensing revenue and the impact of new moderation and posting tools on user experience will also be important markers.

Reddit currently trades at a forward EV/EBITDA ratio of 36.8×. Is the company at an inflection point that warrants a buy or sell? Find out in our free research report.

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