What happened
Pinterest (PINS -0.52%) stock skyrocketed 54.7% in July, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. For context, the S&P 500 returned 5.6% last month.
In 2020, shares of the image-sharing platform operator, which went public in April 2019, are up a whopping 86.7% through Aug. 4. The broader market has returned 3.5% over this period.
Image source: Getty Images.
So what
We can attribute Pinterest stock's powerful performance last month to its July 30 release of second-quarter results that delighted investors. Shares soared 36% the following day.
In Q2, revenue rose 4% year over year to $272.5 million. Growth was driven by a 39% year over year surge in the number of monthly active users (MAUs) to 416 million, which was largely offset by a 21% drop in average revenue per user (ARPU) to $0.70. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a tailwind to user growth because people are spending more time at home. However, it provided a headwind to advertising revenue because the crisis has had a significant negative financial impact on many businesses.
Reported loss per share narrowed 94% year over year to $0.17. Adjusted for one-time items, loss per share widened 17% to $0.07. That result was significantly better than the Wall Street consensus estimate of an adjusted loss per share of $0.13.
Data source: YCharts.
Now what
Pinterest didn't provide full-year 2020 guidance because of the continued uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the company did share that revenue growth for the month of July, through the 29th, was approximately 50% year over year. Taking what appears to be a conservative approach, management guided for third-quarter revenue growth in the mid-30% range year over year.
