Why Shares of eBay Are Surging Today
What happened
Shares of eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) jumped on Wednesday after the e-commerce company reported its first-quarter results. eBay beat analyst estimates for both revenue and earnings, although growth was sluggish. The stock was up about 5% at 11:15 a.m. EDT.
So what
eBay reported first-quarter revenue of $2.64 billion, up 2.4% year over year and $60 million higher than analysts were expecting. Revenue was up 4% on a constant-currency basis. eBay had a gross merchandise value of $22.6 billion during the quarter, down 4% year over year, or down 1% adjusted for currency.
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Non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share came in at $0.67, up from $0.53 in the prior-year period and $0.04 better than analysts were expecting. The company grew active buyers by 4% across its platforms, and it made progress in its managed payments initiative. The company intermediated $220 million in gross merchandise volume (GMV) during the quarter, up 61% year over year.
eBay also took a dig at Amazon in its quarterly report: "The company made measurable progress against protecting its unique advantage as a true marketplace in service of -- not in competition with -- sellers of all sizes, improving how people buy and sell on the platform."
Now what
Along with reporting better-than-expected results, eBay raised its full-year guidance. The company now expects full-year revenue between $10.83 billion and $10.93 billion, and non-GAAP EPS between $2.64 and $2.70. That's up from previous guidance calling for revenue of $10.7 billion to $10.9 billion, and non-GAAP EPS of $2.62 to $2.68.
While eBay's results beat expectations, gross merchandise volume is still in decline. That's not great news, especially with overall e-commerce sales in the U.S. marching higher by a double-digit percentage annually. In the long run, eBay will need to move more merchandise through its platform in order to drive revenue and earnings higher.
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John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Timothy Green has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool recommends eBay. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
