Robinhood skeptics: “We expect to see volatility ahead”
Citi analysts, who have a “neutral” rating on Robinhood Markets, acknowledged the company’s better-than-expected Q4 numbers released Wednesday, and even raised their price target to $60 a share from $45.
But they sounded a cautious note, citing both the one-off deferred tax benefit that bolstered the bottom line as well as the role of crypto — an asset with a history of volatility — in juicing activity among traders.
“As long as the current backdrop can be maintained, particularly crypto prices, HOOD is likely to see support, but we expect to see volatility ahead... HOOD is trading at 42x/38x our 25/26 EPS, which is pricing in much of the growth potential in our view. While we have grown incrementally more positive on the fundamental outlook, we prefer to wait for a more reasonable entry point at present.”
(Full disclosure: Sherwood Media is an editorially independent subsidiary of Robinhood Markets Inc. I own Robinhood stock as part of my compensation.)