Facebook Inc (FB) Shares Soar On Positive Earnings Expectations

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Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) shares are up 2 percent in early afternoon trades. This comes on the heels of positive expectations coming from a poll of the company’s largest advertising clients.

Facebook Inc (FB) Shares Soar On Positive Earnings Expectations

Business Insider conducted the confidential straw poll, which indicates that “robust growth” is likely in Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB)’s future. The publication said the media buyers it polled spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising through Facebook.

In the company’s third quarter, its ad revenue grew by about $200 million year over year. Analysts on Wall Street expect about $1.52 billion in total revenue for the entire year, a $258 million sequential growth, including revenue from sources other than advertising, such as apps and games. The payments revenue for the company’s third quarter was $176 million, which seems to imply that we’ll see only minimal growth in sequential ad revenue.

However Business Insider’s poll seems to indicate that the company will come out ahead of Wall Street expectations. Citing solid previous fourth quarters for Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), the publication said holiday spending drives additional spending in advertising. It also said that analysts may only be expecting modest revenue growth for the company because it has experienced some problems during the quarter, like issues with the fake users or likes, which has been a problem for advertisers. Other issues include problems with Facebook’s mobile ad network, Instagram advertising and news feed algorithms which seem to discriminate against some posts.

Nonetheless, Business Insider’s poll seems to indicate that the fourth quarter of 2012 will be a positive one for Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB). Several advertisers had favorable things to say about the company’s expected revenue from advertising. Of course this poll was largely unscientific, but if it is in any way indicative of what kind of ad revenue we can expect from Facebook during the last quarter, shareholders will be thrilled with the company’s results.

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