Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) released the results from its most recently completed quarter, hitting break-even on a non-GAAP earnings per share basis and posting losses of 23 cents per share on a GAAP basis. Revenue grew 119% year over year to $250 million for the first quarter. On average, analysts had been expecting the micro-blogging company to post losses of 3 cents per share on $4.23 billion in revenue for the quarter.
Twitter investors focus on users
Perhaps the more important number is the number of monthly active users, which was 255 million, a 25% increase year over year. Analysts and investors have been especially focused on user growth, which was Twitter’s weakest area in the last earnings report.
The company reported 198 million mobile monthly active users, a 31% increase. Mobile users made up 78% of total users. Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) reported 157 billion timeline views, a 15% increase, and $1.44 in advertising revenue per thousand timeline views. That’s a 96% increase year over year.
Breaking down Twitter’s results
Of Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR)’s total revenue, advertising revenue rose 125% to $226 million. Mobile advertising revenue made up about 80% of that amount. The company reported $24 million in data licensing and other revenue, a 76% increase. International revenue increased 183% to $70 million and made up 28% of the company’s total revenue.
Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR)’s GAAP net loss widened year over year from $27 million last year to $132 million this year. That included $126 million in stock-based compensation. The company reported $37 million in adjusted EBITDA, compared to $12 million in the same quarter a year ago.
Twitter provides guidance
Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) projected revenue to be between $270 million and $280 million for current quarter. The company estimates that adjusted EBITDA will be between $25 million and $30 million and that stock-based compensation expenses will be between $170 million and $180 million, excluding equity awards which could be granted as part of future acquisitions.
For the full year, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) projects revenue of between $1.2 billion and $1.25 billion and adjusted EBITDA of between $180 million and $205 million. The company expects to spend between $330 million and $390 million on capital expenditures and between $640 million and $690 million on stock-based compensation, excluding equity awards that are part of future acquisitions.
