Abacus FCF Advisors Cuts Spotify Stake 11.5% as Q3 Revenue Tops Estimates by $780M
Abacus FCF Advisors reduced its Spotify stake 11.5% to 26,735 shares worth $18.66M in Q3. Q3 revenue of $5.01B beat estimates by $780M and EPS of $3.83 topped forecasts by $1.96, prompting Citigroup to lift its price target to $750.
1. Consensus Price Target Suggests 32.1% Upside
Wall Street analysts tracking Spotify Technology have set a consensus price target implying a 32.12% potential gain from current levels. This upside projection reflects 34 distinct analyst forecasts collated by research aggregator MarketBeat, with price objectives ranging from $640 to $900. While long-term studies indicate that consensus targets often fail to predict actual returns, a recent string of upward earnings estimate revisions—seven upgrades versus two downgrades over the past month—may signal renewed momentum in Spotify’s core streaming and advertising segments.
2. Notable Institutional Portfolio Adjustments
During the third quarter, Abacus FCF Advisors LLC trimmed its Spotify holding by 11.5%, selling 3,468 shares and ending the period with 26,735 shares, representing 2.5% of the fund’s assets. This downsizing reduced Abacus’ Spotify exposure to a reported $18.66 million. Other investors also shifted positions: Simplify Asset Management initiated a $0.57 million stake, Albion Financial Group increased its holding by 80% to 45 shares, Annex Advisory Services added 4,202 shares for a stake valued at $40.6 million, FFG Partners boosted its position by 7.4% (16,445 shares), and Ethic Inc. upped its allocation by 3.1% (22,508 shares). Collectively, institutions now own 84.09% of the company’s outstanding stock.
3. Analyst Ratings and Revision Trends
Equity research houses have been active: Citigroup raised its target from $715 to $750 with a Neutral rating; Cantor Fitzgerald lifted its objective from $640 to $675 (Neutral); Pivotal Research trimmed its forecast from $900 to $875 while maintaining a Buy stance; Wall Street Zen upgraded to Buy, and Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a Hold (C+). Two firms assign Strong Buy, 23 rate Buy and nine Hold, yielding an average recommendation of Moderate Buy. Moreover, analysts have collectively increased full-year earnings per share estimates by 4.8% over the past two quarters, tracking accelerated ad-supported revenue growth and improved podcast monetization.