Pinterest announces Google ad deal, building on its successful Amazon partnership, during its Q4 2023 earnings call

The news: Pinterest’s Q4 and full-year 2023 results highlighted a period of significant growth and operational efficiency. The company reported net income of $201 million for Q4, a substantial increase from the previous year's $17.5 million. This growth comes despite a net loss of $36 million for the full year.

• Revenues hit $981 million in Q4, a 12% year-over-year increase, with full-year revenues growing by 9% to $3.06 billion.
• Global monthly active users (MAUs) rose to 498 million, setting a record for the platform.
• The company's adjusted EBITDA also saw impressive growth, reaching $365 million in Q4 and $683 million for the full year. The platform held down costs as it bolstered revenues.

Looking ahead: Pinterest anticipates Q1 2024 revenues in the range of $690 million to $705 million, which would represent 15% to 17% YoY growth.

Partner to win: Pinterest's innovative partnership with Amazon, unveiled last year, is starting to bear fruit, showcasing the potential of strategic collaborations in digital advertising. This partnership, highlighted by Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion in a report covered by Benzinga, shows the benefits of synergy between Pinterest's creative platform and Amazon's vast ecommerce ecosystem. Approximately 30% of Pinterest's search term ads now feature Amazon, a figure that increases notably within feed ads.

• The financial implications are substantial, with Champion projecting an additional $120 million in revenues for Pinterest, marking a 4% growth in total revenues stemming from the partnership this year.
• During its earnings call, Pinterest unveiled a Google ad partnership. Despite an initial 28% stock drop due to revenue shortfalls, news of the Google collaboration—already showing promising outcomes in limited testing—spurred a recovery.
• CEO Bill Ready emphasized the Google deal’s potential to enhance international user revenues, addressing the disparity where 80% of users in those markets contribute only 20% of revenues.

Our take: While Pinterest’s strength with Gen Z is a big plus, its real superpower lies in strategic partnerships.

• The platform’s latest results demonstrate its strong market position and ability to drive growth despite challenges. With a record number of users and robust margin expansion (to 37%, up from 22% in Q4 2022), Pinterest is poised for continued success as it leans into its platform's unique value proposition for users and advertisers alike.