Canaccord calls Atlassian stock ‘an interesting BUY’, maintains $225 target
On Tuesday, Canaccord Genuity maintained a Buy rating on Atlassian (NASDAQ:) Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM) with a steady price target of $225.00. The firm highlighted the recent performance of Atlassian’s stock, which has seen a significant rally from around $160 to $190. This increase reflects growing investor expectations ahead of the company’s first fiscal quarter (FQ1) results.
Canaccord observed a valuation landscape where high-quality software stocks are often expensive, while less costly names may be so for good reasons. Atlassian, however, has been seen as a high-quality name at a reasonable price, making it an attractive investment. Despite the stock’s rally, Canaccord believes that Atlassian’s valuation is not excessive, noting the company’s durable growth and expanding margins.
The firm anticipates that buy-side expectations are leaning towards a FQ1 Cloud revenue beat, with estimates suggesting around 29% growth compared to the consensus of 27%. The analysts at Canaccord consider the difference between 28% and 29% growth marginal, indicating that the company’s performance is hovering between good and great. They remain cautiously optimistic regarding Atlassian’s FQ1 results.
Canaccord reiterated its constructive stance on Atlassian’s enterprise opportunities, including the potential for a new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) hire, the ongoing Data Center to Cloud migration, the company’s initiatives in artificial intelligence (AI), and the overall potential for the company to increase product sales, move customers to higher-priced tiers, and charge more for the value delivered.
The firm’s long-term view is that Atlassian is on track to become a Rule of 50 business within the next 18-24 months, which justifies a mid-30x forward free cash flow (FCF) multiple. Canaccord’s analysis suggests that with continued cash flow growth and the possibility of multiple expansion, Atlassian could outperform in the software sector, reinforcing their recommendation of the stock as ‘an interesting BUY’.
In other recent news, Atlassian Corporation reported robust fourth-quarter results with revenues of $4.4 billion and free cash flow exceeding $1.4 billion. The strategic acquisition of Loom is projected to bolster cloud revenue growth in FY25.
Several analyst firms have provided positive feedback on Atlassian’s recent performance. Citi and Goldman Sachs reaffirmed their Buy ratings, while Piper Sandler and Wolfe Research maintained their Overweight and Outperform ratings, respectively. Morgan Stanley positioned Atlassian as their ‘Top Pick’, projecting approximately 25% free cash flow growth.
Atlassian’s recent advancements include the general availability of Rovo and Guard Premium, as well as enhancements to the Jira platform. The introduction of new developer-focused AI agents is expected to drive coding productivity. The company’s cloud security capabilities are also reportedly attracting government and defense customers.
In other recent developments, Atlassian’s co-CEO Scott Farquhar will transition to a board member and special advisory position.
InvestingPro Insights
To complement Canaccord Genuity’s bullish outlook on Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM), recent data from InvestingPro provides additional context for investors. Atlassian’s impressive gross profit margin of 81.57% for the last twelve months as of Q4 2024 aligns with Canaccord’s view of the company as a high-quality software name. This robust margin supports the firm’s expectation of expanding profitability.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Atlassian’s net income is expected to grow this year, which could contribute to the company’s path towards becoming a Rule of 50 business as Canaccord anticipates. Additionally, the company’s strong return over the last month, with a 17.02% price total return, corroborates the stock rally mentioned in the analysis.
It’s worth noting that InvestingPro offers 11 additional tips for Atlassian, providing investors with a more comprehensive view of the company’s financial health and market position. These insights can be particularly valuable given the dynamic nature of the software industry and Atlassian’s ongoing strategic initiatives.
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