Bull Of The Day: XO Group

XO Group (XOXO – Snapshot Report) is a $440 million Internet and media company specializing in products, services and advice related to weddings and pregnancy. The company operates websites, publishes magazines and books, and produces television and video content.

Formerly known as The Knot, XO Group just delivered a strong quarterly report with their sixth consecutive positive EPS surprise. And these aren’t just any earnings beats. The six-quarter average drops to a hefty 287% positive surprise after last week’s comparatively tame 33% beat.

Analysts seemed most impressed with the company’s ongoing revenue transformation whereby the monetization of XO’s vast wedding ecosystem of brides and wedding vendors is being moved from an advertising model to a commission-driven transactions model.

3Q15 results included 46% year-over-year growth in Registry and Commerce revenue which now represents 14% of total revenue. Management reiterated its financial target of double-digit revenue growth, gross margins of 90%-95%, operating margin expansion and adjusted EBITDA margins of 20%+.

Following the report, analysts were quick to raise estimates for this year and next with 2015 earnings projections climbing from $0.30 to $0.37, reflecting more optimism about the current quarter after Q3 delivered 2-cents above consensus. The 2016 EPS consensus also gained 7-cents to $0.51, knocking down their forward P/E multiple to 33X.

Expanding Reach Into the Events of Our Lives

I can’t describe the company’s brands and strategy any better than they do…

Through our family of brands — The Knot, The Nest and The Bump — we inspire, inform and cheer on our community as they move through life’s most amazing (and stressful!) milestones. From the proposal to creating a home and starting a family together, we’re there for every step of the journey.

The wedding-related market is estimated to be worth at least $70 billion. And XO Group is steadily building a platform to capture more pieces of the revenue streams.