Spotify Technology Option Alert: Jun, 2027 $650 Calls Sweep (3) near the Ask: 35 vs 11 OI

Spotify Technology Option Alert: Jun, 2027 $650 Calls Sweep (3) near the Ask: 35 @ $171.5 vs 11 OI; Ref=$615.0

Spotify Technology Option Alert: Jul 18 $630 Calls at the Bid: 300 vs 111 OI

Spotify Technology Option Alert: Jul 18 $630 Calls at the Bid: 300 @ $54.0 vs 111 OI; Ref=$633.995

Spotify Technology Option Alert: May 30 $550 Calls Sweep (4) near the Ask: 107 vs 115 OI

Spotify Technology Option Alert: May 30 $550 Calls Sweep (4) near the Ask: 107 @ $86.55 vs 115 OI; Ref=$629.7

Spotify Technology (NYSE:SPOT) Bolsa

Spotify Technology

Spotify is the leading global music streaming service provider, with nearly 700 million monthly active users and over 250 million paying subscribers, with the latter constituting the firm's premium segment. Most of the firm's revenue and nearly all its gross profit come from the subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to access a music library that consists of most of the most popular songs ever recorded, including all from the major record labels. The firm also sells separate audiobook subscriptions and integrates podcasts within its standard music app. Podcast content is not exclusive and is typically free to access on other platforms. Ad-supported users can access a similar music catalog but cannot customize a similar on-demand experience.

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ValueAct reestructura su cartera con apuestas en Meta y Amazon, pero su salida de Spotify genera dudas. ¿Estrategia o error costoso?

ValueAct invierte 1.000 M$ en Meta y se retira de Spotify: ¿fue un error millonario?

AAPL

ARKW

GOOG

GOOGL

Ark Invest vendió acciones de Spotify por 3,9 millones de dólares en un momento crítico para la empresa. ¿Cómo afecta esto al mercado?

Ark Invest vende acciones de Spotify (SPOT) mientras YouTube gana terreno en pódcast

Tech

YouTube supera a Spotify con 1.000 millones de oyentes mensuales de pódcast. Descubre cómo este crecimiento impacta a creadores y usuarios.

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Spotify Technology SA

SPOTLIO AS by SPOTLIO AS

Spot Coffee (Canada) Ltd

SPOTLITE360 IOT SOLUTION by SpotLite360 IOT Solutions Inc.

SpotLite360 IOT Solutions Inc

SPOTLIGHT HOMES INC by Spotlight Homes, Inc.

Spotlight Homes Inc

SPOTLIGHT CAP HLDGS INC by Spotlight Capital Holdings, Inc.

spotlight Capital Holdings Inc

Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $675 to $725.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Guggenheim Maintains Buy on Spotify Technology, Raises Price Target to $725

Editor&rsquo;s note: This article was originally published on Forbes in September 2024. It has been updated in May 2025 to reflect new milestones, metrics and brand expansions.
<div>
<hr /></div>
&quot;I never thought long-form content would be something I would fall in love with,&quot; says Thomas Araujo, better known to millions as <a href="https://elplanteo.com/dope-as-yola/">Dope as Yola</a>. As he launches new business ventures and celebrates personal milestones, his journey from cannabis enthusiast to cultural icon offers a compelling narrative of passion, perseverance and authenticity.
Born and raised in a community where <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/cannabis">cannabis culture</a> was both a refuge and a taboo, Thomas discovered his love for the plant at a young age. Despite societal stigma, he found in cannabis a friend, a constant in his life even as everything else changed. &quot;My relationship with weed is a friend that never moved out,&quot; he shares, reflecting on his early days of experimentation and exploration.
In 2012, at the age of 22, Thomas debuted as Dope as Yola, carving out a niche in the burgeoning world of cannabis content creation. His early videos featured product reviews and playful recreations of famous movie scenes with a cannabis twist. &quot;I was showing my face with weed on Instagram before anybody else, so I got a huge following,&quot; he recalls. These early efforts laid the groundwork for what would become a massive, dedicated fanbase.
<h2>Forget Adventure Time: It&rsquo;s Story Time!</h2>
The breakthrough came with his &quot;Story Time&quot; segments, where he recounted personal anecdotes with humor and honesty. These stories resonated with viewers, many of whom saw themselves in his experiences. &quot;When I look back, I realize the amount of stupid things I&#39;ve done. And I think people can relate to it,&quot; Thomas explains. The organic connection he fostered with his audience was key to his growth, creating a community that felt more like friends than followers.
Also read:&nbsp;<a class="post-card-article-link" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/25/05/45263739/they-turned-fruit-bouquets-into-a-500m-a-year-businessnow-theyre-selling-thc-heres-why">They Turned Fruit Bouquets Into A $500 Million-A-Year Business&mdash;Now They&#39;re Selling THC. Here&#39;s Why</a>
As his popularity soared, so did his ventures. Thomas co-founded The Dopest Shop, offering hemp-derived products that provide a federally legal alternative to THC. Partnering with John Castaldi and Claudio Hand, he launched a range of disposable vapes, vape cartridges, edibles, concentrates and pre-rolls. &quot;Cannabinoids like THCA are naturally occurring, found in cannabis, and provide extremely similar effects as THC,&quot; Claudio explains. The product line quickly filled a niche in states where THC remains illegal, bringing high-quality cannabis experiences to underserved areas.
<h2>Pushing Boundaries: The Growth Of Push Trees</h2>
Thomas&rsquo;s clothing brand, Push Trees, has become a symbol of his entrepreneurial evolution. Originally launched as a fun side project to support his content creation, it quickly grew into a business cornerstone. Reflecting on the brand&rsquo;s growth, Thomas acknowledges its pivotal role in his journey: &quot;This brand has fully supported me on my content creation journey; it&#39;s the ONLY way I was able to financially survive.&quot;
Over the years, Thomas faced the unique challenges of building a streetwear brand closely tied to cannabis culture. However, the organic, grassroots support from his fanbase helped him break through. &quot;Our biggest obstacle has always been growth and getting the name out there, but we have fully overcome that hump with the authentic dedication from our fan base,&quot; he explains.
In a pivotal moment for Push Trees, Thomas secured a partnership with Zumiez, a popular action sports retailer. His condition was clear: &quot;The process took 5 days, 1 meeting, and the deal was done&hellip; with one condition. That condition is that I retain 100% creative control of every single aspect.&quot; As of 2025, Push Trees is available in over 200 Zumiez locations nationwide. The brand&rsquo;s rapid growth reflects the power of genuine fan support. &quot;We sold out in almost all of the stores within 4 days of launching,&quot; Thomas proudly notes.
<h2>Going Mainstream: A Spotify Partnership, A TED Talk&hellip; What Else?</h2>
Another defining moment in Thomas&rsquo;s career came when his &quot;Dope As Usual&quot; podcast caught the attention of Spotify (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/spot#NYSE">SPOT</a>). What started as a routine upload to the platform evolved into a full-fledged partnership. &quot;The process with Spotify was extremely organic&hellip; we just upload our podcast to their platform like any other show would,&quot; he says.
The &quot;Dope As Usual&quot; podcast quickly gained traction, ranking in Spotify&rsquo;s top 25 comedy shows globally within its first month. As of May 2025, the podcast has amassed tens of millions of views and more than 2 billion minutes of watch time, even becoming a big hit in Europe. Early access to Spotify&#39;s video features amplified their reach.
Thomas and his co-host, Marty O&rsquo;Neill, made history as the first podcast duo to present at a TED Talk. Their talk, &quot;Business in the Digital Age,&quot; focused on resilience and adaptability. &quot;We needed to be on our A-game and show the world that cannabis and content creation can be viable businesses that should be taken seriously,&quot; Thomas explains.
Beyond media, Thomas is expanding into new entrepreneurial territory with the launch of his rolling paper brand. The idea began in 2019 with Raw Rolling Papers and has since evolved into a collaboration with Blazy Susan. While the release date has not yet been announced, the drop is expected soon.
Also read:&nbsp;<a class="post-card-article-link" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/25/04/44992856/willy-wonka-of-weed-opens-the-doors-to-the-raw-factory-heres-what-we-saw">&#39;Willy Wonka Of Weed&#39; Opens The Doors To The RAW Factory: Here&#39;s What We Saw</a>
&quot;I want to approach this marketing direction the same way I do everything else&mdash;authentically going from hand to hand, fan to fan&hellip; word of mouth is more powerful than any ad in my eyes,&quot; Thomas asserts. This ethos extends to all of Thomas&rsquo;s ventures: prioritizing authenticity over flashy ads.
<h2>The &lsquo;Weedtuber&rsquo; Who Made It&mdash;Big</h2>
With approximately 1.97 million YouTube subscribers as of May 2025, Thomas is on the verge of becoming the first &quot;weedtuber&quot; to hit 2 million. &quot;I think the reason I continue to grow on YouTube (despite the pushback) is because I&#39;m truly just having fun, showing you places you may have never heard of, strains from around the world, events you may have not been able to make,&quot; he says.
Beyond cannabis, it&rsquo;s Thomas&rsquo;s relatability that resonates. &quot;My stories seem to resonate with people because of the raw truth that comes with them. I always want to make sure I let people know it&rsquo;s okay to mess up, not know what to do next, or feel lost&hellip; We all have, and you are not alone,&quot; he says.
Looking ahead, Thomas plans to continue growing The Dopest Shop, expand Push Trees into new retail locations and scale his rolling paper brand. With every move, he reaffirms what makes him unique in the cannabis and content world: an unshakable commitment to authenticity and community.
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This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2024/09/17/weed-youtuber-dope-as-yola-scores-big-with-spotify-deal-word-of-mouth-is-more-powerful-than-ads/">Forbes</a> and appears here with permission. The article is from an external source. It does not represent Benzinga&#39;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
Follow me on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.twitter.com/javierhasse" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/javierhasse/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.&nbsp;Check out&nbsp;my&nbsp;<a href="https://elplanteo.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;some of my other work&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/cannabis" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Cannabis

General

From Cannabis YouTuber To Spotify Star: Dope As Yola Says 'Word Of Mouth Beats Ads'

On CNBC's &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/05/07/final-trades-shake-shack-wynn-resorts-spotify-and-the-iyf.html">Halftime Report Final Trades</a>,&#8221; Joshua Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, said he is bullish on Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHAK#NYSE">SHAK</a>), which reported quarterly earnings last week. The company will open 40 to 50 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SHAK/earnings">new company-operated stores this year, he noted.</a>
On May 1, the company reported quarterly adjusted earnings per share of 14 cents, missing the street view of 16 cents. Quarterly sales of $320.90 million (up 10.5%) missed the analyst consensus estimate of $328.08 million.
Jim Lebenthal of Cerity Partners said the international expansion makes Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WYNN#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) a growth stock.
On the earnings front, Wynn Resorts reported quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share on May 6, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.19 per share. The company also reported quarterly sales of $1.70 billion, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.74 billion.
Don't forget to check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
Shannon Saccocia, chief investment officer of NB Private Wealth, named iShares U.S. Financials ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYF#NYSE">IYF</a>) as her final trade, saying lack of new regulation is a driver here.
Joseph M. Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, said Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) hit another all-time high.
Spotify reported quarterly earnings of $1.13 per share on April 29, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.33. However, the company&#8217;s quarterly sales of $4.41 billion (4.19 billion euros), up 15% year over year, beat the analyst consensus estimate of $4.20 billion.
Price Action:
<ul>
<li>Shake Shack shares climbed 3.3% to close at $101.93 on Wednesday.</li>
<li>Wynn Resorts shares rose 0.7% to $84.12 during Wednesday's session.</li>
<li>iShares U.S. Financials ETF rose 0.6% on Wednesday..</li>
<li>Spotify shares climbed 3.8% to settle at $657.10.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45250672/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-give-their-take-on-3-industrials-stocks-delivering-high-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Industrials Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields</a></li>
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Photo: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Media

Trading Ideas

iShares Dow Jones US Financial Sector Index Fund

SHAK

WYNN

Spotify, Shake Shack, Wynn Resorts And More: CNBC's 'Final Trades'

CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades: Shake Shack, Wynn Resorts, Spotify Technology, iShares U.S. Financial ETF

High-rolling investors have positioned themselves bullish on Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>), and it's important for retail traders to take note. 
\This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in SPOT often signals that someone has privileged information.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 14 options trades for Spotify Technology. This is not a typical pattern.
The sentiment among these major traders is split, with 42% bullish and 35% bearish. Among all the options we identified, there was one put, amounting to $240,970, and 13 calls, totaling $3,143,385.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $400.0 to $700.0 for Spotify Technology during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Spotify Technology options trades today is 373.67 with a total volume of 526.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Spotify Technology's big money trades within a strike price range of $400.0 to $700.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Spotify Technology 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1746543651_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>SPOT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$57.85</td>
<td>$53.55</td>
<td>$54.0</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>$1.6M</td>
<td align="right">111</td>
<td align="right">312</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPOT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/30/25</td>
<td>$86.55</td>
<td>$85.5</td>
<td>$86.55</td>
<td>$550.00</td>
<td>$926.0K</td>
<td align="right">115</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPOT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$25.4</td>
<td>$22.85</td>
<td>$24.13</td>
<td>$650.00</td>
<td>$240.9K</td>
<td align="right">630</td>
<td align="right">100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPOT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$237.5</td>
<td>$234.3</td>
<td>$237.5</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$95.0K</td>
<td align="right">345</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPOT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/30/25</td>
<td>$34.95</td>
<td>$29.75</td>
<td>$34.0</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>$85.0K</td>
<td align="right">33</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Spotify Technology</h3>
Spotify is the leading global music streaming service provider, with nearly 700 million monthly active users and over 250 million paying subscribers, with the latter constituting the firm's premium segment. Most of the firm's revenue and nearly all its gross profit come from the subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to access a music library that consists of most of the most popular songs ever recorded, including all from the major record labels. The firm also sells separate audiobook subscriptions and integrates podcasts within its standard music app. Podcast content is not exclusive and is typically free to access on other platforms. Ad-supported users can access a similar music catalog but cannot customize a similar on-demand experience.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Spotify Technology, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Spotify Technology's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 346,473, with SPOT's price down by -0.14%, positioned at $636.75.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 77 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Spotify Technology</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $607.4.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Overweight rating for Spotify Technology, targeting a price of $640. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Loop Capital keeps a Hold rating on Spotify Technology with a target price of $550. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Overweight rating for Spotify Technology, targeting a price of $670. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Rosenblatt keeps a Neutral rating on Spotify Technology with a target price of $657. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald continues to hold a Neutral rating for Spotify Technology, targeting a price of $520. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Spotify Technology, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Decoding Spotify Technology's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?

In a week dominated <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">by earnings buzz</a>, a seismic shift in the app economy flew under the radar: a federal court gutted Apple Inc's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) 27% commission on alternative in-app payments &#8211; handing Epic a big win and developers a rare moment of leverage.
JPMorgan analyst Cory A. Carpenter says the ruling didn't get nearly the attention it deserved.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45185355/apple-braces-for-900-million-tariff-impact-tim-cook-discusses-potential-iphone-manufacturing-shift-to-us-with-lutnick-and-more-this-week-in-appleverse">Apple Braces For $900 Million Tariff Impact, Tim Cook Discusses Potential iPhone Manufacturing Shift To US With Lutnick And More: This Week In Appleverse</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Epic Gets The Last Laugh &#8211; For Now</h2>
After a multi-year legal saga, Apple's attempt to cling to commissions on external payments has unraveled. The latest ruling declares that Apple cannot charge a commission on alternative payments, effective immediately. That's already materialized in Spotify Technology SA's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) latest app update, which Carpenter notes was approved without commission fees.
Developers are expected to jump on the opportunity. We expect &#8220;developers to flood the app store with similar updates in the coming days," said Carpenter.
Apple is appealing the decision. But unlike before, it must comply in the meantime—developers have at least two months to implement zero-commission alternatives unless the Ninth Circuit grants a stay.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Google: The Chill Bystander</h2>
Meanwhile, "Google Play transactions are not impacted by this ruling." That's because Alphabet Inc&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google already offers its "User Choice" billing in many countries, with slightly lower fees &#8211; 11% for subscriptions and 26% for in-app purchases.
Carpenter points out that "Google's subscription service fee of 15% is already half that of Apple's 30% service fee."
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Margin Gains Incoming?</h2>
If the ruling holds, developers stand to benefit. Carpenter estimates annual margin boosts of:
<ul>
<li>Match Group Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTCH#NASDAQ">MTCH</a>)/Bumble Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bmbl#NASDAQ">BMBL</a>): 3–6%</li>
<li>Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ttwo#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>): 1–2%</li>
<li>Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>): ~0.5%</li>
<li>Playstudios Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/myps#NASDAQ">MYPS</a>): 3–7%</li>
</ul>
AppLovin Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>) may also gain indirectly as developers redirect savings to user acquisition.
A decision on the stay could take two months. But for now, the power dynamic has shifted &#8211; if only temporarily.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45189765/sp-rally-may-be-topping-out-dan-niles-warns-amid-demand-pull-in-economic-uncertainty-and-sell-the-news-risk">S&amp;P Rally May Be Topping Out, Dan Niles Warns, Amid Demand Pull-In, Economic Uncertainty, And &#8216;Sell The News&#8217; Risk</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

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BMBL

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TTWO

Apple's 27% Fee Cut Is Good News For Epic, App Developers, Google Remains Unaffected

President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;is expected to soon sign into law the "Take It Down Act," a sweeping bipartisan measure that targets the spread of nonconsensual, sexually&nbsp;explicit <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/04/45057271/donald-trump-set-to-sign-landmark-take-it-down-act-as-congress-targets-deepfake-images-and-videos" rel="noreferrer noopener">deepfake images&nbsp;and videos online</a>.
Trump&nbsp;will provide some relief to U.S. manufacturers by reportedly easing some duties imposed on foreign parts in<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45059191/donald-trump-will-reduce-impact-on-us-auto-industry-by-alleviating-some-auto-tarrifs-report" rel="noreferrer noopener"> domestically manufactured vehicles</a>.
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives advanced a reform proposed by Rep.&nbsp;Sam Graves&nbsp;(R-MO), which tabled a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45127530/house-republicans-advance-rep-sam-gravess-proposal-to-charge-250-annual-fee-on-evs-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">$250 annual fee on all EVs</a>.
Earnings Results
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) reported first-quarter revenue of $42.31 billion, beating analyst estimates of $41.39 billion and earnings of $6.43 per share, easily beating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/45117948/meta-q1-earnings-eps-beat-revenue-up-16-ai-approaches-1-billion-monthly-actives-capital-expenditures-forecast-raised" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst estimates of $5.21 per share</a>.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $95.36 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates of $94.53 billion and earnings of $1.65 per share, beating analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45152493/apple-reports-strong-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-installed-base-hits-all-time-high-across-all-segments-100-billion-buyback-and-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates of $1.63 per share</a>.
Smartphones &amp; Applications
Apple is reportedly considering a shift of iPhone assembly to India. However, a renowned analyst has expressed skepticism about the potential effectiveness of this move in mitigating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45032214/analyst-questions-apples-reported-iphone-shift-to-india-amid-china-tariff-pressures-doesnt-solve-all-the-problems" rel="noreferrer noopener">the impact of China tariffs</a>.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the tech giant expects a $900 million cost impact in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45156890/apple-ceo-tim-cook-warns-of-900-million-tariff-impact-in-june-quarter-expects-majority-of-iphones-sold-in-us-to-be-made-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the June quarter due to tariffs</a>.
As Washington cranks up&nbsp;the tariff pressure,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;may have already played its smartest card: doubling down on India for assembly and investing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/45039357/apples-india-game-plan-looks-smarter-as-tariff-heat-rises-analyst-highlights-4-stocks-that-could-benefit" rel="noreferrer noopener">deeper into U.S. component suppliers</a>.
U.S. District Judge&nbsp;Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers&nbsp;found&nbsp;Apple and one of its top executives in contempt of court, accusing them of deliberately evading a 2021 injunction meant to curb the&nbsp;tech giant&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126668/apple-lied-under-oath-judge-says-tim-cook-ignored-internal-warnings-in-epic-games-case-fallout-this-is-an-injunction-not-a-negotiation" rel="noreferrer noopener">control&nbsp;over&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126668/apple-lied-under-oath-judge-says-tim-cook-ignored-internal-warnings-in-epic-games-case-fallout-this-is-an-injunction-not-a-negotiation" rel="noreferrer noopener">App Store</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126668/apple-lied-under-oath-judge-says-tim-cook-ignored-internal-warnings-in-epic-games-case-fallout-this-is-an-injunction-not-a-negotiation" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;payments</a>.
Following a U.S. court ruling that found&nbsp;Apple violated the spirit of an injunction against&nbsp;anti-steering practices,&nbsp;Epic Games, backed by&nbsp;Tencent Holdings (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>), has offered to bring&nbsp;Fortnite&nbsp;back to the&nbsp;App Store&nbsp;if the tech giant <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/04/45123864/apple-ordered-to-ease-app-store-rules-in-us-epic-games-ceo-tim-sweeney-proposes-peace-deal-saying-well-return-fortnite-and-drop-all-litigation-only-if" rel="noreferrer noopener">fulfills this one condition</a>.
Spotify Technologies&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) defended its $11.99 Premium plan while signaling that future price hikes could be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/04/45090328/spotify-defends-11-99-price-tag-but-executive-says-raising-prices-is-now-part-of-our-toolbox-can-music-escape-the-inflation-gauntlet" rel="noreferrer noopener">part of its long-term strategy</a>.
Technology
Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) introduced&nbsp;Qwen 3,&nbsp;its most advanced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45057716/alibabas-qwen-3-launch-takes-aim-at-deepseeks-disruption-and-baidus-ernie-turbo-models" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence model yet.</a>
Meta&nbsp;has announced the launch of a standalone AI app that will compete with the likes of&nbsp;OpenAI's&nbsp;ChatGPT,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45075691/meta-launches-ai-app-to-compete-with-chatgpt-gemini-grok" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google's</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45075691/meta-launches-ai-app-to-compete-with-chatgpt-gemini-grok" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Gemini&nbsp;and xAI's Grok</a>.
Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) CEO&nbsp;Sundar Pichai&nbsp;revealed ongoing talks with&nbsp;Apple to integrate the company&#8217;s Gemini AI into iPhones, amid federal regulators' push to rein in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/05/45128130/google-aims-for-gemini-ai-deal-with-apple-this-year-says-sundar-pichai-amid-dojs-bid-to-curb-search-monopoly" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google&#8217;s&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/05/45128130/google-aims-for-gemini-ai-deal-with-apple-this-year-says-sundar-pichai-amid-dojs-bid-to-curb-search-monopoly" rel="noreferrer noopener">dominance in online search</a>.
Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO&nbsp;Jensen Huang&nbsp;told U.S. lawmakers that&nbsp;export restrictions on AI chips&nbsp;may be helping China&#8217;s&nbsp;Huawei Technologies&nbsp;gain a competitive foothold in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45157365/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-warns-us-lawmakers-that-export-bans-are-backfiring-fueling-huaweis-rise-in-global-ai-chip-race" rel="noreferrer noopener">global artificial intelligence race</a>.
Automobiles &amp; Defense
Pershing Square&#8216;s&nbsp;Bill Ackman&nbsp;has hailed&nbsp;Amazon.com Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) founder&nbsp;Jeff Bezos-backed&nbsp;Slate Auto as the company recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45033046/bill-ackman-hails-jeff-bezos-backed-tesla-rival-slate-auto-says-it-will-be-a-big-success" rel="noreferrer noopener">revealed its $20,000 EV truck</a>.
Tesla&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Chinese division is developing an affordable version of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/04/45032179/tesla-reportedly-developing-a-cheaper-model-y-e80-variant-with-fewer-features-in-china" rel="noreferrer noopener">popular Model Y crossover SUV</a>.
Ross Gerber&nbsp;has called out&nbsp;Tesla&#8216;s&nbsp;rumored Model Y E80, which is slated to be a more affordable <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45033764/tesla-bull-ross-gerber-slams-rumored-affordable-model-y-e80-just-4-wheels-and-you" rel="noreferrer noopener">version of the new Model Y</a>.
Tesla said that the company expects the first units of the Semi to enter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45060435/teslas-first-batch-of-semi-trucks-to-roll-out-from-nevada-plant-by-late-2025-despite-disruption-from-trumps-145-tariffs" rel="noreferrer noopener">production by the end of the year.</a>
Tesla is ramping up the production of its Semi Truck as the company reportedly added over 1,000 Workers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45092570/tesla-adds-1000-workers-at-nevada-gigafactory-to-fuel-elon-musks-semi-truck-ambitions-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">to its Nevada Giga factory</a>.
Dan Ives&nbsp;refuses to acknowledge&nbsp;Alphabet&#8216;s&nbsp;and&nbsp;Toyota Motor Corp&#8216;s&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TM#NYSE">TM</a>) partnership&nbsp;as a threat to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126638/tesla-will-own-the-autonomous-market-dan-ives-says-shrugging-off-waymo-toyota-agreement" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126638/tesla-will-own-the-autonomous-market-dan-ives-says-shrugging-off-waymo-toyota-agreement" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;s&nbsp;Robotaxi ambitions</a>.
Elon Musk&#8216;s space-based internet service provider,&nbsp;Starlink, could reportedly face delays in its plans to expand into India <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/04/45037304/elon-musks-india-ambitions-face-regulatory-hurdles-amid-uncertainty-around-starlink-license-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">due to regulatory requirements</a>.
Future Fund&#8216;s noted investor,&nbsp;Gary Black, has raised questions over&nbsp;Tesla marketing strategy as&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;says his brand can be the "most <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/45063886/elon-musk-wants-tesla-to-be-most-valuable-company-in-the-world-but-top-investor-doubts-ev-giants-rise-without-apple-style-marketing-strategy" rel="noreferrer noopener">valuable company" in the world</a>.&nbsp;
Airbus SE&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EADSF#OTC">EADSF</a>) has agreed to take over assets owned by&nbsp;Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPR#NYSE">SPR</a>) in a boost to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45035715/airbus-finalizes-deal-with-spirit-to-take-over-assets-paving-way-for-boeing-acquisition" rel="noreferrer noopener">manufacturer&#8217;s acquisition by&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45035715/airbus-finalizes-deal-with-spirit-to-take-over-assets-paving-way-for-boeing-acquisition" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boeing Co. </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45035715/airbus-finalizes-deal-with-spirit-to-take-over-assets-paving-way-for-boeing-acquisition" rel="noreferrer noopener">(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>)</a>.
Stellantis&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>) parent company of Dodge and Jeep, will debut a solid-state <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45061846/stellantis-announces-breakthrough-solid-state-battery-with-factorial-energy-company-says-technology-will-debut-in-2026-demo-fleet" rel="noreferrer noopener">battery in the Charger EV</a>.&nbsp;
Stellantis&nbsp;will reportedly move some of its production activities into the U.S. as the company grapples with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45133236/chrysler-jeep-owner-stellantis-to-move-some-auto-production-into-the-us-to-avoid-tariffs" rel="noreferrer noopener">uncertainty caused by U.S. auto tariffs</a>.
General Motors Co.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) recalled over 877,000 vehicles with the 6.2-liter V8 engine due to possible defects. The company has also issued a stop-sale <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45065511/general-motors-recalls-877000-trucks-and-suvs-due-to-faulty-engine" rel="noreferrer noopener">order for the affected models</a>.
Mercedes-Benz Group&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MBGAF#OTC">MBGAF</a>) pulled its 2025 earnings guidance, citing uncertainty over U.S. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45095342/mercedes-benz-pulls-annual-earnings-guidance-as-sales-decline-and-tariff-uncertainty-looms" rel="noreferrer noopener">President&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45095342/mercedes-benz-pulls-annual-earnings-guidance-as-sales-decline-and-tariff-uncertainty-looms" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45095342/mercedes-benz-pulls-annual-earnings-guidance-as-sales-decline-and-tariff-uncertainty-looms" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;s tariffs</a>.
As Chinese EV giant&nbsp;BYD Co., Ltd&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDF#OTC">BYDDF</a>) is gearing up to expand its presence in Europe, satellite images show the company&#8217;s facility in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45097773/satellite-images-put-tesla-rival-byds-hungarian-factory-capable-of-producing-200k-units-annually-in-the-spotlight" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hungary taking shape</a>.
Ford Motor Co.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) has announced it will delay the planned hike in prices for its vehicles until it sees how the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45129156/jim-farley-says-ford-will-delay-price-hike-to-see-how-competitors-react-to-tariffs-extends-employee-pricing-through-july" rel="noreferrer noopener"> competitors respond to auto tariffs</a>.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Mark Zuckerberg said that&nbsp;Meta&#8217;s artificial intelligence future will cater to both billions of free users and a group willing to pay <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45093311/not-everyone-needs-a-thousand-ai-engineers-but-for-those-who-do-zuckerberg-says-meta-will-gladly-build-it-for-a-price" rel="noreferrer noopener">big for powerful digital agents</a>.
Meta CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg&nbsp;predicts that the future of AI won&#8217;t follow the "winner takes most" model seen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45125414/mark-zuckerberg-doesnt-believe-that-ai-market-will-follow-searchs-winner-takes-most-model-meta-ceo-predicts-multiple-specialized-ais-for-work-and-play" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the search engine industry</a>.
OpenAI&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman&nbsp;acknowledged that the last few updates to the&nbsp;GPT-4o&nbsp;model made its personality <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45030694/openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-gpt-4o-personality-tweaks-made-it-annoying-fixes-coming-this-week" rel="noreferrer noopener">"too sycophant-y and annoying."</a>
OpenAI&nbsp;unveiled an upgrade to&nbsp;ChatGPT&#8217;s&nbsp;search functionality, enabling users to browse and shop for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45058959/openai-launches-ad-free-shopping-search-in-chatgpt-heres-how-it-works" rel="noreferrer noopener">products directly within the chatbot</a>.
Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "Godfather of AI," has joined a growing chorus of experts and former employees urging regulators to block&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45060194/godfather-of-ai-geoffrey-hinton-backs-elon-musk-in-fight-against-openais-restructuring-id-like-to-stop-them-from-completely-gutting-it" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI&#8217;s</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45060194/godfather-of-ai-geoffrey-hinton-backs-elon-musk-in-fight-against-openais-restructuring-id-like-to-stop-them-from-completely-gutting-it" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;controversial&nbsp;restructuring plans</a>.

Large Cap

BABA

BYDDF

EADSF

MERCEDES BENZ GROUP AG by Mercedes Benz Group AG

MBGAF

NVDA

STLA

TCEHY

TSLA

Consumer Tech News (Apr 28-May 2): Trump May Ease Auto Part Tariffs,  House Republicans Tabled $250 Charge On EV & More

Loop Capital analyst Alan Gould maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $435 to $550.

Loop Capital Maintains Hold on Spotify Technology, Raises Price Target to $550

On Thursday, Spotify Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) said that it had submitted an updated version of its app to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) that includes an external link for U.S. users to purchase subscriptions outside the App Store.
What Happened: The move follows a ruling by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who found that Apple had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126668/apple-lied-under-oath-judge-says-tim-cook-ignored-internal-warnings-in-epic-games-case-fallout-this-is-an-injunction-not-a-negotiation">failed to comply</a> with her 2021 injunction in the Epic Games antitrust lawsuit.
In an 80-page decision issued Wednesday, Judge Rogers said Apple's attempts to introduce new fees on off-app purchases violated the spirit of her original order.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45093311/not-everyone-needs-a-thousand-ai-engineers-but-for-those-who-do-zuckerberg-says-meta-will-gladly-build-it-for-a-price" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Says AI Won&#8217;t Just Be About Free Tools And Ads — Some People Will Pay A Fortune To Deploy Armies Of Digital Workers</a>
Apple responded by stating it strongly disagrees with the ruling but would comply while it appeals the decision.
"The fact that we haven&#8217;t been able to deliver these basic services, which were permitted by the judge&#8217;s order four years ago, is absurd," the company said in a blog post.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important: After the court&#8217;s ruling, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/04/45123864/apple-ordered-to-ease-app-store-rules-in-us-epic-games-ceo-tim-sweeney-proposes-peace-deal-saying-well-return-fortnite-and-drop-all-litigation-only-if">proposed ending all ongoing litigation</a> if Apple expands its compliance.
Meeting Epic's conditions would require Apple to drop its global commissions on purchases made outside the App Store and lift restrictions on linking to external payment platforms—changes that could deal a major blow to Apple's lucrative services revenue.
Price Action: On Thursday, Apple stock gained 0.39% during regular trading before dropping 3.78% in after-hours trading, closing at $205.25, per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>. On the same day, Spotify ended 1.9% lower at $602.26 in the regular trading and fell 0.72% in the after-hours session.
According to Benzinga Edge's Stock Rankings, Apple holds a growth score of 44.64% and a momentum score of 44.65%. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it stacks up against other leading tech stocks</a>.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/07/39842841/charlie-munger-said-getting-rich-is-harder-than-ever-but-heres-the-beauty-of-it-you-only-have-to" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Charlie Munger Said Getting Rich Is Harder Than Ever, But Here's ‘The Beauty Of It' — You Only Have To Do It Once</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with&nbsp;the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was&nbsp;reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Spotify Adds External Subscription Link in App Following Court's Ruling Against Apple In Epic Matter

Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 18.64% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 32.94%. Currently, Spotify Technology has a market capitalization of $123.10 billion. 
Buying $100 In SPOT: If an investor had bought $100 of SPOT stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $414.47 today based on a price of $600.30 for SPOT at the time of writing.
<h3>Spotify Technology's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1746135928_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $100 Invested In Spotify Technology 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Live On CNBC, Josh Brown Hosts Segment Titled "Josh's Best Stocks: Spotify"

Baird analyst Vikram Kesavabhotla maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $700 to $730.

Baird Maintains Outperform on Spotify Technology, Raises Price Target to $730

U.S. stocks settled mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 100 points during the session. However, the index recorded losses for the third consecutive month as economic data began reflecting the impact of Trump tariffs.
The S&amp;P 500 fell around 0.8% in April, while the Dow tumbled 3.2% for the period. The Nasdaq, however, gained 0.9% for the month.
Wall Street analysts make new stock picks on a daily basis. Unfortunately for investors, not all analysts have particularly impressive track records at predicting market movements. Even when it comes to one single stock, analyst ratings and price targets can vary widely, leaving investors confused about which analyst&#8217;s opinion to trust.
Benzinga&#8217;s Analyst Ratings API is a collection of the highest-quality stock ratings curated by the Benzinga news desk via direct partnerships with major sell-side banks. Benzinga displays overnight ratings changes on a daily basis three hours prior to the U.S. equity market opening. Data specialists at investment dashboard provider Toggle.ai recently uncovered that the analyst insights Benzinga Pro subscribers and Benzinga readers regularly receive can successfully be used as trading indicators to outperform the stock market.
Top Analyst Picks: Fortunately, any Benzinga reader can access the latest analyst ratings on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. One of the ways traders can sort through Benzinga&#8217;s extensive database of analyst ratings is by analyst accuracy. Here&#8217;s a look at the most recent stock picks from each of the five most accurate Wall Street analysts, according to Benzinga <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">Analyst Stock</a> Ratings.
Analyst: Jay McCanless
<ul>
<li>Analyst Firm: Wedbush</li>
<li>Ratings Accuracy: 86%</li>
<li>Latest Rating: Upgraded rating on Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPH#NYSE">TPH</a>) from Neutral to Outperform and increased the price target from $38 to $43 on April 28. This analyst sees around 41% upside in the stock.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 24, Tri Pointe Homes reported better-than-expected first-quarter financial results.</li>
</ul>
Analyst: Doug Anmuth
<ul>
<li>Analyst Firm: JP Morgan</li>
<li>Ratings Accuracy: 85%</li>
<li>Latest Rating: Maintained an Overweight rating on Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) and boosted the price target from $640 to $670 on April 30. This analyst sees around 9% surge in the stock.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 29, Spotify reported worse-than-expected first-quarter EPS.</li>
</ul>
Analyst: Lloyd Walmsley 
<ul>
<li>Analyst Firm: UBS</li>
<li>Ratings Accuracy: 85%</li>
<li>Latest Rating: Maintained a Neutral rating on Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRIP#NASDAQ">TRIP</a>) and cut the price target from $18 to $15 on April 28. This analyst sees around 20% upside in the stock.</li>
<li>Recent News: Tripadvisor will post its first-quarter results on Wednesday, May 7.</li>
</ul>
Analyst: Zachary Fadem
<ul>
<li>Analyst Firm: Wells Fargo</li>
<li>Ratings Accuracy: 84%</li>
<li>Latest Rating: Maintained an Equal-Weight rating on Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EAT#NYSE">EAT</a>) and cut the price target from $165 to $150 on April 30. This analyst sees around 10% upside in the stock.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 29, Brinker International posted better-than-expected third-quarter earnings.</li>
</ul>
Analyst: Mark Hughes
<ul>
<li>Analyst Firm: Truist Securities</li>
<li>Ratings Accuracy: 83%</li>
<li>Latest Rating: Maintained a Buy rating on Brown &amp; Brown, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRO#NYSE">BRO</a>) and cut the price target from $138 to $130 on April 30. This analyst sees around 18% upside in the stock.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 28, Brown &amp; Brown reported a first-quarter adjusted EPS miss.</li>
</ul>
Read More: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/04/45098332/jim-cramer-this-tech-stock-is-not-great-not-bad-alaska-air-can-still-go-lower">Jim Cramer: This Tech Stock Is &#8216;Not Great, Not Bad&#8217;, Alaska Air Can Still Go Lower</a> </li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

TRIP

5 Stock Picks For April From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

As "macro uncertainty" and President Donald Trump&#8216;s tariffs become the go-to scapegoats for CEOs this earnings season, fund manager Gary Black isn&#8217;t buying it.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Black posted on X, citing former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's famous quote, &#8220;Never let a good crisis go to waste,&#8221; as he accused CEOs of using tariffs and economic uncertainty as cover during earnings season to justify either pulling or scaling back their 2025 guidance.
Black finds it all the more absurd that companies that have nothing to do with imported goods are now blaming the &#8220;Trump tariffs&#8221; for their underperformance.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45091467/trump-can-either-have-his-cake-or-eat-it-economist-justin-wolfers-calls-out-presidents-fundamental-incoherence-on-trade-deals-and-tariffs">Trump Can Either Have His Cake Or Eat It, Economist Justin Wolfers Calls Out President&#8217;s &#8216;Fundamental Incoherence&#8217; On Trade Deals And Tariffs</a>
He then highlights companies such as General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>), United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>), and Spotify Technology SA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>), all companies that released their earnings on Tuesday, with all three of them citing tariff-related uncertainties to with their guidance for the full year.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Rahm Emanuel former mayor of Chicago famously said: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste." And so it is with CEOs, who as they report earnings are blaming the economic uncertainty caused by Trump's tariffs to either withdraw or scale back FY'25 guidance even if they…
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1917240039928725516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
While General Motors and United Parcel Service have at least some cover to lay the blame on macroeconomic headwinds, Spotify, a music streaming service, doesn&#8217;t.
Why It Matters: Gary Black, the founder of The Future Fund LLC, has been critical of the tariffs for quite some time, predicting a cut in spending by businesses and consumers <a href="https://benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44758150/gary-black-expects-consumers-and-businesses-to-cut-spending-ahead-of-earnings-season-warns-of-a-lasting-damage-to-the-economy">several weeks ago</a>.
He&#8217;s also been at the forefront of <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44891685/gary-black-shares-polymarket-data-says-trump-tariffs-have-pushed-odds-of-2025-recession-to-57">predicting a recession</a> early last week, again laying the blame on the tariffs and the related uncertainty.
Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, too, had <a href="https://benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44670176/nvidia-apple-top-names-to-own-cybersecurity-stocks-to-outperform-tech-analyst-dan-ives-says">predicted early this month</a> that most companies will not offer a guidance for the full-year during their first quarter earnings call, once again citing the unpredictability of the macro environment.
Read More: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/45091479/teslas-marketing-skills-remain-its-achilles-heel-says-gary-black-as-robotaxi-valuations-ignore-market-limitsfull-uber-lyft-profits-still-fall-short-of-2000-target">Tesla&#8217;s &#8216;Marketing Skills Remain Its Achilles Heel,&#8217; Says Gary Black As Robotaxi Valuations Ignore Market Limits—Full Uber, Lyft Profits Still Fall Short Of $2,000 Target</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

Government

Wall Street CEOs Pull The 'Trump Tariff' Card: Is Macro Fear The New Excuse For Weak Guidance?—Asks Leading Fund Manager

Barclays analyst Kannan Venkateshwar maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $710 to $650.

Barclays Maintains Overweight on Spotify Technology, Lowers Price Target to $650

Macquarie analyst Ross Compton maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $665 price target.

Macquarie Maintains Outperform on Spotify Technology, Maintains $665 Price Target

JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth reiterated an Overweight rating on Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPOT/analyst-ratings">raised the price target</a> to $670 from $640 on Tuesday. Shares were trading higher on Wednesday.
As the largest pure-play audio streaming platform, Spotify continues to benefit from the broader shift from transaction-based to access-based models. The company is growing monthly active users (MAUs) at roughly 10% and is generating positive free cash flow.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45066980/spotify-grows-subscribers-and-revenue-but-profit-miss-sends-stock-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spotify Adds 3 Million Subscribers But Profit Miss Sends Stock Sliding</a>
Anmuth sees Spotify's post-earnings pullback as a buying opportunity, citing solid mid-teens growth and continued progress toward its medium-term margin goals. The stock declined on lighter Q2 MAUs, margin variability, and tempered expectations for the superfan tier. Still, Spotify remains confident in strong second-half MAU growth, supported by product improvements, efficient marketing, and its year-end Wrapped campaign.
Anmuth also expects Spotify to keep investing in its core Music offering while expanding across Audiobooks, Video, and Podcasts. He projects:
<ul>
<li>2025 net adds of 67 million MAUs (down from 73 million in 2024)</li>
<li>24 million Premium Subscribers (vs. 27 million in 2024). </li>
<li>15% FX-neutral revenue growth, including 9% growth in Premium Subscribers</li>
<li>A 4% FX-neutral ARPU increase.</li>
<li>Gross margins expanding to 31.8% (+160bps Y/Y) </li>
<li>Operating margins to 12.7% (+400bps Y/Y)</li>
<li>Free cash flow reaching €2.9 billion (+26% Y/Y). </li>
</ul>
Margin gains will be front-loaded, with sequential compression in Q2 and Q3 due to continued growth investments, Anuth says.
Overall, he models average 2025–2026 FX-neutral revenue growth of 13%, gross profit growth of 17%, operating income growth of 44%, and free cash flow growth of 20%—metrics he says justify Spotify's premium valuation.
Price Action: Spotify stock traded higher by 6.42% at $613.98 at the last check on Wednesday.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/04/44592006/spotify-audiobooks-ad-growth-drive-analyst-confidence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spotify Audiobooks, Ad Growth Drive Analyst Confidence</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Entertainment

Reiteration

Spotify Stock Gets Boost As Analyst Cites Growth In Music, Podcasts, And Audiobooks

WIIM

Spotify shares are trading higher after falling on Tuesday following Q1 earnings. Analyst reactions to the report have been mixed.

JP Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth maintains Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $640 to $670.

JP Morgan Maintains Overweight on Spotify Technology, Raises Price Target to $670

Spotify Technology (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) reported downbeat first-quarter 2025 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPOT/earnings">financial results on Tuesday</a>.
Spotify reported quarterly earnings of $1.13 per share, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $2.33. The company reported quarterly sales of $4.41 billion (4.19 billion euros), up by 15% year-on-year, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $4.20 billion.
Spotify clocked monthly average user (MAU) net additions of 3 million quarter-over-quarter to 678 million, which is in line with the guidance.
Spotify said it expects fiscal second-quarter 2025 revenue of $4.52 billion (4.3 billion euros) versus an analyst consensus estimate of $4.39 billion and total MAUs of 689 million.
Spotify shares fell 3.5% to close at $576.94 on Tuesday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on Spotify following earnings announcement.
<ul>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett maintained Spotify Technology with a Neutral rating and lowered the price target from $658 to $657.</li>
<li>Evercore ISI Group analyst Mark Mahaney maintained the stock with an Outperform rating and lowered the price target from $700 to $650.</li>
</ul>
Considering buying SPOT stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30083810/image-234-1024x585.png" alt="" class="wp-image-894854" style="width:562px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30083810/image-234-1024x585.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30083810/image-234-300x171.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30083810/image-234-768x439.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30083810/image-234.png 1113w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read This Next:
<ul>
<li> <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45064976/top-3-industrials-stocks-which-could-rescue-your-portfolio-in-q2">Top 3 Industrials Stocks Which Could Rescue Your Portfolio In Q2</a> </li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Comments

Spotify Technology

Unusual Options Activity for

Noticias

SOCIO/CONTRIBUIDOR

BENZINGA GLOBAL

Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
10:00 AMMay 12, 2025	CALL	$650.00	Jun 17, 2027	759	35	35	318	11	SWEEP	BULLISH
10:29 AMMay 06, 2025	CALL	$630.00	Jul 18, 2025	60	312	300	281	111	TRADE	BEARISH
10:00 AMMay 06, 2025	CALL	$550.00	May 30, 2025	11	1	107	1	115	SWEEP	BULLISH