Freshworks unveils Freddy Agentic AI, a platform that automates complex tasks across support teams - no coding needed.
I rate Freshworks as a hold due to macro headwinds, internal restructuring, and AI monetization uncertainty despite solid 1Q25 results. FRSH's 1Q25 earnings showed strong growth in the EX segment and profitability, with a notable 1,100 net new paying customers added. Freddy AI adoption is promising, with significant traction in large deals, but it's still early, representing less than 10% of the customer base.
Freshworks demonstrates strong financial health with 20% YoY revenue growth, expanding margins, and significant cash generation, positioning it on the cusp of profitability. Despite a lower EV/Revenue multiple of 4.4x compared to peers like HubSpot and ServiceNow, Freshworks' fundamentals and growth metrics suggest it is undervalued. The company's AI initiatives, Freddy AI Agent and Freddy AI Copilot, show promising adoption but need continued success to maintain market relevance.
Freshworks presents a compelling "growth at a reasonable price" opportunity, with a 4.0x EV/FY25 revenue multiple, well below many peers. Despite a volatile macro environment, Freshworks reported a Q1 revenue growth of 19% y/y, beating Wall Street expectations and showcasing strong enterprise client acquisition. The company's profitability surged 10 points y/y with pro forma operating margins at 23.6%, driven by reduced sales and marketing expenses, placing Freshworks in the "Rule of 40" category.
Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ:FRSH ) Q1 2025 Earnings Conference Call April 29, 2025 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Joon Huh - Head of Investor Relations Dennis Woodside - President & Chief Executive Officer Tyler Sloat - Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Rob Oliver - Baird Elizabeth Porter - Morgan Stanley Scott Berg - Needham & Company Pinjalim Bora - JPMorgan Alex Zukin - Wolfe Research Brent Thill - Jefferies David Haynes - Canaccord Genuity Patrick Walravens - Citizens JMP Brent Bracelin - Piper Sandler Operator Welcome to Freshworks First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call. At this time participants are in a listen-only mode.
Freshworks Inc. (FRSH) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.18 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.13 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.10 per share a year ago.
Freshworks trades at a steep discount relative to its peers despite its growing revenues, free cash flow, and strong balance sheet. The features of Freshworks' offerings are helping it gain market share, a potential boon for ARR and NRR in 2025 considering its ability to upsell and cross-sell its solutions. An optimistic mid-market outlook in 2025 could see Freshworks exceed management's guidance for revenue and free cash flow.
Freshworks (FRSH) has become technically an oversold stock now, which implies exhaustion of the heavy selling pressure on it. This, combined with strong agreement among Wall Street analysts in revising earnings estimates higher, indicates a potential trend reversal for the stock in the near term.
FRSH is rapidly expanding its market share on the back of its extensive offerings built on a unified platform, reducing costs for organizations adopting them.
I like that Freshworks is highly profitable, debt-free, and trading at a reasonable 24x forward free cash flow. I acknowledge that slowing revenue growth is a concern, but I believe it's already factored into the stock price. I see Freshworks winning bigger deals and expanding its presence in the mid-market and enterprise space.
PBI, LTH, and FRSH it to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth stocks list on February 19, 2024.
Shares of Freshworks dropped after posting strong Q4 results, creating a well-timed buying opportunity. The company's revenue growth maintained a 22% y/y growth pace in Q4, and its guidance calling for sharp deceleration in Q1 is likely conservative. The company's faster pace of new customer acquisition is helping to offset the risks of slightly weaker net revenue retention rates, a problem common to the entire software industry.