Twitter Announces Experiment With A Series Of New Features

Per a TechCrunch report, Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) is experimenting with a new feature that will enable users to determine how many people are talking about a tweet. This is expected to solve the complexities that arise while differentiating between retweets and replies for new users by bringing both the features under one radar.

The micro-blogging site also announced testing of the Bookmarks feature that will enable users to save tweets for future reference. This is a save for later tool, which is expected to be extremely helpful for users. This is because it will be able to organize the important topics in one place for later reference.

Moreover, in mid-November, the company confirmed that it is testing tweetstorm feature on iOS and Android devices that will enable users to organize their tweets into one thread.

On the last conference call, talking about keeping up with the interests of people, CEO Jack Dorsey mentioned, “This is an area of experimentation. We're experimenting very, very quickly to figure out the right approach. And then as we learn more, bring that more into the timeline, and you'll see some of those experiments going forward.”

So far this year, shares of Twitter have gained 37.6% in line with the industry’s growth.

Bid to Increase User Base

Twitter’s unique open platform is attractive due to its openness, real-time content, conversational format and distribution ability. Currently, the company is focusing on boosting user growth rate and engagement levels by taking various measures to make tweeting easier and more expressive for people.

Following an experiment that was carried out on a small group of users since September, Twitter rolled out a 280-character limit for tweets earlier in November, doubling it from the traditional 140 limit.

In third-quarter 2017, Twitter reported adjusted monthly average users (MAUs) of 330 million, up 1.2% sequentially and 4% on a year-over-year basis.

However, Twitter is facing challenges from dominant players like Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) and Instagram. While Facebook has 2 billion users, relatively new entrant like Instagram has over 800 MAUs. Facebook and Instagram have 1.37 billion and 500 million daily average users (DAUs) and boast more than 6 million and 2 million advertisers, respectively.

Declining advertising revenues have been a concern for Twitter. However, if the findings of the experiment are positive and the company rolls it out across all its users, it might as well lead to overall user engagement and growth. We believe, this will enable the company to attract more advertising dollars.

Twitter, Inc. Revenue (TTM)

Twitter, Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Twitter, Inc. Quote

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Twitter carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) and NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.

Long-term earnings growth rate for Micron and NVIDIA is projected to be 10% and 11.2%, respectively.

"Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?

Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.

With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.

It's not the one you think.

See This Ticker Free >>