On Tuesday, TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on SAP AG (NYSE: NYSE:SAP) while adjusting the company's price target upward from $234.00 to $240.00. The firm's analysis followed SAP's announcement of its second-quarter Cloud & Software growth, which exceeded expectations with a 12% increase on a constant currency (cc) basis. This performance was notably higher than the firm's estimate of 10% cc growth.
The robust growth in the second quarter was attributed to an unexpected uptick in on-premise software sales, prompting SAP management to revise its full-year 2024 revenue and EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) guidance slightly upward. However, it was noted that there was no alteration to the company's ambitions for the fiscal year 2025.
TD Cowen highlighted SAP's solid performance and acknowledged that the company's growth framework continues to advance. Yet, a closer examination suggested that the organic Cloud growth trajectory remains aligned with prior expectations, leading the firm to maintain its Hold stance on the stock.
The revised price target to $240.00, equivalent to €220.00, reflects the analyst's outlook based on SAP's recent quarterly results and the updated guidance provided by the company's management. Despite the positive developments, the firm's position on the stock remains unchanged, suggesting a cautious approach to SAP's valuation.
In other recent news, SAP AG has been in the spotlight following a series of encouraging financial outcomes and strategic moves. The German software giant reported a 27% growth in cloud revenue in the third quarter, amounting to €4.35 billion ($4.71 billion). The robust performance of the Cloud ERP Suite, which saw sales climb by 36%, significantly contributed to this growth. SAP's operating profit also witnessed a substantial increase of 28% to €2.24 billion, exceeding market expectations.
BMO Capital Markets responded to these developments by raising SAP's price target from $248.00 to $265.00 while maintaining an Outperform rating. The firm highlighted SAP's solid cloud backlog and free cash flow, suggesting potential for upward revisions in the future. Oppenheimer, on the other hand, maintained a Perform rating on SAP shares, expressing a balanced view of the company's financial health.
Recent developments also include the acquisition of WalkMe, which is expected to enhance SAP's business transformation offerings. In light of its strong results, SAP has revised its full-year cloud and software revenue targets, now expecting between €29.5 billion and €29.8 billion. The company has also adjusted its operating profit forecast for 2024 to €7.8 billion.
InvestingPro Insights
SAP's recent performance and TD Cowen's analysis can be further contextualized with real-time data from InvestingPro. The company's market capitalization stands at an impressive $275.16 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the software industry. SAP's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 reached $34.86 billion, with a notable revenue growth of 9.76% in Q2 2024 compared to the same quarter last year. This aligns with the strong Cloud & Software growth mentioned in the article.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that SAP has maintained dividend payments for 33 consecutive years, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder returns. Additionally, the company's stock has shown a high return over the last year, with a 77.17% price total return. This performance supports TD Cowen's decision to raise the price target, although the firm maintains a Hold rating.
It's worth noting that SAP is trading near its 52-week high, with the current price at 98.82% of its 52-week high. This, combined with the InvestingPro Tip indicating that the stock is trading at high earnings, EBIT, EBITDA, and revenue multiples, suggests that investors should carefully consider valuation metrics when assessing the stock.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 16 additional tips for SAP, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.