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Wedbush sees Couchbase stock benefiting from cloud pivot and Capella adoption

EditorEmilio Ghigini
Published 10/17/2024, 08:28 AM
BASE
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On Thursday, Wedbush initiated coverage on Couchbase Inc (NASDAQ:BASE) stock with an Outperform rating and a price target of $26.00. The firm's analysis highlighted that Couchbase's Capella service is emerging as a significant factor in the company's growth strategy.

Capella, described as a game-changer for Couchbase, is expected to ease the process of adoption and deployment for customers compared to other customer-managed options.

The company has indicated that it will begin reporting Capella metrics in the future, reflecting its importance to the business. Capella's design allows for simplified customer onboarding, which has been contributing to an increase in new customer acquisitions. Some of this growth is attributed to the adoption of Capella, as well as existing customers transitioning and expanding their use of the platform.

Couchbase has made a strategic shift towards Capella, focusing most of its product investments on this cloud offering. The sales force at Couchbase is being incentivized to sell Capella through higher sales commissions.

The company offers Capella as either an on-demand service or through annual credits consumed by customers using the platform. It has been observed that customers initially purchasing on-demand plans have been converting to annual credits.

The ease of adoption of Couchbase's cloud service, combined with a consumption pricing model, is believed to lead to a more efficient sales cycle. This efficiency is anticipated to be recognized by customers as adding value, potentially accelerating Couchbase's market penetration and growth.

In other recent news, Couchbase Inc. has experienced several noteworthy developments. Barclays has upgraded the company's stock from Equalweight to Overweight, citing the potential of the new cloud product, Capella, to drive customer growth.

Meanwhile, Piper Sandler, Oppenheimer, and Baird have all adjusted their price targets for Couchbase, reflecting mixed financial results and a slightly lower growth assumption moving forward.

The company reported an 18% growth in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), reaching $214 million, and a quarterly revenue increase of 20% to $51.6 million. Despite losing two major clients, Couchbase saw significant growth in its Capella product, with net new ARR and total ARR increasing quarter over quarter.

Analysts from Piper Sandler, Baird, and Oppenheimer remain optimistic about Couchbase's potential, citing the strength of the Capella platform and the acquisition of 62 net new clients. Barclays also expressed confidence in Couchbase's future performance, especially with the deployment of its Capella cloud offering.

These recent developments indicate a potential rebound in the company's performance and a potential increase in shareholder value. However, these outlooks reflect current market conditions and do not imply any future performance predictions for Couchbase.

InvestingPro Insights

Couchbase Inc's (NASDAQ:BASE) strategic focus on its Capella service aligns with some interesting financial metrics and analyst observations. According to InvestingPro data, the company's revenue growth stands at 21.0% over the last twelve months, with a quarterly growth of 19.59% in Q2 2025. This growth trajectory supports Wedbush's optimistic outlook on Capella's potential to drive business expansion.

An InvestingPro Tip highlights that 11 analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, suggesting growing confidence in Couchbase's financial performance. This aligns with the positive sentiment surrounding Capella's impact on customer acquisition and expansion.

Another notable InvestingPro Tip points out Couchbase's impressive gross profit margins. Indeed, the data shows a gross profit margin of 88.74% for the last twelve months, indicating strong pricing power and efficiency in delivering its services, which could be further enhanced by Capella's cloud-based model.

It's worth noting that while Couchbase shows promising growth and margin figures, the company is not yet profitable, with an operating income margin of -39.52%. This underscores the importance of Capella's success in driving future profitability.

For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips and insights that could provide a deeper understanding of Couchbase'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.

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