Etsy Made Its First Profit as a Public Company -- and the Market Loves It Its stock soared as much a 12 percent in after-hours trading.

By Rob Price

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Spencer Platt | Getty Images

Etsy is finally profitable.

The crafty online marketplace posted its quarterly earnings on Tuesday, and reported its first quarterly profit since going public in April 2015.

The market loved it: Its stock soared as much a 12 percent in after-hours trading.

big etsy stock after hours trading jump q1 2016 report resultsGoogle

Here are the key numbers:

  • Revenues of $81.8 million (vs. analyst expectations of $75.2 million, according to Bloomberg), up 39.8 percent year-on-year.
  • Active sellers jumped from 1.4 million to 1.6 million in Q1 year-on-year.
  • Active buyers also leapt YoY -- from 20.8 million to 25 million.
  • Etsy turned $1.2 million in profit for the quarter, compared to a $36.6 million loss this time last year (analysts had expected another loss-making quarter).

All in all, it's good news for the company. But to keep things in perspective: Its stock is currently at £9.48 in after-hours trading -- well below its $16 IPO price last year.

In a statement, CEO Chad Dickerson said: "Our financial results in the first quarter were driven by our strong execution. We supported 1.6 million active sellers and 25.0 million active buyers, who together generated nearly $630 million in GMS. The second quarter is also off to an exciting start with the launch of our newest high-impact seller service, Pattern by Etsy, and a host of other products and seller tools that we believe will build long-term value for our community. We are as committed as ever to our vision of reimagining commerce and are looking forward to a productive year."

While the market has reacted positively, the reaction from analysts has been mixed. Morgan Stanley has raised its price target for Etsy stock from $8.50 to $9; likewise Wedbsh raised its target from $9 to $10.

But Roth Capital Partners takes a more pessimistic view in an analyst note, reiterating its sell rating, writing: "Despite the beat, it left FY16 sales growth guidance unchanged, leading us to believe it's either being conservative or growth will slow as the year progresses. We still remain concerned its business is deriving the bulk of growth from seller services while marketplace growth continues to decelerate."

You can check out Etsy's full Q1 2016 earnings here.

Rob Price is a technology reporter for Business Insider.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

A New Hampshire City Was Named the Hottest Housing Market in the U.S. This Year. Here's the Top 10 for 2024.

Zillow released its annual lists featuring the top housing markets, small towns, coastal cities, and geographic regions. Here's a look at the top real estate markets and towns in 2024.

Business News

'We're Not Allowed to Own Bitcoin': Crypto Price Drops After U.S. Federal Reserve Head Makes Surprising Statement

Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments on Bitcoin and rate cuts have rattled cryptocurrency investors.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business Ideas

Is Your Business Healthy? Why Every Entrepreneur Needs To Do These 3 Checkups Every Year

You can't plan for the new year until you complete these checkups.

Science & Technology

This AI is the Key to Unlocking Explosive Sales Growth in 2025

Tired of the hustle? Discover a free, hidden AI from Google that helped me double sales and triple leads in a month. Learn how this tool can analyze campaigns and uncover insights most marketers miss.