Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Will Wdesk Cloud Platform Drive Workiva's (WK) Q2 Earnings?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Workiva Inc. (WK - Free Report) is set to report second-quarter 2018 results on Aug 7. Notably, the company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, recording an average positive earnings surprise of 29.24%.

In first-quarter 2018, Workiva reported a loss of 9 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 19 cents. Revenues surged 15.4% to $59.9 million and exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $58 million.

What to Expect

Workiva expects non-GAAP net loss in the range of 24-25 cents per share in the to-be-reported quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at a net loss of 24 cents per share.

For second-quarter 2018, management anticipates total revenues between $55.7 million and $56.2 million.  The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $56.1 million, reflecting year over year growth of 13.6%.

Notably, Workiva stock has gained 30.8% in the past one year, substantially outperforming industry’s rally of 29%.

Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

Factors to Impact Q2 Results

Workiva continues to focus on developing its flagship product, Wdesk cloud platform, which is used for collecting, integrating, managing and analyzing business data. Notably, the platform continues to gain traction. It is expected to boost top-line growth in the to-be reported quarter.

The company recently strengthened its flagship product, Wdesk platform by adding data preparation capabilities via Wdata. Notably, Wdata merges the company’s existing APIs and connectors with the newly data preparation capabilities. This process will aid the customers to enhance, link and capture large datasets to Workiva’s Wdesk platform.

In the recent past, Workiva partnered with Host Analytics, a cloud based provider of enterprise performance management (EPM) solutions. The companies together launched an API which realigns financial reporting processes. The customers will be able to import financial data from Host Analytics into Wdesk.

Workiva also entered into an original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) agreement with enterprise-application software provider, SAP SE (SAP - Free Report) . According to the OEM agreement, Wdesk platform will be incorporated with SAP Cloud Platform Integration. The “bundled” or comprehensive combined solutions will aid customers with auditability, control and linking features.

The company also integrated Wdesk platform with Anaplan’s Connected Planning platform to streamline the process of performance management reporting. Partnerships like Anaplan will aid Workiva capitalize on growth opportunities that the rapidly-growing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market presents.

Further, Workiva continues to expand existing customer base with its accounting, SOX and compliance software. This expansion in clientele along with a widening partner ecosystem is expected to drive growth.

All these factors are expected to benefit company’s top-line in the to-be-reported quarter.

What Our Model Says

According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. The sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Workiva has a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.

Stocks to Consider

Here are some stocks that you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to deliver an earnings beat in their upcoming release.

PPL Corporation (PPL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

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 >>

Published in