Spotify forecasts fourth-quarter profit above estimates on AI bets

Oct 22 — Spotify forecast fourth-quarter profit above Wall Street estimates on Thursday, as ​the Swedish music streaming company bets on its AI-powered features to drive user growth in the crucial holiday season.

The ‌company expects operating income of €820 million ($920.53 million), compared with analysts' average estimate of €813.4 million, ⁠according to data compiled by ​LSEG.

Shares of the company were ⁠last up more than 3% in volatile premarket trading.

Spotify offers ‌AI-powered features such ‌as its AI DJ, which curates personalized music mixes with ⁠spoken commentary, and prompt-based playlists that ⁠let users describe a mood or listening preference to generate tailored selections.

Investors closely monitor the company's profitability as it invests in AI to improve discovery and engagement on the platform to attract more users and fend off emerging music-generation rivals ‌such as Suno and Udio.

In the ​third quarter, the company reported operating income of €672 million, in line with Visible Alpha-compiled analysts' average estimate of €671.8 million.

Spotify reported revenue of €4.97 billion in the quarter, compared with estimates of €4.98 billion, according to LSEG data.

"This was a quarter where we did what we said. We've built a strong business that keeps ​compounding, we invest when we see a path for growth, our ‌costs are moderating, ‌and there ⁠is more runway ahead," co-CEO Alex Norstrom said in a statement.

Spotify's monthly active users forecast of 818 million for the fourth quarter was marginally below Visible Alpha estimates of 819 million, while ‌its outlook for a ​10 million increase in premium subscribers ‌to 316 million was ⁠above estimates ​of 314.7 million.

($1 = 0.8908 euros)

(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Sriraj Kalluvila)

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