Leading video conferencing platform Zoom seems to be zooming out of momentum as it cut its annual profit and revenue forecasts as demand for the video-conferencing platform cools off from pandemic highs.
The emergence of competitors such as Microsoft Teams, and Cisco WebEx coupled with lifting of lockdown restrictions which has pushed organizations to engage more in physical interactions have forced Zoom Video Communications to cut its annual profit and revenue forecasts as demand for the video-conferencing platform cools off.
Shares of the pandemic darling fell 7% in extended trade after it reported its slowest quarterly revenue growth on record at 8%, as people switched to in-person meetings from virtual conversations.
Finance chief Kelly Steckelberg told analysts on Monday that the firm’s online business was likely to decline by 7% to 8% in fiscal 2023.
Read also:Why Zoom Can’t Save the World By RICARDO HAUSMANN
Shares fell 7% in extended trade after it reported its slowest quarterly revenue growth on record.
Founded by a former Cisco executive, Zoom was a little-known company when the pandemic hit in early 2020, but posted triple-digit revenue growth at the peak of the crisis as people stuck at home took to video conferencing to communicate.
Zoom now faces an uphill task of onboarding high-paying clients to sustain its growth, and has seen expenses rise as it shells out more dollars to attract customers which have been reining in spending amid high inflation.
Operating expenses grew 51% to US$704-million in the three months to July.
The company forecast annual revenue between $4.39-billion and $4.4-billion, compared to its earlier outlook of $4.53-billion to $4.55-billion. It now expects annual adjusted profit per share between $3.66 and $3.69, compared to $3.70 to $3.77 forecast earlier.
Read also : Ethiopia Is One Step Away From Licensing Foreign Fintechs As New Law Awaits Final Approval
“Zoom remains a ‘show-me’ story, where the company believes there’s a lot of potential and higher growth ahead, but Wall Street clearly doesn’t believe it yet,” Rishi Jaluria, MD of software at RBC Capital Markets, said.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry