Etsy and Shopify Buoyed as Covid-19 Boosts Online Sales
December 23 2020 - 04:59AM
Dow Jones News
By Amber Burton
While the year has been a struggle for small businesses, some
companies that host their transactions have been soaring.
Shares in Etsy Inc. and Shopify Inc., whose e-commerce platforms
primarily cater to small businesses, have surged during the
pandemic. Etsy has more than quadrupled this year, while Shopify
has tripled.
Analysts remain bullish about prospects for the companies,
although their shares are pricey.
Shopify trades at about 350 times analyst expectations for
forward earnings, while Etsy's forward multiple is about 90 times.
By comparison, tech giants such as Apple Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.
trade at about 35 times and 70 times forward earnings,
respectively.
The lofty valuations for Etsy and Shopify reflect speculation
that sales growth will continue at a brisk pace and that some
consumer behaviors that changed during the Covid-19 pandemic will
endure. The valuations also reflect a rush by investors to grab
shares of all manner of tech firms.
For many small-business owners, the technology platforms have
served as a lifeline as their companies shift to a focus on online
sales.
Matthew Cummings owns a glass-blowing company that makes custom
beer glasses in Knoxville, Tenn. He has been on Etsy since 2012,
but didn't move fully online until the pandemic hit and he had to
close the doors of his bricks-and-mortar store. He said his Etsy
sales are about 10 times higher this year.
Mr. Cummings said that his sales on Etsy have helped him cover
his business expenses and that he was able to come out of 2020 with
a profit because of his online store. He plans on selling through
the platform after the pandemic, with his business now reaching as
far as Australia. He has seen a new wave of repeat customers
seeking to complete sets of his custom beer glasses.
While Etsy and Shopify used to be more of an occasional place
for shoppers seeking unique gifts, the pandemic inspired customers
to return multiple times, said Tom Forte, an equity analyst at D.A.
Davidson. Both Etsy and Shopify have made concerted efforts to prop
up their vendors with resources to reach more customers, according
to Mr. Forte.
"If you look at Shopify, it's done well because it's bent over
backwards to try to inject them with sales," he said. Shopify has
rolled out a variety of new features, including digital gift cards
and support for vendors to improve their online stores.
Both companies have kept their pricing competitive during the
pandemic. Etsy charges 20 cents per item listed by a vendor and a
5% transaction fee for each sale. Shopify offers tiered monthly
plans. The most basic level charges a monthly fee of $29 for
sellers and a 2.9% transaction fee.
One type of sale that might not last beyond the pandemic is
masks.
Etsy reported that masks accounted for 11% of overall
gross-merchandise sales in the third quarter.
Analysts remain upbeat about Etsy and Shopify. Mr. Forte
believes sales growth for the first half of 2021 will be good while
people wait to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
The question is whether an end to the pandemic will cool online
shopping habits. Any dip in growth could set the shares up for a
fall, Mr. Forte said.
Write to Amber Burton at Amber.Burton@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 23, 2020 05:44 ET (10:44 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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