Stay Invested in eBay to Benefit From its Growth

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The disruptive power of e-commerce has propelled to new heights since the start of the pandemic. E-commerce giants like eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) and eBay stock have experienced a boom this quarter. Growth is estimated to be between 23% and 26% higher in a year-over-year comparison. In April and May 2020, the online marketplace saw 6 million new buyers on its platform.

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The growth in eBay’s e-commerce numbers is a testament to the shift in consumers’ buying habits. The company’s stock price rallied at an all-time high this month and is trending around $58. This latest bump in online spending comes after the shutdown of brick and mortar stores was extended in many states.

Although the novel coronavirus pandemic had an immediate impact on buying habits, data shows growth will endure. With double-digit sales volumes and talks of a potential sale of its classifieds unit, eBay is well poised to benefit.

Talks Of Classifieds Unit Sale Bump eBay

Shares of eBay stock hit a new high on July 1 as the company made progress in the highly anticipated sale of its classifieds business. The sale, estimated to have a price tag of $8 billion, sent stock prices soaring to a record $53.43. While there is no conclusion on the date of the sale or the buyer, CNBC’s David Faber says that the deal is expected to close by mid-July.

Companies such as Adevinta (OL:ADEO), Prosus (OTCMKTS:PROSY), TPG (NYSE:TSLX) and The Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX) have placed bids to acquire this unit. The classified sale results from eBay’s agreement with Elliot Management to restructure. As part of the deal, eBay will sell its external entities so it can focus on the e-commerce business.

In February, eBay completed the sale of its online ticketing platform, StubHub for $4.05 billion in cash. The proceeds were used to improve shareholder value through issuing dividends, buybacks and margin improvements. If the sale goes through, investors can expect another boost in stock value.

Although the spike in eBay stock price was short-lived when the value of the sale was announced, the company has put up some big numbers since the start of the year. The e-commerce veteran’s stock price has increased more than 40% year-to-date. As brick and mortar businesses shuttered across the country, consumers have been flocking to companies like eBay and Amazon to meet their needs.

E-commerce Boost Helps eBay Stock

A one-time internet darling, eBay lost its way in recent years after its inability to keep up with larger counterparts like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)and Shopify (NYSE:SHOP). However, the Covid-19-induced online sales bump has been nothing but good news for the company.

In April, the company decided to capitalize on the momentum with the launch of the ‘Up and Running’ campaign. The goal was to bring small businesses without an online presence to the web. The company also pledged $100 million to support businesses in North America.

The wake of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed nearly 60% of businesses don’t have an online presence. Under its plan, eBay will provide tools and resources they would need to stay afloat. This would also allow eBay to regain its popularity among small businesses that were alienated by Amazon.

The growing value of eBay stock also was aided by investors optimism in e-commerce stocks. While fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic diluted shareholder value in most industries, tech companies are in their heyday. Investors are piling up on tech stocks as eBay and Amazon hit new highs.

However, eBay stock stands out from a sea of tech giants for its affordability. Companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon have stock prices in the thousands, putting them out of reach of the average investor. Smaller companies like eBay, Shopify and Etsy (NASDAQ:ETSY) are rising favorites for their moderate prices.

Bottom Line on eBay Stock

As more people continue to shop online, there are large gains ahead for eBay. The company hopes to beat the markets with spectacular Q2 numbers and the sale of its classified unit will only push its stock price higher.

Prior to the pandemic, eBay was losing its place in the e-commerce world to juggernauts like Amazon and Walmart (NYSE:WMT). However, the boost in e-commerce sales shifted the tide in its favor.

With a strong demand driven by “better marketing efficiency, increased organic traffic and higher platform conversion” this fiscal year, eBay stock is a keeper for the long haul.

Divya Premkumar has a finance degree from the University of Houston, Texas. She is a financial writer and analyst who has written stories on various financial topics from investing to personal finance. Divya has been writing for Investor Place since 2020. As of this writing, Divya Premkumar did not own any of the aforementioned stocks.

Divya Premkumar has a finance degree from the University of Houston, Texas. She is a financial writer and analyst who has written stories on various financial topics from investing to personal finance. Divya has been writing for Investor Place since 2020.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2020/07/stay-invested-in-ebay-to-benefit-from-its-growth/.

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