Japan Hour - Gaia Series 98: MUJI, Behind the Scenes
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CNA
6 hours ago
- CNA
Bumble's paying user drop sparks concerns over pace of AI-driven revamp
Bumble's paying users fell in the second quarter, the dating app operator said on Wednesday, clouding hopes of a quick turnaround and sending its shares slumping 8 per cent in extended trading. The company, which operates an eponymous app, has turned to artificial intelligence to combat the "dating fatigue" that has plagued the industry. Analysts, however, say Bumble has trailed bigger rival Tinder-parent Match Group as many of the company's efforts remain in early testing phases. The dating app's total paying users decreased by 8.7 per cent to 3.8 million in the second quarter. "The primary concern at this stage remains the headwinds in paying user growth, which Bumble needs to address to re-engage its core audience," said Chandler Willison, research analyst at M Science. In the three-month period to June, the company posted a net loss of $367.0 million, including $404.9 million of non-cash impairment charges, compared to a net profit of $37.7 million, a year earlier. The company, which named a new chief financial officer, did not specify the reasons behind its one-time cost. In its bet to provide real connections, Bumble has introduced a new coaching hub powered by both human expertise and artificial intelligence. The company said on Wednesday it would introduce an all-new Bumble BFF application this month to woo Gen Z customers and will also have new community-focused events to help users build offline friendships. Bumble posted second-quarter revenue of $248.2 million, compared with analysts' average estimate of $245.1 million, according to data compiled by LSEG. The company said Kevin Cook, who was recently financial head at data management platform Cloudera, would succeed interim CFO Ronald Fior, effective August 12. Bumble forecast third-quarter revenue between $240 million and $248 million, largely above analysts' estimates of $241.4 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Duolingo raises 2025 revenue forecast as AI tools boost user engagement
Language-learning app Duolingo raised its annual revenue forecast and beat second-quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, anticipating broader adoption of its AI-enhanced subscription tier among its global user base. The company's shares rose about 20 per cent in trading after the bell. Duolingo operates on a freemium model, offering basic language-learning features for free while providing premium capabilities through monthly or annual paid subscriptions. The company now expects revenue for 2025 to be in the range of $1.01 billion to $1.02 billion, compared to analysts' estimates of $996.6 million. It had earlier projected revenue between $987 million and $996 million for the year. Revenue in the April-June period was $252.3 million, compared with analysts' estimates of $240.7 million. Duolingo's two subscription tiers — Super, designed for frequent learners, and Max, tailored for advanced users — include AI-driven features such as video-call conversation practice with chatbots, personalized error analysis and enhanced feedback tools. Since launching an AI-powered video-call tool for Android in January, Duolingo has expanded the feature to additional languages, aiming to boost subscription growth by enabling users to practice natural conversations across a broader linguistic range. Duolingo's gross margin benefited this quarter from lower-than-expected AI costs, as the decline in margin from expanding Max and AI features was much smaller than the company had originally expected. "The cost of calling AI tools has come down a lot. Ads also did better; ads are not a big part of our business, but it turned out that it helped margin a little bit as well," CFO Matt Skaruppa told Reuters. Duolingo leverages generative AI to create and personalize bite-sized lessons across more than 100 language courses. In April, CEO Luis von Ahn said that after taking 12 years to develop the first 100 courses, the company's AI tools helped it introduce 148 new courses in roughly one year. Duolingo expects revenue for the third quarter to be in the range of $257 million to $261 million, compared to analysts' estimates of $253 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
CNA
18 hours ago
- CNA
Shopify forecasts Q3 revenue above estimates on AI-backed platform upgrades
Shopify forecast third-quarter revenue above market estimates on Wednesday, as its AI features and platform upgrades boosted demand for its e-commerce services despite tariff-related uncertainty pressuring retail businesses. U.S. listed shares of the company surged nearly 10 per cent in premarket trading. President Donald Trump's shifting trade policies have clouded the global economic outlook, leaving retail businesses unsure about consumer demand, production and sourcing, as well as the costs of running their operations. Shopify, however, saw healthy consumer spending at least until April, with sellers signomg up for its services. E-commerce giant Amazon last week reported strong retail results, saying it was yet to see a demand drop or a notable rise in prices. Shopify expects revenue to rise mid-to-high twenties percentage rate in the current quarter, while analysts on average estimated a rise of 21.54 per cent, according to data compiled by LSEG. For the second quarter, Shopify reported revenue of $2.68 billion, up 31 per cent from last year and above analysts' average estimate of $2.55 billion.
