Deutsche Bank analyst Lloyd Walmsley initiated coverage of Spotify Technology (SPOT) with a Hold rating and $155 price target. The stock closed yesterday up 59c to $170.82. The analyst is bullish on the music industry but says he struggles with the bull case on Spotify given the company's "lack of content differentiation or visibility around long term margins." Spotify is not Netflix 2.0 (NFLX), Walmsley tells investors in a research note. The analyst prefers playing the music streaming tailwinds through major labels like Vivendi (VIVHY). Walmsley would become more positive on Spotify if the company grew its market share "considerably,: developed proprietary content consumers valued, diversified away from major labels, or if the stock sold off to lower valuation levels.

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Deutsche Bank raised the firm's price target on Spotify to $400 from $340 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company reported "very strong" Q1 results and a "very encouraging" Q2 outlook, which will lead to materially higher consensus gross margin and EBIT estimates, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says sizable gross margin beat builds conviction in Spotify achieving its investor day target of 30% gross margins on the earlier side of the fiscal 2025-2027 range.

HSBC analyst Joseph Thomas raised the firm's price target on Spotify to $355 from $310 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company's gross profit and EBIT for Q1 came in well ahead of expectations as it executes against its strategy to minimize costs, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says the guidance implies a strong step-up in margins for Q2. It is now more bullish on Spotify's ability to monetize its audiobook offering.

Loop Capital analyst Alan Gould raised the firm's price target on Spotify to $300 from $250 and keeps a Hold rating on the shares. The company's Q1 results demonstrated "impressive profit and cash flow growth", though there was a small miss on ad-supported subscriber metric, partially due to some pull forward in Q4 and an over-correction on marketing spend, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Audiobooks are also a drag on profits, but Podcasting should be profitable for the year, though it contributed a small loss to Spotify during the quarter, the firm added.

Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris raised the firm's price target on Spotify to $350 from $290 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares after the company reported Q1 results that were highlighted by the company's largest ever operating income quarter and expanding gross margin. The company's Q2 profitability guidance was "similarly strong," the analyst added in an earnings recap note.

Wells Fargo raised the firm's price target on Spotify to $400 from $310 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. A year ago, Spotify's long-term profitability was in question, the firm notes. Now, it's a question of "how good?" margins can get. Wells believes strong profit growth supports its 41-times EV/EBITDA multiple.