Zoom ($ZM) has been front-and-center for investors and users in 2020 - but now, with its earnings looming ahead and Coronavirus lockdowns poised to be eased, it remains uncertain if it will continue to enjoy the utilization rates it once did. The company will report results on June 2, and after appreciation of nearly 200% this year, analysts are approaching the COVID-quarter's numbers with a great deal of optimism.
But it could be overhyped - Zoom is seeing social media chatter around its brand begin to slide, possibly a sign that myriad competitors
Zoom job postings began soaring as it brought on more staffers in mid-February, and into March, to fill critical roles as it saw demand surge. But, lately, job postings have declined substantially. However - that comes as Zoom's LinkedIn Headcount (tracked previously here) has shot up more than 32% year-to-date. It may simply be that Zoom finally brought on enough staffers to satisfy demand.
Further, do more with less may be the new mantra of the software business. Companies like Okta and Twilio are racking up impressive earnings and guidance, despite the reduction of job postings that came as the market saw listings dry up amid the Coronavirus panic and shutdown.
The chart above is taken from Zoom's total ratings submitted via the Apple Store platform - and, clearly, reflects engagement on an exponential level. That coincides with shares touching all-time highs on June 1, just a day ahead of its most critical earnings report to date. However, not all is well in Zoom's world; after so much time on consumers' minds, judging by its Facebook Talking About Count (shown here), the Zoom hype appears to be slowing.
What is Zooming, is Zoom's rating - which keeps climbing, to about a 4.5 in the Apple Store - a solid rating, especially for the increased feedback Zoom has gotten lately. That puts Zoom out in front of competitors like Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams, to name a couple.
June 2 will prove to be a pivotal day for Zoom - and furthermore, its guidance may serve as a proxy for what some companies will chart out as they plan extended stay-at-home work strategies to best protect their staffers against Coronavirus.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales, and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue, and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.