AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP) Stock Now Rated "Moderate Buy" by Wall Street Analysts

Key Points

• Wall Street maintains a “Moderate Buy” consensus on AppLovin, with 17 buy, 3 strong-buy and 8 hold ratings among 28 analysts. The average 12-month price target is $491.64, well above the stock’s recent $228.50 price.
• AppLovin shares have fallen sharply, trading near their 52-week low and below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Several firms recently cut their price targets, though they generally maintained positive ratings.
• The company reported quarterly EPS in line with estimates and 52.8% year-over-year revenue growth, but investors face concerns about slowing advertising momentum, insider selling and a securities class-action lawsuit related to disclosures about its AI advertising technology.

AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP - Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-eight ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $491.64.

Several research analysts have weighed in on APP shares. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $510.00 target price (down from $630.00) on shares of AppLovin in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. BTIG Research reduced their price target on AppLovin from $408.00 to $396.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. Benchmark lowered their price target on AppLovin from $500.00 to $440.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Raymond James Financial dropped their price objective on AppLovin from $640.00 to $590.00 in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Scotiabank reaffirmed a "sector outperform" rating and set a $515.00 price objective (down from $775.00) on shares of AppLovin in a research report on Thursday, August 6th.

AppLovin Trading Down 10.4%

AppLovin stock opened at $228.50 on Friday. AppLovin has a 12 month low of $225.19 and a 12 month high of $738.01. The company has a quick ratio of 4.30, a current ratio of 4.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The stock has a market cap of $76.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.56, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 2.56. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $294.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $417.58.

AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $3.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $3.76. The business had revenue of $1.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.94 billion. AppLovin had a return on equity of 193.10% and a net margin of 64.58%. AppLovin's quarterly revenue was up 52.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.39 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that AppLovin will post 15.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AppLovin News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting AppLovin this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AppLovin continues to attract bullish attention from some Wall Street analysts. Its average brokerage recommendation remains equivalent to a Buy, while previously published price targets are substantially above the current trading level. AppLovin also delivered strong growth in 2025 and has expanded its software-based advertising business. Is AppLovin a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
• Positive Sentiment: Wurl, AppLovin’s subsidiary, launched a Content Intelligence Platform designed to improve transparency and measurement in connected-TV advertising. The initiative could support AppLovin’s expansion into additional digital-advertising channels. AppLovin Flags CTV Ad Transparency Gaps
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning is mixed: 712 investors added APP shares in their latest reported quarter, while 765 reduced positions. Large purchases by Invesco, Capital World Investors, and JPMorgan contrast with complete or sizable reductions by some other funds.
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concern has intensified ahead of the November 4 earnings report. Recent commentary points to stable rather than accelerating advertiser demand, more conservative estimates, and questions about whether improvements to AppLovin’s advertising models are continuing at the earlier pace. AppLovin Slides as Investors Weigh Slower Growth Signals
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms reported a securities class action covering investors who purchased APP securities from February 12 through August 5, 2026. The allegations center on disclosures about AI advertising-model improvements and the readiness of AppLovin’s generative-AI video tool. The lead-plaintiff deadline is November 16, adding legal and reputational risk. AppLovin Faces Securities Fraud Class Action
• Negative Sentiment: Reported insider activity has consisted entirely of sales over the past six months, including sales by the CEO and chief technology officer. Although insider sales do not necessarily indicate deteriorating fundamentals, the pattern may weigh on sentiment while the stock remains well below its 52-week high.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of APP. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of AppLovin by 28.3% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 15,095,667 shares of the company's stock valued at $7,777,741,000 after buying an additional 3,328,338 shares during the period. WCM Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of AppLovin by 5.2% during the first quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 5,001,600 shares of the company's stock worth $1,860,995,000 after acquiring an additional 245,290 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its holdings in shares of AppLovin by 7.5% during the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,735,471 shares of the company's stock worth $894,167,000 after acquiring an additional 121,605 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in AppLovin in the 2nd quarter valued at $730,015,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in AppLovin by 19.5% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 1,332,633 shares of the company's stock valued at $686,612,000 after acquiring an additional 217,214 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 41.85% of the company's stock.

AppLovin Company Profile

AppLovin Corporation is a technology company that provides software and services designed to help mobile application developers grow, monetize and operate their businesses. Its platform supports user acquisition, advertising, mediation, analytics and other functions across the mobile app ecosystem.

The company's principal products include AppDiscovery, which helps developers market their applications and acquire users; MAX, an in-app bidding and monetization platform; and its AXON technology, an artificial intelligence-powered engine intended to improve advertising performance and match users with relevant applications and content.

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