Wrapping up Q4 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the content delivery stocks, including F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) and its peers.

The amount of content on the internet is exploding, whether it is music, movies and or e-commerce stores. Consumer demand for this content creates network congestion, much like a digital traffic jam which drives demand for specialized content delivery networks (CDN) services that alleviate potential network bottlenecks.

The 4 content delivery stocks we track reported a strong Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 5.4% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

Luckily, content delivery stocks have performed well with share prices up 35.5% on average since the latest earnings results.

F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV)

Originally named after the F5 tornado, the most powerful on the meteorological scale, F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) provides security and delivery solutions that protect applications across cloud, data center, and edge environments for large organizations.

F5 reported revenues of $822.5 million, up 7.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 8.8%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ billings estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

F5 achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat but had the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 5.5% since reporting and currently trades at $285.37.

Is now the time to buy F5? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: Fastly (NASDAQ: FSLY)

Taking its name from the core advantage it delivers to customers, Fastly (NYSE: FSLY) operates an edge cloud platform that processes, secures, and delivers web content as close to end users as possible, enabling faster digital experiences.

Fastly reported revenues of $172.6 million, up 22.8% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6.9%. The business had a stunning quarter with EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 134% since reporting. It currently trades at $21.75.

Is now the time to buy Fastly? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM)

With a massive distributed network spanning 4,100+ points of presence in nearly 130 countries, Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM) provides a global distributed cloud platform that helps businesses deliver, secure, and optimize their digital experiences online.

Akamai Technologies reported revenues of $1.09 billion, up 7.4% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted full-year EPS guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly and EPS guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

Akamai Technologies delivered the highest full-year guidance raise but had the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. As expected, the stock is down 8.5% since the results and currently trades at $100.29.

Read our full analysis of Akamai Technologies’s results here.

Cloudflare (NYSE: NET)

With a massive network spanning more than 310 cities in over 120 countries, Cloudflare (NYSE: NET) provides a global network that delivers security, performance and reliability services to protect websites, applications, and corporate networks.

Cloudflare reported revenues of $614.5 million, up 33.6% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 4.1%. Zooming out, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but full-year EPS guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

Cloudflare scored the fastest revenue growth but had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is up 11.5% since reporting and currently trades at $200.74.

Read our full, actionable report on Cloudflare here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn’t send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump’s November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there’s still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy.

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