Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Buys 15,700 Shares of Shopify Inc. $SHOP

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co raised its stake in Shopify Inc. (NASDAQ:SHOP) (TSE:SHOP) by 8.7% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 195,858 shares of the software maker’s stock after buying an additional 15,700 shares during the period. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co’s holdings in Shopify were worth $29,104,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shopify in the 3rd quarter valued at $4,110,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Shopify by 16.3% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 450,895 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $67,006,000 after acquiring an additional 63,300 shares in the last quarter. Triton Financial Group Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Shopify during the third quarter worth about $1,931,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Shopify by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 5,231,257 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $603,425,000 after purchasing an additional 218,829 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Shopify by 65.5% during the 3rd quarter. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd now owns 158,514 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $23,557,000 after purchasing an additional 62,743 shares in the last quarter. 69.27% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Shopify Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:SHOP opened at $118.61 on Thursday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $152.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $151.02. Shopify Inc. has a one year low of $69.84 and a one year high of $182.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $154.41 billion, a PE ratio of 87.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.75 and a beta of 2.83.

Key Shopify News

Here are the key news stories impacting Shopify this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue and GMV beat: Q4 revenue rose ~31% YoY ($3.67B) and GMV also grew ~31%, outpacing consensus and showing continued AI-driven demand across regions and channels. Shopify Defies Logic: AI Disruption Is a Good Thing
• Positive Sentiment: Strong forward revenue guide: Shopify guided Q1 revenue above Street estimates (low‑30% growth target), signaling momentum into 2026 that some analysts view as durable. Shopify forecasts quarterly revenue above estimates on strong demand
• Positive Sentiment: $2B buyback and strong cash flow: Management authorized a $2B repurchase (about ~3% of market cap) and reported healthy free cash flow, underscoring balance-sheet flexibility (net cash, no debt). Shopify’s Standout 2025: The Launchpad for a New Era of Commerce in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest fell sharply in January (~27% decline), reducing immediate squeeze risk but also signaling changing trader positioning; this can dampen volatility from short-covering.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and mixed profitability signals: Reported EPS (~$0.46–$0.48) missed some consensus estimates, and management flagged margin pressures from a higher mix of Merchant Solutions plus rising investments. Shopify (SHOP) Misses Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Buyback execution & cash-risk concerns: Analysts and commentators flagged the $2B repurchase as raising questions about timing (algorithmic triggers), volatility management and opportunity cost, which added to investor caution. Shopify’s $2 Billion Buyback Plan Raises Questions on Volatility, Execution, and Cash Risk
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution and profit-taking: Some shops cut targets or issued cautious notes (and at least one bearish forecast), prompting profit-taking after the recent run — amplifying the stock’s selloff despite upbeat guidance. Why I’m Not Buying the Dip in Shopify Stock

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Shopify in a report on Thursday, December 4th. TD Securities upgraded shares of Shopify to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Shopify in a research note on Monday, December 1st. UBS Group set a $195.00 target price on Shopify in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $181.00 price objective (up from $156.00) on shares of Shopify in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Twenty-eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fifteen have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Shopify currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $168.19.

Shopify Company Profile

Shopify is a Canadian commerce technology company that provides a cloud-based platform for businesses to create, manage and scale online and physical retail stores. Its core offering is a software-as-a-service e-commerce platform that enables merchants to build customizable storefronts, manage product catalogs, process orders, and handle inventory. Shopify also supports omnichannel selling through integrated point-of-sale (POS) systems for in-person transactions.

Beyond storefront software, Shopify offers a range of merchant services and tools designed to simplify commerce operations.