Etsy beats quarterly estimates for gross merchandise sales, board approves $1 bln share repurchase

Etsy beat third-quarter gross merchandise sales (GMS) and revenue estimates on Wednesday, helped by steady demand from new and habitual buyers for products like handcrafted antiques at its online marketplace, sending its shares up about 11% in extended trading.

The company said its board has approved a new share repurchase program for an additional $1 billion of Etsy’s common stock after repurchasing about $156 million, or 2.7 million shares, during the quarter. U.S. retail sales saw a solid growth in September as easing prices of gasoline and an uptick in job growth boosted consumer confidence in shopping for discretionary items, including apparel and accessories.

This has helped companies like Etsy, which provides an online platform for higher-margin goods ranging from home decor to clutches.

“The company’s recent emphasis on gifting gave it a slight boost in the quarter, while its investments in the customer experience are laying the groundwork for what Etsy hopes will be increased engagement and purchase frequency over time,” said Rachel Wolff, analyst with eMarketer.

Etsy posted consolidated GMS — a key metric to measure sales — of $2.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ estimates of $2.89 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

It posted quarterly revenue of $662.4 million, compared with analysts’ expectations of $652.5 million.

Etsy’s efforts to increasingly invest in marketing further helped attract customers despite stiff competition from e-commerce retailers such as Amazon and PDD Holdings’ low-cost e-commerce platform Temu.