CrowdGather Inc. (OTCBB: CRWG), an owner and operator of a network of online forums monetized with a unique advertising platform, is popular among analysts and investors. Taking a different approach than social media companies like LinkedIn Corporation (NYSE: LNKD) and online portal operators like AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL), the company’s audience consists of forum users that are both passionate and highly-targetable for advertisers.
Zacks Research is an analyst with a bullish outlook on the company. The analyst set a 6-month price target of $1.75 per share in July of 2011, which represents a significant 929% premium to the current market price. Among the reasons for the high target, the analyst cited high sales increases, improving traffic figures, and a low value per user relative to other companies.
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Traffic Provides Leverage for Monetization
CrowdGather’s growing traffic figures have generated interest from analysts and investors. In July, the company announced that its network page views and unique visitors doubled year-over-year. Then in September, the firm announced that its monthly traffic jumped 50% after it purchased Yuku.com. And recently, the company hit a level of 235mm page views and 23mm unique visits each month.
These improving traffic statistics should help CrowdGather better package and monetize its traffic. And with its acquisition of Adisn’s advertising technology in June of 2010, the company is preparing to monetize its traffic with even higher CPMs. Zacks Research added that this will likely produce upside revenue surprises in FY2012, but it didn’t include the projections into the aforementioned price target.
Acquisitions Build Shareholder Value
CrowdGather has also become extremely adept at acquiring and effectively monetizing online forums. By offsetting acquisitions’ dilution with his previously canceled shares, CEO Sanjay Sabnani’s acquisition strategy aims for a very rapid payback period and high return on investment. Ultimately, these acquisitions are meant to build a base that will continue to drive its rapid growth moving forward.
In the future, the company’s proprietary advertising network should help it leverage these acquisitions even more. Higher CPM rates will help immediately improve revenues, while expanding this advertising platform beyond its own network would create a whole new revenue stream. Combined, these factors could help the firm meet and exceed the price targets set by analysts like Zacks Research.
A Great Opportunity
CrowdGather has taken a unique approach to the online publishing and advertising industries. By targeting forums, the company leverages passionate users to give advertisers unparalleled exposure for their brands. The firm’s acquisition of Adisn also provides it with the technology needed to create its own online advertising platform, and generate significant long-term value for shareholders.
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