Upwork (NASDAQ:UPWK – Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by equities research analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $25.00 to $15.00 in a research note issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC’s target price suggests a potential upside of 41.38% from the stock’s previous close.
Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on UPWK. UBS Group cut Upwork from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $10.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Upwork in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Upwork in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Wall Street Zen raised Upwork from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 21st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on Upwork from $24.00 to $20.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $19.10.
Read Our Latest Report on UPWK
Upwork Price Performance
Upwork announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, February 18th that permits the company to repurchase $300.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to repurchase up to 18% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.
Insider Activity
In other news, insider Dave Bottoms sold 7,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.49, for a total value of $80,430.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 2,678 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $30,770.22. The trade was a 72.33% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Hayden Brown sold 23,745 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.31, for a total value of $292,300.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 798,732 shares in the company, valued at $9,832,390.92. This trade represents a 2.89% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 235,186 shares of company stock valued at $3,156,199. Insiders own 7.50% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Upwork
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UPWK. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in Upwork by 44.2% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 19,231,377 shares of the company’s stock valued at $381,166,000 after purchasing an additional 5,893,970 shares in the last quarter. Boston Partners boosted its holdings in Upwork by 785.7% in the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 2,322,575 shares of the company’s stock valued at $42,962,000 after purchasing an additional 2,060,356 shares in the last quarter. Summit Partners Public Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Upwork in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $40,136,000. Invenomic Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in Upwork in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $24,782,000. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH boosted its holdings in Upwork by 93.6% in the 3rd quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 1,862,153 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,580,000 after purchasing an additional 900,525 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.71% of the company’s stock.
Upwork News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Upwork this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Raised EPS/adjusted‑EBITDA targets — Upwork updated FY‑2026 EPS guidance to $1.50–$1.55 (above consensus) and raised adjusted EBITDA guidance for the year, signalling management sees margin or profitability upside despite revenue pressure. Upwork Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
- Positive Sentiment: Q2 EPS guide above Street — Management guided Q2 EPS to $0.350–$0.370, higher than the consensus EPS estimate, which may reassure investors focused on per‑share profitability. Upwork Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
- Neutral Sentiment: Revenue growth was modest — Q1 revenue ran about $195.5M, roughly flat/only modestly higher (+~1.4% YoY), so the business is still growing but not accelerating. Upwork Inc. Stock Falls on Q1 2026 Earnings
- Neutral Sentiment: Client monetization indicators mixed — GSV per active client improved (management pointed to AI and SMB initiatives), which could support longer‑term revenue per client if sustained. Upwork Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
- Negative Sentiment: Top‑line and EPS misses / mixed reported metrics — Some outlets report Q1 EPS and revenue missed consensus (examples: EPS reported as $0.24 vs. estimates ~ $0.25–$0.28 and revenue below ~$199–204M consensus), creating headline risk and selling pressure. Upwork (UPWK) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
- Negative Sentiment: Weaker revenue guidance — Management set Q2 and FY revenue ranges that are well below Street estimates (Q2 guide ~$187–193M; FY guide $760–790M vs much higher consensus), which is the primary driver cited for the after‑hours selloff. Upwork Stock Plunges On Q1 Earnings, Softer Revenue Outlook, Restructuring Plan
- Negative Sentiment: Profitability and cash‑flow deterioration in the quarter — Operating profit and net income declined YoY and cash from operations dropped materially, increasing near‑term execution risk. Upwork Inc. Stock Falls on Q1 2026 Earnings
- Negative Sentiment: Restructuring and insider selling headlines — Benzinga and Quiver highlighted a restructuring plan and extensive insider sales in recent months, which can amplify negative investor sentiment. Upwork Stock Plunges On Q1 Earnings, Softer Revenue Outlook, Restructuring Plan Upwork Inc. Stock Falls on Q1 2026 Earnings
Upwork Company Profile
Upwork Inc operates a leading online talent marketplace that connects businesses with independent professionals worldwide. Through its digital platform, the company enables clients across industries—including technology, marketing, creative services and customer support—to source, hire and manage freelance talent on demand. Key features of the Upwork platform include streamlined job posting, proposal evaluation, time-tracking tools, invoicing and secure payment processing, all designed to simplify collaboration between clients and remote workers.
The company traces its roots to the merger of two pioneering freelance marketplaces, Elance (founded in 1998) and oDesk (founded in 2003), which combined in 2015 to form a unified entity.
Further Reading
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