Shutterstock (SSTK)
Market Price (12/5/2025): $19.18 | Market Cap: $680.6 MilSector: Communication Services | Industry: Interactive Media & Services
Shutterstock (SSTK)
Market Price (12/5/2025): $19.18Market Cap: $680.6 MilSector: Communication ServicesIndustry: Interactive Media & Services
Investment Highlights
Why It Matters
Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?
1. Generates cash flow
The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.
2. Riding a trend
Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow
| Attractive yieldTotal YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 14%, Dividend Yield is 6.1%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 10%, FCF Yield is 12% | Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -102%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -131% | |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 14% | ||
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Social Media & Creator Economy, Digital Advertising, and Digital Content & Streaming. Themes include Creator Economy Monetization, Show more. |
| Attractive yieldTotal YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 14%, Dividend Yield is 6.1%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 10%, FCF Yield is 12% |
| Attractive cash flow generationCFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 14% |
| Megatrend and thematic driversMegatrends include Social Media & Creator Economy, Digital Advertising, and Digital Content & Streaming. Themes include Creator Economy Monetization, Show more. |
| Weak multi-year price returns2Y Excs Rtn is -102%, 3Y Excs Rtn is -131% |
Valuation, Metrics & Events
SSTK Stock
Why The Stock Moved
Qualitative Assessment
AI Generated Analysis | Feedback
The stock of Shutterstock (SSTK) moved by -5.7% in the approximate time period from August 31, 2025, to December 5, 2025, due to several key factors: **1. Regulatory Delays in Merger.** Shares of Shutterstock experienced a significant drop, falling 9.4% on November 3, 2025, after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) referred its proposed merger with Getty Images for a more in-depth, Phase 2 review. This regulatory scrutiny created uncertainty regarding the deal's future, raising concerns about potential delays or its outright blockage. **2. Disappointing Quarterly Earnings.** Shutterstock announced its third-quarter financial results around November 5, 2025, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $0.99. This figure significantly missed analysts' consensus estimates of $1.47, indicating a weaker financial performance than anticipated. **3. Analyst Downgrades.** Following the company's financial results and other market dynamics, several analyst firms adjusted their ratings for Shutterstock's stock. Notably, Zacks Research downgraded Shutterstock from a "hold" to a "strong sell" on December 4, 2025, while Wall Street Zen also cut its rating from a "buy" to a "hold" on November 8, 2025. **4. Bearish Technical Indicators.** As of early December 2025, technical analysis of Shutterstock's stock revealed an overall bearish trend in its moving averages. Multiple negative signals suggested a strong bearish outlook for the stock in the mid-term, reflecting a decline in investor confidence. **5. Broader Underperformance of Dividend Stocks.** Throughout 2025, Shutterstock, identified as a dividend-paying stock, was subject to a market trend where capital was being reallocated from traditional dividend-heavy industries towards high-growth sectors, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and technology. This market shift contributed to the undervaluation and underperformance of dividend stocks like Shutterstock within the broader market context of 2025.
Show moreStock Movement Drivers
Return vs. Risk
Price Returns Compared
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||
| SSTK Return | 70% | 56% | -52% | -6% | -35% | -33% | -48% |
| Peers Return | 54% | 4% | -40% | 25% | 2% | -22% | -6% |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 17% | 112% |
Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||
| SSTK Win Rate | 58% | 58% | 17% | 42% | 17% | 50% | |
| Peers Win Rate | 55% | 57% | 37% | 52% | 45% | 40% | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 70% | |
Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||
| SSTK Max Drawdown | -31% | -9% | -58% | -35% | -38% | -51% | |
| Peers Max Drawdown | -50% | -20% | -52% | -26% | -36% | -41% | |
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: ADBE, CARG, UPWK, SABR, MDRX. See SSTK Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/4/2025 (YTD)
How Low Can It Go
| Event | SSTK | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Inflation Shock | ||
| % Loss | -73.1% | -25.4% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 271.6% | 34.1% |
| Time to Breakeven | Not Fully Recovered days | 464 days |
| 2020 Covid Pandemic | ||
| % Loss | -34.3% | -33.9% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 52.3% | 51.3% |
| Time to Breakeven | 118 days | 148 days |
| 2018 Correction | ||
| % Loss | -42.5% | -19.8% |
| % Gain to Breakeven | 73.9% | 24.7% |
| Time to Breakeven | 371 days | 120 days |
Compare to ADBE, CARG, UPWK, SABR, MDRX
In The Past
Shutterstock's stock fell -73.1% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 10/18/2021. A -73.1% loss requires a 271.6% gain to breakeven.
Preserve Wealth
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Asset Allocation
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Latest Trefis Analyses
| Title | |
|---|---|
| ARTICLES |
Trade Ideas
Select past ideas related to SSTK. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | PINS | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 4.9% | 4.9% | 0.0% | |
| 11212025 | TMUS | T-Mobile US | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 0.0% | 0.0% | -1.2% |
| 11212025 | Z | Zillow | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 6.8% | 6.8% | 0.0% |
| 11072025 | IRDM | Iridium Communications | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 2.1% | 2.1% | -5.6% |
| 10312025 | ADBE | Adobe | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -4.0% | -4.0% | -8.2% |
| 09302023 | SSTK | Shutterstock | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 21.9% | -3.9% | -12.1% |
| 04302022 | SSTK | Shutterstock | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | -31.3% | -10.0% | -39.0% |
| Date | Ticker | Company | Category | Trade Strategy | 6M Fwd Rtn | 12M Fwd Rtn | 12M Max DD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11302025 | PINS | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 4.9% | 4.9% | 0.0% | |
| 11212025 | TMUS | T-Mobile US | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 0.0% | 0.0% | -1.2% |
| 11212025 | Z | Zillow | Monopoly | MY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S DeclineLarge cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple | 6.8% | 6.8% | 0.0% |
| 11072025 | IRDM | Iridium Communications | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 2.1% | 2.1% | -5.6% |
| 10312025 | ADBE | Adobe | Dip Buy | DB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High MarginBuying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin | -4.0% | -4.0% | -8.2% |
| 09302023 | SSTK | Shutterstock | Dip Buy | DB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow MarginsBuying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap | 21.9% | -3.9% | -12.1% |
| 04302022 | SSTK | Shutterstock | Dip Buy | DB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High MarginBuying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin | -31.3% | -10.0% | -39.0% |
Research & Analysis
Invest in Strategies
Wealth Management
Peer Comparisons for Shutterstock
| Peers to compare with: |
Financials
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Price | 19.34 |
| Mkt Cap | 1.6 |
| Rev LTM | 973 |
| Op Inc LTM | 161 |
| FCF LTM | 145 |
| FCF 3Y Avg | 93 |
| CFO LTM | 181 |
| CFO 3Y Avg | 128 |
Growth & Margins
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Rev Chg LTM | 6.5% |
| Rev Chg 3Y Avg | 8.5% |
| Rev Chg Q | 3.6% |
| QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM | 0.9% |
| Op Mgn LTM | 13.4% |
| Op Mgn 3Y Avg | 7.5% |
| QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM | 1.0% |
| CFO/Rev LTM | 24.1% |
| CFO/Rev 3Y Avg | 15.4% |
| FCF/Rev LTM | 19.9% |
| FCF/Rev 3Y Avg | 11.3% |
Valuation
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Mkt Cap | 1.6 |
| P/S | 2.0 |
| P/EBIT | 11.8 |
| P/E | 11.1 |
| P/CFO | 8.2 |
| Total Yield | 7.2% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.0% |
| FCF Yield 3Y Avg | 5.1% |
| D/E | 0.3 |
| Net D/E | 0.0 |
Returns
| Median | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| 1M Rtn | 1.1% |
| 3M Rtn | -2.5% |
| 6M Rtn | 10.8% |
| 12M Rtn | -39.1% |
| 3Y Rtn | -30.8% |
| 1M Excs Rtn | -0.2% |
| 3M Excs Rtn | -7.9% |
| 6M Excs Rtn | -4.6% |
| 12M Excs Rtn | -50.6% |
| 3Y Excs Rtn | -101.7% |
Comparison Analyses
Returns Analyses
SEC Filings
Expand for More| Report Date | Filing Date | Filing |
|---|---|---|
| 9302025 | 11052025 | 10-Q 9/30/2025 |
| 6302025 | 7292025 | 10-Q 6/30/2025 |
| 3312025 | 5022025 | 10-Q 3/31/2025 |
| 12312024 | 2252025 | 10-K 12/31/2024 |
| 9302024 | 10292024 | 10-Q 9/30/2024 |
| 6302024 | 8062024 | 10-Q 6/30/2024 |
| 3312024 | 5022024 | 10-Q 3/31/2024 |
| 12312023 | 2262024 | 10-K 12/31/2023 |
| 9302023 | 10312023 | 10-Q 9/30/2023 |
| 6302023 | 8012023 | 10-Q 6/30/2023 |
| 3312023 | 4252023 | 10-Q 3/31/2023 |
| 12312022 | 2142023 | 10-K 12/31/2022 |
| 9302022 | 10252022 | 10-Q 9/30/2022 |
| 6302022 | 7262022 | 10-Q 6/30/2022 |
| 3312022 | 4262022 | 10-Q 3/31/2022 |
| 12312021 | 2102022 | 10-K 12/31/2021 |
External Quote Links
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