Reddit shares plunge 26% despite earnings beat as user growth and outlook disappoint
Reddit (RDDT) shares fell 26% despite Q3 earnings and revenue beats. Revenue was $895M, up 53% YoY, and EPS was $1.40, up from $0.80. However, user growth slowed, and Q4 guidance was below expectations. Daily active users rose 12% to 130.3M, missing estimates. CEO Steve Huffman cited declining Google search referrals as a concern.
How this was made

The 30-second read
Why it matters
The key market signal is the combination of below-consensus Q4 revenue guidance and daily active unique user growth coming in under expectations, alongside CEO commentary about accelerating declines in Google search referrals.
Market read
This is a same-day earnings-and-guidance catalyst where the beat was outweighed by weaker outlook and slowing user growth, prompting a large repricing.
What to watch
The article notes a planned logged-in-only experience outside the US and a search-traffic shift; traders may be underweighting the potential medium-term engagement benefits versus the near-term referral decline.
Background
Reddit reported Q3 results that beat revenue and EPS estimates, but investors focused on Q4 guidance and engagement metrics.
Ticker impact
Reddit (RDDT) shares fell 26% after Q3 beat but Q4 revenue guidance and daily active user growth disappointed, with CEO citing weaker Google referrals.
Likely further pressure as the market reprices Q4 growth and referral-traffic risk, despite the reported earnings and revenue beat.
The article attributes the 26% plunge directly to weaker fourth-quarter guidance and slowing user growth, including a CEO warning that daily active users could decline in Q4 if the Google referral trend continues.
Market effects
Highlights heightened sensitivity for social media and ad-tech names to user engagement quality and search-referral traffic trends.
Primarily US large-cap tech sentiment, with potential spillover to other high-engagement social platforms.
Limited direct global macro linkage, but reinforces global investor focus on platform traffic sources and engagement metrics.
Counterpoint
The earnings and revenue beats plus strong cash generation could support a rebound if investors view the user-growth slowdown as temporary and the logged-in-only test improves engagement.
Key entities
- companyReddit Inc
NYSE-listed social media platform whose Q3 results and Q4 outlook drove a sharp selloff.
- personSteve Huffman
CEO who warned that declining Google search referrals accelerated and could lead to a low double-digit decline in daily active users in Q4.




