New York, March 2, 2026, 07:27 EST — Premarket
- Bernstein SocGen stuck with its Underperform rating on Coupang, holding the price target at $17, Investing.com reported.
- Coupang shares wrapped up the session at $19.08, a gain of around 2%. It follows a choppy week for the U.S.-listed name.
- Traders are eyeing any follow-up after management’s recovery signals in the wake of the South Korea data incident, looking as well for updated guidance.
Coupang Inc was back in the spotlight before Monday’s U.S. session, with Bernstein SocGen sticking to its Underperform call and holding the $17 target, pointing to ongoing margin worries, Investing.com reported.
The call comes on the heels of a rocky period for the South Korean e-commerce group, which has faced a data breach that compromised customer details and stirred up domestic competition. Naver and E-Mart, among others, are stepping up efforts in logistics and late-night delivery while regulators consider rules that might open the market further.
Coupang shares ended Friday in New York at $19.08, marking a 1.98% rise. The stock bounced around, ranging from $17.86 to $20.35 during the session.
Defensive sentiment took hold. U.S. stock index futures fell, with oil prices surging on renewed Middle East conflict worries—a scenario that tends to hit growth stocks with inconsistent margins.
Investors remain divided after Coupang released its latest results. Fourth-quarter revenue landed at $8.8 billion, with the company noting growth has leveled off. Coupang also broke out numbers on a “constant-currency” basis, a metric that excludes exchange-rate effects. Source
CFO Gaurav Anand told analysts on the earnings call the company has “seen stabilization since the end of Q4” with customers coming back and reactivating accounts, but also flagged “muted trends” in the near term. For the first quarter, the company is looking for constant-currency revenue growth in a 5% to 10% range. As for 2026, it’s projecting adjusted EBITDA losses between $950 million and $1 billion in its “Developing Offerings” unit—that’s where it groups newer bets, including international expansion. Source
After earnings dropped, analysts started revising their targets. Mizuho lowered its price target to $25 from $32 but stuck with its Neutral call, according to MarketBeat. The firm flagged that Coupang’s margins look shaky as spending continues in the wake of the results.
South Korea’s regulatory clampdown is still weighing on sentiment. Coupang got hit with a 2.2 billion won fine after the nation’s antitrust authorities found it pressed suppliers and stalled payments, Reuters said late last week.
Coupang registered shares tied to employee plans in a Form S-8, according to filings with the U.S. SEC dated Feb. 26.
Bulls are watching closely: if customer activity and spending bounce back slower than management predicts, rising competition and compliance costs could eat into profits. Bears, though, see it more plainly—a sluggish growth stretch through mid-year, with markets continuing to penalize the stock over questions about execution and regulatory risk.
The main question now is timing. Coupang hasn’t set a date yet for its first-quarter earnings, though calendars suggest mid-May. Investors are watching for any official word or updated guidance—those will probably drive the next move in the stock.
