Tilray Stock Pops. Earnings Topped Estimates.

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Shares of

Tilray

traded higher on Wednesday after the Canadian cannabis company posted earnings that beat expectations but revenue that missed forecasts.

Tilray (ticker:

TLRY

) posted third-quarter adjusted earnings of 9 cents a share, topping expectations for a loss of 8 cents a share. Net revenue increased 23% to $152 million, driven by 32% growth in cannabis revenue and 64% growth in beverage alcohol revenue. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting $156.2 million in revenue.

Still, investors may have been buoyed by Tilray’s sneak peek at guidance. The company reaffirmed that it was on track to achieve $4 billion in revenue by the end of fiscal 2024, said CEO Irwin Simon.

International cannabis revenue in the third quarter rose 4,000% over the prior-year quarter, the company said, and it maintained leading market share in Canada, amassing 10.2% of the share. EMEA revenue increased by 37%, the company said, while U.S. operations became profitable, the company said.

“In the U.S., our SweetWater Brewing, Breckenridge Distillery, and Manitoba Harvest businesses are profitable, growing and emerging as nationwide, iconic brands with loyal followings that will be home to THC-based products upon U.S. federal legalization,” Simon said.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. While the bill’s prospects in the Senate look bleak, it has renewed hope that the push to legalization is one step closer.

Also on Wednesday, Tilray subsidiary Manitoba Harvest said its hemp powders would be available at more than 300 Whole Foods Market locations nationwide. Manitoba’s Hemp+ Matcha and Hemp+ Supergreens powders will land on Whole Food shelves exclusively this month. After a 90-day limited release, the products will be available at other locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Tilray stock was up 7.3% to $7.54 on Wednesday.

But some analysts were less optimistic about the results. MKM Partners’ Bill Kirk maintained a Neutral rating and an $8 price target, pointing out that Tilray’s adjusted Ebitda, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, was “lighter than expected” at $10.1 million. Additionally, the cannabis segment’s adjusted gross margin “showed signs of pricing pressure,” he said, contracted to 33% from 39%.

He was also concerned about Tilray’s domestic and international market share goals, which remain ambitious, he said.

“Directionally, current share trends are going the wrong way,” he wrote. “Tilray is addressing this by getting more aggressive on price, but, in the interim, share gains remain elusive.”

Write to Sabrina Escobar at [email protected]