New York, January 20, 2026, 13:00 (EST) — Regular session
- Shares of Spotify Technology S.A. edged up roughly 1%, trading near $509 in early afternoon action
- Barclays cut its Spotify price target to $625 from $700 but maintained an Overweight rating
- With a risk-off mood prevailing, investors stayed fixated on tariffs and the upcoming earnings on Feb. 10
Shares of Spotify Technology S.A. (SPOT) climbed 0.9% to $508.86 in early afternoon trading Tuesday, after closing at $504.50 on Friday. The stock fluctuated between $496.65 and $514.51.
Barclays lowered its price target on Spotify to $625 from $700 but maintained an Overweight rating, according to TheFly. The bank continues to see Spotify as a “long-term beneficiary of the significant shifts happening in the media industry,” though it flagged some “tactical concerns” weighing on the stock. 1
Wall Street’s key indexes slipped Tuesday as President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs on multiple European nations, rattling risk sentiment and dragging the Nasdaq beneath its 50-day moving average, a key technical level, Reuters reported. “We think we’ll settle down and realize this is just a negotiation tool,” said Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist at LPL Financial. 2
Spotify Technology S.A., based in Luxembourg, operates a worldwide music-streaming platform. In these types of markets, its stock often behaves as a growth proxy — holding firm when investors seek duration, but turning jittery when that appetite fades. 3
Spotify announced last week it will bump the monthly fee for its premium individual plan by $1, pushing the price to $12.99 in the U.S. This change will roll out on customers’ billing dates starting in February. The company described the hike as necessary to “keep delivering a great experience.” Spotify’s CFO, Christian Luiga, noted that prior price increases across more than 150 countries didn’t lead to a significant jump in churn or cancellations. 4
The math’s clear. Raising monthly fees boosts revenue per user fast—provided cancellations don’t spike and Spotify avoids heavy costs replacing lost subscribers.
The debate has shifted there. Investors need to see Spotify prove it can raise prices and keep growing, all while expanding higher-margin ads and new formats without costs spiraling out of control.
The downside is straightforward: a February price hike that hits consumers at the worst moment, leading to higher churn and weaker ad demand. What looked like a pricing win could quickly become a battle to keep users, and investors might lose patience with the valuation.
Spotify is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 10 before the market opens, according to TipRanks. Investors are keen to hear updates on subscriber numbers and any initial feedback on demand as the company rolls out higher U.S. prices throughout February billing cycles. 5
For now, Spotify will probably juggle two timelines: its own pricing and growth narrative, alongside market mood swings driven by tariff news and shifting macro data.
