8 Metrics Behind Shopify's Soaring Stock Price

On Tuesday, e-commerce platform Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) closed the books on a big year. Merchant and subscription solutions revenue on its platform soared as sellers flocked to Shopify. This led to a nice jump in revenue and gross profit during the year. Unsurprisingly, the stock rose sharply, too: Shares gained nearly 30% over the past 12 months, handily outperforming the S&P 500's 3% gain over the same time period.

If the stock's outperformance over the past 12 months has caught your attention and you're looking for more insight into what's driving the company's stellar results, look no further. Here are the eight most important metrics behind Shopify's staggering growth recently.

1. Gross merchandise volume jumped 56%

Shopify's gross merchandise volume (GMV) in 2018 rose an impressive 56% year over year, to $16.6 billion. While this is a deceleration from Shopify's 71% year-over-year growth in 2017 GMV, it's still impressively steep.

2. Revenue surged 59%

Revenue in 2018 jumped 59% year over year making Shopify the quickest software-as-a-service company ever to hit $1 billion in revenue. Total revenue during the year was $1.073 billion, crushing management's full-year outlook this time last year for 2018 revenue to be between $970 million and $990 million.

3. Subscription solutions revenue jumped 50%

Shopify's important subscription solutions revenue rose 50% year over year, to $465 million.

4. Merchant solutions revenue soared 67%

Shopify's merchant solutions revenue, which accounts for a larger portion of total revenue than subscription solutions, grew particularly fast. Merchant solutions revenue increased 67% year over year, to $608 million.

5. Gross profit soared 57%

Providing further validation of the company's business model, gross profit dollars grew sharply, too. Shopify's gross profit increased 57% year over year, to $596 million.

6. Merchants saw their GMV increase an average of 24%

One key measure Shopify investors should keep an eye is the success of the company's merchants. Strong performance from the merchants on Shopify's platform vouches for the value the company is providing.

Shopify merchants selling on the platform for at least 12 months saw their gross merchandise volume increase at an average rate of 24% year over year, the company said. In addition, "The number of merchants on the Shopify platform achieving over $1 million in GMV grew by 58% in 2018," Shopify said in its fourth-quarter and full-year update.

7. Twenty-four percent of merchants were based outside of core geographies

Shopify's platform is increasingly resonating with a global audience. The company said 24% of its merchants are now based in markets outside of its core geographies (North America, U.K., and Australia). This compares with 21% of merchants in 2017.

8. Shopify expects 2019 revenue to rise about 37%

Management provided a robust outlook for 2019, saying it expects revenue to rise about 37% year over year to between $1.46 billion and $1.48 billion. In addition, the midpoint of management's guidance range for 2019 adjusted operating income of $10 million to $20 million implies a $3.2 million year-over-year increase in the key metric.

Find out why Shopify is one of the 10 best stocks to buy now

Motley Fool co-founders Tom and David Gardner have spent more than a decade beating the market. (In fact, the newsletter they run, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market!*)

Tom and David just revealed their ten top stock picks for investors to buy right now. Shopify is on the list -- but there are nine others you may be overlooking.

Click here to get access to the full list!

*Stock Advisor returns as of November 14, 2018

Daniel Sparks has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.