• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
FinanceFitbit

Here’s Why Fitbit Is Not in as Bad Shape as You Think

By
Lauren Silva Laughlin
Lauren Silva Laughlin
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lauren Silva Laughlin
Lauren Silva Laughlin
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 23, 2016, 11:51 AM ET
Wearable Technology And The Latest Gadgets On Display At The IFA International Consumer Electronics Show
An employee wears a Fitbit Inc. Surge smartwatch during the IFA International Consumer Electronics Show in Berlin, Germany, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. IFA is Europe's largest consumer electronics show and runs Sept. 4-9. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images

Fitbit’s stock is healthier than it looks. Shares of the fitness tracking device maker are down nearly 70% since August, and investors are betting that it will fall even more. As of data released on March 9, Fitbit (FIT) had the highest short position as a percentage of its float, an increase of 13% from the prior two weeks.

Some say Fitbit’s stock will go the way of GoPro (GPRO), the thrill-seeker video company that went public less than two years ago and whose stock sits at about a tenth of its high. GoPro grew too quickly in a market that was easily tapped out.

But analysts point to Fitbit’s advantages. It isn’t alone in fighting a huge challenge: making people think they need a smart watch. But unlike competitors Apple (AAPL) and Garmin (GRMN), Fitbit has a strong position in a less sophisticated business—step-counting. Relative to other watch makers, Fitbit might be able to survive without real innovation. While growth may slow, its stock still looks relatively cheap.

When Fitbit went public last June, it was a market favorite. At the time of its IPO, it commanded 88% of the market share of fitness trackers, according to Ladenburg Thalmann, which also estimated the market could grow by 40% in three years. Fitbit’s shares nearly doubled over the summer, reaching a high in early August of more than $51. Since then, the company’s earnings have held up well. It reported fourth quarter earnings of $0.35 a share, well above consensus estimates of a quarter a share.

The trouble is that Fitbit now faces steep competition. Other watches, like Apple’s, are quickly coming to market. They can easily track calories and exercise habits, Fitbit’s original business, and they have all the James Bond-like touches that make marketing the watch to new customers so exciting. With Garmin rolling out watch lines as well, Fitbit’s wellness tracker looks like it could quickly become obsolete.

In response, Fitbit launched its own smart watch called the “Blaze.” It has been a tough sell and, as a result, the company recently said that revenue would be lower than what Wall Street analysts were expecting.

Meanwhile, the overall watch market isn’t doing so great, and for reasons that may benefit Fitbit.

“These watches are expensive and people are not exactly sure of the use case—do I really need this?” said Daniel Amir, an analyst at Ladenburg Thalmann. Smart watches can cost up to $350, while a person can buy Fitbit’s cheapest watch for less than $100. “If you look at the Apple Watch, they haven’t been that successful either.”

While smart watches have eaten away at some of Fitbit’s wellness business, it may not be a cause for significant concern. Moreover, Fitbit’s stock has some of these worries baked into its price, at least relative to competitors. It trades at 13 times 2017 estimated earnings, versus 17 times for Garmin. Though Apple trades at a slightly lower multiple, 11 times next year’s earnings, Apple has many other businesses to consider.

Mark Sue at RBC Capital Markets makes a case for why investors are overreacting over Fitbit. It’s true that growth at Fitbit has slowed. At its peak, revenue grew more than 250% year-over-year. But even with more conservative growth estimates of 17% this year and 15% in 2017, Sue believes the stock is worth $28 a share, 80% more than the current price. That may be enough to get some pulses racing.

About the Author
By Lauren Silva Laughlin
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a ‘non-linear’ price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
EnergyOil
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a ‘non-linear’ price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
53 minutes ago
lirr
EconomyRailroads
Spring Hamptons traffic nightmare as Long Island Rail Road workers go on strike
By Philip Marcelo, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
6 hours ago
delivery
Retailecommerce
Walmart’s upper hand over Amazon in the $1 trillion e-commerce race: 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a superstore
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
6 hours ago
milei
North AmericaInflation
Argentinians wage inflation strike on red meat sending beef consumption to 20-year low
By Clara Preve and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
6 hours ago
tom
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio got a 15x return on a tech company most Americans have never heard of. He thinks his own industry is broken
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
bhaskar
Economydisruption
The prophet of the ‘Wired Belt’ says capitalism is finally eating itself
By Bhaskar ChakravortiMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
11 hours ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.