ANALYST: Pacific Crest: Verified Users A Potential Revenue Source For Twitter

Pacific Crest issued a report on Twitter, Inc. TWTR saying that a "Verified" Twitter Service may be introduced in 2015. This service would charge users to become verified in exchange for lower ad load and the ability to uniquely interact with other verified users. Currently Pacific Crest rates Twitter as Outperform with a $63 dollar price target. Pacific Crest analyst Evan Wilson wrote, "We think verified Twitter should be added to the list of potential 2015 revenue catalysts. The list, which keeps us bullish on the name in the near term, includes video, app install/re-engagement ads, a buy button and the logged-out site. We're still not convinced that it has fixed its long term engagement issue, but in the near term, product cadence has accelerated and management has a more bullish tone than the Street, which gives hope that it can improve engagement." Wilson highlighted three benefits of Verified Twitter for the social media company's shareholders and users: 1. The reduction of cyber-harassment: Verified Twitter would allow high profile users to see comments from only verified users, hopefully reducing anonymous abuse and leading to a higher engagement of users with the service. 2. Improving Twitter's data set: Having Verified users would allow Twitter to obtain information that is less anonymous than standard users, thus improving the targeting opportunity of Twitter to get information on these more than likely very active users. 3. Revenue opportunities: meaningful and consistent revenue streams would be welcomed by investors: thus providing a win win opportunity for users and shareholders. Currently Twitter Inc. is trading at $46.42, down 0.51 percent.