The UK stock market has taken a hit over the past two weeks amid tensions in the Middle East. Concern has led some investors to sell stocks and move to cash. However, not all companies are falling in value. Here’s one growth share that caught my eye as it has been surging.
Off to the races
I’m talking about Trustpilot (LSE:TRST). The stock is up 25% in the past month, although still down 39% over a broader one-year time horizon.
There are two main reasons for the jump in recent weeks. One is the continuation of a recovery from the sharp fall late last year. The slump came about due to a short-seller report from Grizzly Research that criticised the company. Trustpilot rejected the claims made, and since then, confidence has returned. This is being reflected by the share price moving back higher.
Another factor is continued momentum from the release of the 2025 full-year results. These impressed investors, with bookings up 22%. All geographical regions reported double-digit percentage growth, showing that performance isn’t just being driven by one area. Strong demand for subscription products was also noted. This is good because it provides stickier revenue going forward.
Bucking the trend
The strong move recently versus the broad market is very telling. It shows that, even amid the shock to investor sentiment right now, Trustpilot is a stock people don’t want to sell. At a more fundamental level, the company has very little exposure to the conflict in the Middle East. Therefore, even if the situation gets worse, I struggle to see how the business will be impacted in a bad way.
Looking further out, I think there are plenty of reasons to be positive. The latest report showed growth in large enterprise clients, which is a huge opportunity going forward. Trustpilot is increasingly targeting these larger enterprise clients, which pay significantly more than small businesses.
In terms of AI, some are worried this could present a risk. Interestingly, AI search tools often pull information from review platforms. I believe Trustpilot could benefit from greater visibility for AI-generated answers and product recommendations. Put another way, AI could help the firm, not be a threat.
Caution needed
The stock is down heavily over the past year, highlighting the risk of high volatility in growth stocks. Ultimately, this is a feature of growth companies and can’t really be avoided. Further, it’s facing competition from the big tech giants like Alphabet and Amazon, both of which are pushing their own review platforms more. This could eat away at market share in the coming years.
Despite these risks, I believe the company is doing very well, as the move in recent weeks shows. Therefore, I think it’s a stock for investors to consider.
