Figma’s Little Dip (and Why Everyone’s Panicking)

Right, so, Figma. [FIG 9.18%] – lovely name, sounds like something you’d build with Lego as a child. Except it’s cloud software, and today, it’s been having a bit of a…moment. A downswing, if you will. And honestly, watching it tumble feels a bit like watching a perfectly good soufflé collapse. It’s not entirely unexpected, but still…disappointing. Down 9.4% as of this afternoon, which, let’s be real, in the stock market is basically screaming into the void. ServiceNow [NOW 12.22%] and Microsoft [MSFT 12.08%] weren’t exactly throwing a party either, and then SAP [SAP 15.52%] decided to be gloomy with its guidance. It’s like a coordinated effort to ruin everyone’s day. I mean, who does that?

It’s fallen a long way since that post-IPO high last August. A lot of people got caught out then, I suspect. And now? Approaching all-time lows. It’s a harsh reminder that even the prettiest designs can’t protect you from the brutal realities of market sentiment. It’s enough to make you question all your life choices, frankly.

Why Everyone’s Suddenly Worried About Robots Stealing Their Jobs (Again)

Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room – or, rather, the algorithm in the cloud. AI. Apparently, the fear is that AI is going to…design things for us. I mean, really design them. Which, as someone who spent approximately three hours trying to center an image in a PowerPoint presentation last week, sounds…efficient. But also terrifying. The market seems to think this will eat into software revenue. Design tools, websites…all potentially redundant. It’s the same old story, isn’t it? Every new technology is heralded as either the savior or the destroyer of mankind. Usually, it’s a bit of both.

ServiceNow dropped double-digits despite…checks notes…actually doing quite well. Beating estimates, strong subscription revenue growth, even promising more in 2026. But apparently, that wasn’t enough. The market doesn’t care about logic. It cares about narratives. And right now, the narrative is “AI is coming for us all.”

Microsoft, equally robust results, but slowing consumer growth. SAP, weaker guidance. It’s a domino effect, really. One slightly disappointing report, and suddenly everyone’s panicking. It’s a bit like a particularly bad first date. You try to stay optimistic, but then they mention their extensive collection of porcelain dolls, and you just know it’s not going to work out.

And let’s not forget the valuations. These software companies have been trading at sky-high multiples for ages, based on the idea that cloud subscriptions are the future. Which, arguably, they are. But with AI looming, investors are suddenly questioning whether those multiples are justified. It’s a reassessment, a recalibration. A bit like realizing you’ve been paying £8 a month for a streaming service you haven’t used in six months.

So, What Does This Mean for Figma?

Figma hasn’t reported its fourth-quarter earnings yet, but historically, they’ve been doing alright. Growth, momentum, all the buzzwords. But will it be enough to stem the tide? That’s the million-dollar question. Or, rather, the £293.2 million question, if you’re an analyst expecting revenue of that amount. And adjusted earnings per share of $0.06. Honestly, the numbers feel almost…secondary. The real test will be whether they can convince everyone that they’re not about to be replaced by a robot. A tall order, frankly. Especially when the robots are getting smarter every day. I, for one, am starting to suspect they’re judging us.

2026-01-29 22:42

Why Everyone’s Suddenly Worried About Robots Stealing Their Jobs (Again)

So, What Does This Mean for Figma?

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