Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (GETY) is having a Monday to remember. The stock shot up nearly 195% in premarket trading after the company announced a display partnership with OpenAI that will bring its library of licensed visual content to ChatGPT's search and discovery experiences.
The deal essentially means that when you ask ChatGPT for images or visual information, the responses can now include Getty's professionally licensed photos and videos. It's a move that adds a layer of trust and quality to AI-generated visual answers — something that's been a bit of a wild west so far.
"High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy," said Getty Images CEO Craig Peters, adding that the companies aim to deliver richer visual experiences for ChatGPT users. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the market clearly likes what it sees.
This isn't just a flash in the pan either. Behind the scenes, sentiment around the stock has been improving. Short interest in Getty Images declined to 16.03 million shares from 17.36 million shares in the last reporting period. That now represents 17.93% of the public float. Based on average daily trading volume of 3.49 million shares, it would take about 4.59 days for short sellers to cover their positions — a relatively manageable number.
Looking ahead, Getty Images is expected to report its next quarterly results on August 10, 2026. Wall Street is forecasting earnings of 2 cents per share, down from 5 cents a year earlier. Revenue is projected at $236.45 million, compared with $234.88 million in the prior-year period. So the financials aren't exactly screaming growth, but the OpenAI partnership could be a catalyst that changes the narrative.
Analysts are cautiously optimistic. The stock carries a consensus Buy rating with an average analyst price target of $3.92. Recent analyst actions include Wedbush maintaining its Outperform rating and $7.00 price forecast on May 12, while Citigroup maintained its Neutral rating but lowered its price forecast to 85 cents on February 23. That's a wide range, reflecting the uncertainty around how this partnership will ultimately translate into revenue.
As for the stock itself, Getty Images shares were up 194.99% at $1.79 during premarket trading on Monday. It's a big move for a stock that's been trading under $1 for a while, and it shows just how much investors are betting on the AI content licensing story.
