Shares in the social media website LinkedIn fell 15 per cent in after-hours trading because of weaker-than-expected prospects for turnover.

LinkedIn said sales in the first three months of 2014 would top out at $460 million (£282 million) compared with analysts’ expectations of closer to $470 million.

The news comes despite sales growing for four consecutive quarters. It follows revelations yesterday that Twitter failed to reach growth targets, news that also preceded a share-selling frenzy.

LinkedIn also announced it had acquired analytics business Bright Media for $120 million. The business is just two years old, and matches job candidates with prospective employers.

Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s CEO, said the business was “investing significantly in a focused number of long term initiatives,” that would “realise our vision to create economic opportunity for evefry member of the global workforce.”