As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q3. Today, we are looking at advertising & marketing services stocks, starting with QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST).

The sector is on the precipice of both disruption and growth as AI, programmatic advertising, and data-driven marketing reshape how things are done. For example, the advent of the Internet broadly and programmatic advertising specifically means that brand building is not a relationship business anymore but instead one based on data and technology, which could hurt traditional ad agencies. On the other hand, the companies in the sector that beef up their tech chops by automating the buying of ad inventory or facilitating omnichannel marketing, for example, stand to benefit. With or without advances in digitization and AI, the sector is still highly levered to the macro, and economic uncertainty may lead to fluctuating ad spend, particularly in cyclical industries.

The 6 advertising & marketing services stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.4% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

While some advertising & marketing services stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3.6% since the latest earnings results.

QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST)

Founded during the dot-com era in 1999 and specializing in high-intent consumer traffic, QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST) operates digital performance marketplaces that connect clients in financial and home services with consumers actively searching for their products.

QuinStreet reported revenues of $285.9 million, up 2.4% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2.1%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but revenue guidance for next quarter meeting analysts’ expectations.

“Fiscal Q1 was another good quarter of performance and progress for the Company,” commented Doug Valenti, CEO of QuinStreet.

Interestingly, the stock is up 2.3% since reporting and currently trades at $14.18.

Is now the time to buy QuinStreet? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA)

Often appearing as those "You May Also Like" or "Recommended For You" boxes at the bottom of news articles, Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA) operates a digital platform that recommends personalized content to users across publisher websites, helping both publishers monetize their sites and advertisers reach target audiences.

Taboola reported revenues of $496.8 million, up 14.7% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6.3%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Taboola scored the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 22.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $4.09.

Is now the time to buy Taboola? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG)

With a history dating back to 1902 and roots in the McCann-Erickson agency, Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) is a marketing and communications holding company that owns agencies specializing in advertising, media buying, public relations, and digital marketing services.

Interpublic Group reported revenues of $2.14 billion, down 4.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

Interpublic Group delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. The stock is flat since the results and currently trades at $25.10.

Read our full analysis of Interpublic Group’s results here.

Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA)

Originally launched as a way to make grocery shopping more rewarding for budget-conscious consumers, Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA) is a mobile shopping app that allows consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by completing tasks and submitting receipts.

Ibotta reported revenues of $83.26 million, down 15.6% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Zooming out, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations.

Ibotta had the slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 22.8% since reporting and currently trades at $25.24.

Read our full, actionable report on Ibotta here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC)

With a vast network of creative agencies that helped craft some of the most memorable ad campaigns in history, Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) is a strategic holding company that provides advertising, marketing, and communications services to many of the world's largest companies.

Omnicom Group reported revenues of $4.04 billion, up 4% year on year. This number met analysts’ expectations. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but organic revenue in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is down 7.2% since reporting and currently trades at $73.06.

Read our full, actionable report on Omnicom Group here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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