Core Viewpoint - The Trade Desk has successfully rebounded from a disappointing quarter, demonstrating strong financial performance and renewed investor confidence through its innovative AI-driven platform and strategic upgrades [2][4][8]. Financial Performance - The Trade Desk reported first-quarter revenue of $616 million, reflecting a 25% year-over-year growth, up from 22% in the previous quarter [4]. - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $0.33, marking a 27% increase compared to the prior year [4]. - The company's results exceeded analysts' expectations, which forecasted revenue of $575.3 million and adjusted EPS of $0.25 [4]. Strategic Developments - The adoption of the Kokai platform, which integrates artificial intelligence for enhanced media buying and ad campaign measurement, has been a key driver of the company's recent success [5]. - The Trade Desk faced challenges in transitioning customers from its legacy platform to Kokai but has since reorganized to better capture emerging opportunities in connected TV, retail media, and audio [6]. Management Outlook - CEO Jeff Green expressed optimism about the company's future, highlighting strong customer retention rates above 95% and the positive impact of strategic upgrades implemented in the previous quarter [7]. - For the second quarter, The Trade Desk is guiding for revenue of at least $682 million, indicating a year-over-year growth of approximately 17% [9]. Market Position - The Trade Desk's stock is currently trading at 34 times forward earnings, which is a premium but significantly lower than its historical average of around 55 times [10]. - Following the release of its strong financial results, the stock saw an increase of over 11% in after-hours trading, indicating renewed investor interest [11].

Group 1: Earnings Performance - The Trade Desk reported quarterly earnings of $0.33 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.25 per share, and up from $0.26 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 32% [1] - The company posted revenues of $616.02 million for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.27%, compared to year-ago revenues of $491.25 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, The Trade Desk has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - The Trade Desk shares have declined approximately 52% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has only declined by 4.3% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.42 on revenues of $676.51 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.79 on revenues of $2.84 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for The Trade Desk is currently unfavorable, resulting in a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Group 3: Industry Context - The Internet - Services industry, to which The Trade Desk belongs, is currently in the bottom 40% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that the industry outlook can materially impact stock performance [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 revenue reached $616 million, representing a 25% year-over-year increase [48] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $208 million, reflecting a 34% margin [48] - Adjusted net income was $165 million, or $0.33 per fully diluted share [52] - Free cash flow was $230 million in Q1 [52] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - CTV (Connected TV) remains the largest and fastest-growing advertising channel, representing a high 40s percentage share of the business [49] - Mobile accounted for a mid-30s percentage share of spend, while display represented a low double-digit share and audio around 5% [49] - The adoption of the Kokai platform accelerated, with about two-thirds of clients now using it, ahead of schedule [62] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North America represented approximately 88% of spend, while international markets accounted for about 12% [49] - International growth outpaced North America for the ninth consecutive quarter, particularly driven by CTV [50] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capture market share in a more competitive landscape, especially as walled gardens face increased scrutiny [12][19] - The focus is on enhancing the supply chain through innovations like OpenPath and the acquisition of Sincerra [24][29] - The company is optimistic about the future of the open Internet and believes it is well-positioned to benefit from recent antitrust developments against competitors like Google [42] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate macroeconomic uncertainties and continue to grow [54] - The company anticipates revenue of at least $682 million in Q2, reflecting a 17% year-over-year growth [55] - Management highlighted the importance of being a trusted partner for clients during uncertain times [78] Other Important Information - The company has no debt and ended the quarter with approximately $1.7 billion in cash and short-term investments [52] - A new COO, Vivek Tundra, has been appointed to help drive growth [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the progress from product and go-to-market changes? - Management noted that Q1 was strong, with significant upgrades contributing to performance and Kokai adoption accelerating [60][62] Question: What are the implications of the Google trial verdict for DSPs? - Management believes the verdict will lead to a fairer market, allowing the company to compete more effectively [72][73] Question: How does the company view Q2 guidance amid uncertainty? - Management remains optimistic about growth opportunities and the ability to support clients through strategic consulting [78][80] Question: How is the competitive landscape evolving, particularly with Amazon? - Management sees Amazon's focus on Prime Video as a limitation and believes the company can capture market share by aligning interests with buyers [85][90] Question: What progress is being made with OpenPath? - Management highlighted the positive developments and new partnerships through OpenPath, despite the current uncertainty in the upfront market [93]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 revenue reached $616 million, representing a 25% year-over-year increase [45] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $208 million, reflecting a 34% margin [45] - Adjusted net income was $165 million, or $0.33 per fully diluted share [49] - Free cash flow was $230 million in Q1 [49] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - CTV (Connected TV) remains the largest and fastest-growing advertising channel, representing a high 40s percentage share of the business [46] - Mobile accounted for a mid-30s percentage share of spend, while display represented a low double-digit share and audio around 5% [46] - The adoption of the Kokai platform accelerated, with about two-thirds of clients now using it, ahead of schedule [60] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North America represented approximately 88% of spend, while international markets accounted for about 12% [46] - International growth outpaced North America for the ninth consecutive quarter, driven by CTV [47] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capture market share in a more competitive landscape, particularly in the open Internet space [19][40] - Innovations like OpenPath and the acquisition of Sincerra are expected to enhance supply chain efficiency and transparency [24][28] - The focus remains on maintaining independence and objectivity to differentiate from competitors like Google and Amazon [45][82] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to navigate macroeconomic uncertainties and continue to grow [51] - The outlook for Q2 anticipates revenue of at least $682 million, reflecting a 17% year-over-year growth [51] - The company is optimistic about the open Internet's prospects following recent antitrust rulings against Google [19][70] Other Important Information - The company has no debt and ended the quarter with approximately $1.7 billion in cash and short-term investments [49] - A significant share repurchase program was executed, with $386 million of Class A common stock repurchased [50] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the progress from product and go-to-market changes? - Management highlighted strong Q1 performance and noted that upgrades contributed to outperformance, with Kokai adoption ahead of schedule [56][60] Question: What are the implications of Google's antitrust verdict for DSPs? - Management believes the verdict will create a fairer market, allowing the company to compete more effectively against reduced competition from Google [65][70] Question: How does the company view Q2 guidance amid uncertainty? - Management remains optimistic, citing strong underlying business fundamentals and the ability to assist clients in navigating challenges [72][75] Question: How is the competitive landscape evolving, particularly with Amazon? - Management views Amazon's focus on Prime Video as a limitation, asserting that the company’s CTV growth is outpacing Amazon's advertising growth [80][82] Question: What progress is being made with OpenPath and expectations for the upfront? - Management anticipates a stronger performance for programmatic advertising during the upfronts, with ongoing improvements in OpenPath [90][92]

Revenue and Income - Revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025, increased by $125 million, or 25%, to $616,021 thousand compared to $491,253 thousand for the same period in 2024[79] - Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2025, was $50,678 thousand, a decrease of $19,018 thousand or 60% compared to $31,660 thousand for the same period in 2024[79] Expenses - Platform operations expenses increased by $39 million, or 38%, to $142,839 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to higher hosting and personnel costs[90] - Sales and marketing expenses rose by $31 million, or 25%, to $152,743 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2025, driven by increased personnel and marketing costs[93] - Technology and development expenses increased by $25 million, or 23%, to $132,402 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2025, mainly due to higher personnel costs[95] - General and administrative expenses increased by $4 million, or 3%, to $133,585 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to higher administrative and personnel costs[97] Other Income and Cash Flow - Total other income, net, increased by $4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to higher interest income on cash and cash equivalents[99] - For the three months ended March 31, 2025, net cash provided by operating activities was $291 million, an increase from $185 million in the same period of 2024[113] - The company’s cash flow from operating activities is influenced by growth in operations and the timing of collections from clients[114] Working Capital and Credit Facilities - As of March 31, 2025, the company had working capital of $2,174 million, including $1,119 million in cash and cash equivalents[102] - The company has $443 million available under the Amended Credit Facility as of March 31, 2025, net of $7 million in outstanding letters of credit[108] - The Amended Credit Facility matures on June 15, 2026, and the company was in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2025[109] Share Repurchases - The company repurchased 6.3 million shares of Class A common stock for $400 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025, with $631 million remaining available for future repurchases[112] - The company has a total of $1 billion authorized for share repurchases as of January 2025, following an additional $564 million authorization[112] Future Outlook - The company expects operating expenses to continue to increase in the foreseeable future as it invests in platform operations and technology[83] - The company anticipates growth opportunities in international markets, particularly in Europe and Asia, despite potential compliance and regulatory challenges[84] Investment and Foreign Exchange Risks - A hypothetical one percentage point change in interest rates would result in a corresponding increase or decrease in investment income of approximately $6 million annually[132] - An immediate 10% adverse change in foreign exchange rates would result in a foreign currency loss of approximately $31 million as of March 31, 2025[133] Lease Commitments - The company has non-cancelable operating lease commitments totaling $724.4 million as of March 31, 2025[125]

INVESTOR RELATIONS PRESENTATION First Quarter 2025 Statement of caution under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to expectations concerning matters that (a) are not historical facts, (b) predict or forecast future events or results, or (c) embody assumptions that may prove to have been inaccurate, including statements relating to the advert ...

Financial Performance - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $616 million, representing a 25% year-over-year increase from $491 million in Q1 2024[3] - Net income for Q1 2025 was $51 million, with a net income margin of 8%, compared to $32 million and a 6% margin in Q1 2024[3] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $208 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 34%, up from $162 million and 33% in Q1 2024[3] - Net income for Q1 2025 was $50,678,000, a 60% increase from $31,660,000 in Q1 2024[22] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 reached $207,875,000, compared to $161,734,000 in Q1 2024, reflecting a 28.5% growth[24] - Non-GAAP net income for Q1 2025 was $164,993,000, up from $130,868,000 in Q1 2024, indicating a 26% increase[24] - GAAP diluted earnings per share for Q1 2025 was $0.10, compared to $0.06 in Q1 2024, reflecting a 66.7% increase[24] Customer Metrics - Customer retention rate remained over 95% for the past eleven consecutive years[4] Future Projections - The company expects revenue of at least $682 million and adjusted EBITDA of approximately $259 million for Q2 2025[7] Acquisitions and Integrations - The acquisition of Sincera, a digital advertising data company, was completed in Q1 2025, aimed at enhancing the platform's capabilities[7] - OpenPath integration has led to significant improvements, including an 8.6x increase in inventory fill-rate and a 97% revenue increase for NY Post[7] Stock Repurchase - The company repurchased $386 million of its Class A common stock in Q1 2025, with $631 million remaining authorized for repurchases[7] - The company repurchased $386,250,000 of Class A common stock during Q1 2025, compared to $125,280,000 in Q1 2024, showing a significant increase in share buybacks[22] Operational Metrics - The company reported a net cash provided by operating activities of $291,433,000 for Q1 2025, an increase from $185,472,000 in Q1 2024, representing a growth of 57%[22] Balance Sheet - Total current assets decreased to $4,856,335,000 as of March 31, 2025, down from $5,336,458,000 as of December 31, 2024, representing a decline of 8.9%[20] - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of Q1 2025 were $1,118,545,000, down from $1,369,463,000 at the beginning of the period, a decrease of 18.4%[22] - Total liabilities decreased to $2,988,757,000 as of March 31, 2025, from $3,162,806,000 as of December 31, 2024, a reduction of 5.5%[20] - Total stockholders' equity decreased to $2,716,684,000 as of March 31, 2025, from $2,949,145,000 as of December 31, 2024, a decline of 7.9%[20] Leadership Changes - Vivek Kundra was appointed as Chief Operating Officer, bringing extensive operational expertise to drive growth and efficiency[4]

Core Viewpoint - The Trade Desk, Inc. (TTD) is expected to report a decline in earnings and revenues for Q1 2025, with challenges arising from competitive pressures and macroeconomic uncertainties [1][5][17]. Financial Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TTD's earnings in Q1 2025 is 25 cents, down from 26 cents in the same quarter last year, with a revenue estimate of $574.3 million, indicating a 16.9% year-over-year decline [1]. - TTD anticipates revenues of at least $575 million, reflecting a 17% year-over-year growth, despite challenges from the previous leap year and reduced political ad spending [2]. Earnings Surprise History - TTD has consistently beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the past four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 7.68% [2]. Market Position and Competition - The digital advertising industry remains highly competitive, with major players like Alphabet and Amazon exerting pressure on TTD's market position [5][17]. - TTD's stock has declined by 58.1% over the past six months, underperforming both the Internet Services industry and the S&P 500 composite [10]. Strategic Initiatives - TTD is focusing on international expansion, reorganization, and structural improvements to enhance internal effectiveness and scalability [9]. - The company is advancing its support for UID2, a privacy-centric identity solution, which is expected to improve digital advertising relevance and user control [8]. Valuation Metrics - TTD's stock is considered expensive, trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 9.08X, compared to the industry's 4.89X [14]. Investment Considerations - Given the negative Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank 5, it is suggested that investors consider offloading TTD stock from their portfolios [4][18].

Core Insights - The Trade Desk (TTD) is a $27 billion digital advertising platform that enables programmatic ad space purchasing across various channels and mediums [1] - The platform allows ad buyers to create, manage, and optimize data-driven campaigns across multiple devices, including computers, mobile devices, and connected TVs [2] - The company has faced declining earnings expectations, with a projected quarterly EPS of $0.25, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 3.9% [5] - Revenue expectations remain strong at $574.27 million, indicating a 16.9% increase from the previous year [7] Company Overview - The Trade Desk operates a self-service, cloud-based platform for digital advertising, allowing for automated campaign management and optimal ad space acquisition [2] - The company was co-founded by Jeffrey Green, who previously co-founded AdECN, a demand-side advertising platform acquired by Microsoft [4] Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is anticipated to show a decline in EPS, with full-year 2025 estimates dropping over 10% [6] - The Zacks Rank indicates a -9.45% Earnings ESP for TTD, suggesting potential challenges in profit momentum [8]

Core Viewpoint - The Trade Desk (TTD) has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.62, indicating a general consensus towards a "Buy" rating, but caution is advised as brokerage recommendations may not reliably predict stock performance [2][5][10]. Brokerage Recommendations - The ABR of 1.62 is based on recommendations from 37 brokerage firms, with 24 ratings classified as "Strong Buy" and 3 as "Buy," representing 64.9% and 8.1% of total recommendations respectively [2]. - Despite the positive ABR, studies suggest that brokerage recommendations often lack success in guiding investors towards stocks with significant price appreciation potential [5][10]. Analyst Bias and Limitations - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, leading to a disproportionate number of "Strong Buy" recommendations compared to "Strong Sell" [6][10]. - This misalignment of interests may result in misleading guidance for retail investors regarding future stock price movements [7][10]. Zacks Rank Comparison - The Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock rating tool, categorizes stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and is considered a more effective indicator of near-term stock performance compared to ABR [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is updated more frequently and reflects changes in earnings estimates promptly, providing a timely assessment of stock price predictions [12]. Current Earnings Estimates for TTD - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TTD's earnings has decreased by 4.6% over the past month, now standing at $1.79, indicating growing pessimism among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [13]. - This decline in earnings estimates has contributed to a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) for TTD, suggesting a potential risk for the stock to decline further [14].