Down 55%, Should You Buy the Dip on The Trade Desk?

Core Viewpoint - The Trade Desk is experiencing significant challenges in 2025, with a 55% drop in stock value year-to-date due to competitive pressures and execution issues [3][5][14] Company Performance - The Trade Desk's Q1 revenue increased by 25% year-over-year, but Q2 revenue growth slowed to 19%, with earnings per share rising only slightly to $0.39 [5][6] - The company's guidance for the current quarter indicates a further deceleration in revenue growth to 14%, with expected revenue of $717 million and adjusted EBITDA forecasted at $277 million, an 8% year-over-year improvement [7][12] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Amazon and Meta Platforms are reporting strong growth, with Amazon's advertising business growing 23% year-over-year to $15.7 billion, and Meta's revenue increasing by 22% [8][11] - Amazon's recent deal with Roku to expand in the connected TV advertising space poses a direct threat to The Trade Desk, which relies on this market for growth [9] Valuation Concerns - The Trade Desk is trading at 66 times trailing earnings, which is double the average price-to-earnings ratio of the Nasdaq-100 index, raising concerns about the stock's valuation amidst slowing revenue growth [14] - Analysts predict only an 8% improvement in earnings to $1.79 per share this year, with a return to double-digit growth expected in 2026 [12]