The Trade Desk vs. Magnite: Which Ad-Tech Stock is the Better Buy Now?

Core Insights - The Trade Desk, Inc. (TTD) and Magnite, Inc. (MGNI) are prominent players in the digital advertising technology market, with TTD focusing on demand-side platforms and Magnite on supply-side platforms [1][10] Digital Advertising Market Overview - The global digital advertising market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.4% from 2025 to 2030, with video advertising leading the way due to its effectiveness in visual storytelling [2] Company Performance and Strategies The Trade Desk (TTD) - TTD's growth in Q2 2025 was significantly driven by connected TV (CTV) and retail media, with video accounting for a high-40s percentage of its overall business [4] - The Kokai platform upgrade has seen over 70% client adoption, with advertisers using Kokai increasing their spend by over 20% faster than those not using it [5] - TTD expects Q3 revenues of at least $717 million, reflecting a 14% year-over-year growth, with adjusted EBITDA around $277 million [6] - TTD's operating costs rose 17.8% year-over-year to $577.3 million, raising concerns about profitability if revenue growth does not keep pace [8] Magnite (MGNI) - MGNI's CTV contributions increased 14% year-over-year in Q2 2025, representing 44% of its contribution mix, bolstered by partnerships with major platforms [10] - The acquisition of streamr.ai aims to enhance CTV advertising accessibility for small and medium-sized businesses [10] - MGNI's DV+ business is experiencing momentum, with an 8% increase in contribution ex-TAC from the last reported quarter [13] - New generative AI tools are expected to drive operational efficiencies and new monetization opportunities for MGNI [14] Share Performance - Over the past three months, MGNI shares increased by 13.2%, while TTD shares fell by 32.9% [9][15] Valuation and Analyst Estimates - Both TTD and MGNI are considered overvalued, with TTD trading at a forward P/E ratio of 23.11X and MGNI at 21.99X [17][18] - Analysts have made marginal downward revisions for TTD's bottom line, while MGNI has seen an upward revision of 7.32% for the current fiscal year [19][22] Investment Outlook - MGNI holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a stronger investment pick compared to TTD, which has a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [23]