Native ad platform and a prominent Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) competitor in the online advertising space, Taboola.com Ltd. (NASDAQ:TBLA) is starting to see renewed strength in recent weeks, leading to a surge in its Momentum score in Benzinga’s Edge Rankings.After a fairly directionless performance early this year, the stock began trending upward in October, with the company gaining strong traction across new products and solutions.Adtech Stock Sees Momentum SurgeThe Momentum score in Benzin ...

Industry Overview - The technology sector is experiencing strong growth in 2025, driven by cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data-center expansion, and digital transformation [2] - The sector has gained 25.3% year to date, outperforming the S&P 500's growth of 19.2% [3] - Approximately 61% of investors believe the technology sector will attract the most investment over the next three years, surpassing all other sectors [3] Future Outlook - The outlook for the technology sector in 2026 appears positive, supported by ongoing enterprise investment in AI, software automation, and digital engagement tools [4] - Demand for specialized technologies is expected to accelerate as organizations seek to extract more value from data and improve operational agility [4] Investment Opportunities - Investing in low-priced tech stocks can provide attractive upside potential, especially when these companies show improving fundamentals and clear growth drivers [5] - Nokia (NOK) is well-positioned in the technology cycle, with a strong 5G portfolio and a stable balance sheet, holding €4.89 billion ($5.74 billion) in cash as of September 30, 2025 [6][7] - Lantronix, Inc. (LTRX) is gaining traction in Edge AI and drones, with a significant increase in drone OEM engagements from 10 to 17 [12][13] - Taboola.com Ltd. (TBLA) is expanding its performance advertising platform, Realize, and reported adjusted EBITDA of about $48 million with margins exceeding 27% in Q3 2025 [19][20] - TransAct Technologies (TACT) is experiencing strong momentum in its Foodservice Technology business, with expected net sales between $50 million and $53 million for full-year 2025 [23][24] Company Performance - Nokia targets an annual comparable operating profit of €2.7–€3.2 billion by 2028 and has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [10] - Lantronix has a Growth Score of A, with a stock surge of 48.8% over the past year and earnings estimates for the current and next fiscal year increasing by 42.9% and 90%, respectively [16] - Taboola has a Growth Score of A, with a stock gain of 11.4% over the past three months and earnings estimates moving up by 2.2% and 4.3% for the current and next fiscal year [22] - TransAct has a Growth Score of A, with a stock increase of 15.8% over the past six months and earnings estimates rising by 18.4% and 6.9% for the current and next fiscal year [26]

Core Insights - Taboola.com Inc. (TBLA) operates in a digital advertising landscape dominated by major players like Google, Meta, and Amazon, which limits independent ad tech companies' access to premium audiences and budgets [1] - Taboola positions itself as a significant open-web alternative, focusing on content recommendations and native advertising, which does not directly compete with traditional search or display ads [2] - The company has entered a 30-year exclusive partnership with Yahoo, enhancing its native advertising capabilities and investing in AI to improve ad personalization [3][8] Strategic Initiatives - Taboola is expanding into performance-based advertising through its Realize platform, targeting measurable outcomes such as conversions and customer acquisition, aligning with industry trends towards ROI-driven marketing [2][8] - The company emphasizes a publisher-first approach, promoting transparency and revenue-sharing models, which helps build resilience against major tech platforms [4] Competitive Landscape - The Trade Desk (TTD) is a leading independent demand-side platform that offers advertisers access to the open web, focusing on transparent, data-driven strategies [5] - Magnite (MGNI) is the largest independent sell-side platform, providing publishers with monetization options beyond walled gardens, and is focused on innovation and global reach [6] Financial Performance - TBLA shares have gained 0.3% year to date, outperforming the industry [7] - The stock is trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 20.2, which is below the industry average of 28.1, indicating it is currently affordable [10] - Consensus estimates for TBLA's EPS and revenues indicate year-over-year increases for 2025 and 2026, with no revisions in estimates over the past 30 days [11][12]

Core Insights - Taboola Ltd. (TBLA) has benefited from the shift in advertising budgets from traditional media to digital platforms, focusing on performance-driven display advertising through its Realize platform targeting a $55 billion market opportunity [1][8] - The company has established strong partnerships with over 9,000 publishers, including Microsoft, Yahoo, and Apple News, providing access to unique first-party data from 600 million daily users [2][3] - Taboola's R&D investments are projected to account for approximately 8% of revenues in 2024, indicating a commitment to enhancing its competitive edge through acquisitions and AI technologies [4] Company Positioning - The Realize platform utilizes AI technologies to deliver performance-oriented advertising solutions, enhancing campaign efficiency for both small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and larger advertisers [2] - Key strategic agreements with Microsoft and Apple News validate Taboola's market positioning in premium performance advertising channels [3] - The company is transitioning from a native ad widget provider to a full-scale performance advertising platform, poised to capture the growing shift toward data-driven digital marketing [4] Financial Performance - TBLA shares have gained 0.8% year to date, outperforming the industry [7] - The consensus estimates for TBLA's 2025 and 2026 revenues and EPS indicate expected year-over-year growth [12][13] - TBLA is currently trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 20.4, which is lower than the industry average of 28.5, indicating an affordable valuation [10] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like The Trade Desk (TTD) and Magnite (MGNI) are also well-positioned to capture growing digital marketing budgets, with TTD focusing on transparent, data-driven programmatic solutions and Magnite maximizing publisher revenues through programmatic channels [5][6]

Core Insights - Taboola.com Ltd. (TBLA) shares have increased by 36.5% over the past three months, outperforming its industry, sector, and the Zacks S&P 500 composite [1][9] - The company is positioned to capitalize on a $55 billion market through its Realize platform, which focuses on performance advertising [2][11] - TBLA is currently trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 20.2, which is lower than the industry average of 29.7, indicating affordability [8] Company Performance - TBLA generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenues in 2024, with expectations to reach between $1.84 billion and $1.89 billion in 2025 [9][14] - The company reported over $200 million in adjusted EBITDA and about $150 million in free cash flow last year, with significant improvements in first-quarter results [13] - Management is increasing R&D spending to enhance AI capabilities while also expanding share buyback authorization to $240 million [15] Market Position and Strategy - Taboola is shifting its focus from native advertising to a broader performance advertising market, aligning with the growing demand for comprehensive digital solutions [11] - The company aims to drive incremental ad spend through new capabilities in its Realize platform and a targeted go-to-market strategy [12] - Online shopping is projected to grow at about 8% annually through 2027, which is expected to benefit TBLA as advertising budgets shift from traditional media to digital channels [11] Analyst Sentiment - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TBLA's 2025 earnings per share indicates a significant increase of 3900% on higher revenues, with a Growth Score of A [16][18] - Analysts have shown optimistic sentiment, with earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 moving upward in the past 60 days [16][18] Investment Consideration - Given its growth prospects, affordability, and positive analyst sentiment, TBLA is considered a strong candidate for investment [19][20]

Core Viewpoint - Needham analyst Laura Martin maintains a Buy rating on Taboola.com (TBLA) and raises the price target from $3.34 to $4.50, highlighting the company's unique advantages and growth potential in the AdTech space [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Taboola is recognized as a leading performance AdTech company that operates in the open internet, leveraging exclusive supply and unique data [1] - The company aggregates data from 600 million Daily Active Users (DAUs) through direct integrations with publishers' websites, providing significant targeting advantages [2] Group 2: Product and Technology - Taboola's generative AI assistant, Abby, facilitates self-service ad creation and campaign management, attracting small- and medium-sized advertisers [2] - The company integrates generative AI across various functions, including treasury, FP&A, R&D, and sales, to enhance productivity and reduce costs [4] Group 3: Revenue Model and Partnerships - More than 90% of Taboola's revenue is derived from direct advertiser relationships, and about 90% of its supply comes from exclusive five- to seven-year contracts with website owners [5] - The partnership with Yahoo, established in November 2022, allows Taboola to sell all native ads on Yahoo properties, which has doubled its adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow (FCF) within 18 months [7] Group 4: Financial Performance - For the second quarter, Taboola is expected to report net revenue (ex-TAC) of $161.7 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase, and adjusted EBITDA of $41.9 million, up 13% year-over-year, with a 26% margin [7] - The company anticipates converting 50%–60% of adjusted EBITDA into free cash flow [7] Group 5: Market Expansion - Taboola's new Realize platform broadens its Total Addressable Market (TAM) by enabling revenue generation from display and video ads, with display ad spending being approximately three times larger than native ad revenue [6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Taboola's current gross revenue run rate is just under $2 billion, while the performance advertising market opportunity is estimated at over $55 billion [1][9] - The company has seen a 17% growth in scaled advertisers, which represent about 75-80% of its revenue, over the last two years [40][41] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Taboola is focusing on performance advertising, particularly in the open web, which is seen as a significant growth area due to diminishing returns in social media advertising [5][9] - The company has launched the Realize platform, which allows advertisers to pay on a CPC basis for display ads, enhancing the ease of use and performance tracking [21][24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The performance advertising market is segmented, with approximately $25 billion from open web performance advertising and $30 billion from diminishing returns in social media [9][10] - 75% of advertisers are experiencing diminishing returns on their social media spend, indicating a shift in advertising strategies [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Taboola aims to capture a larger share of the performance advertising market by leveraging unique first-party data and AI capabilities [7][39] - The company is focusing on verticals such as travel, financial services, and direct-to-consumer products, where it has seen lower churn rates and higher spending growth [18][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management believes that the shift towards performance advertising will continue due to macroeconomic challenges and the saturation of search and social media advertising [4][5] - The company is optimistic about its growth potential, particularly with the Realize platform, which is expected to contribute meaningfully to the business by 2026 [40][41] Other Important Information - Taboola has access to a unique dataset of 600 million daily active users and over a trillion monthly recommendations, which enhances its advertising effectiveness [35][39] - The company is committed to maintaining a conservative approach to guidance, allowing for potential upside as it executes its strategy [63] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you walk us through the performance advertising opportunity? - The performance advertising market is estimated at over $55 billion, with significant potential in open web advertising and diminishing returns in social media [1][9] Question: How does the Realize platform enhance advertiser engagement? - Realize allows advertisers to pay only for clicks, improving transparency and performance measurement [21][24] Question: What metrics will be used to track Realize's client adoption? - The company will track scaled advertisers spending over $100,000 annually, which has grown 17% over the last two years [40][41] Question: What is the outlook for potential M&A opportunities? - Management is open to small, synergistic acquisitions but is focused on executing its current strategy without dilutive events [65][66]