Service Stocks Underperform in Afternoon Trading
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 26 2026
0mins
Should l Buy TTD?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Service Sector Decline: In afternoon trading on Monday, service stocks fell by 0.3%, with The Trade Desk Inc (TTD) and Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) dropping 8.4% and 5.7% respectively, indicating a weakening trend that may affect investor confidence.
- ETF Performance Analysis: The iShares U.S. Consumer Services ETF (IYC), closely tracking service stocks, declined 0.4% on the day, although it is up 2.17% year-to-date, suggesting that short-term volatility may prompt investors to reassess their strategies.
- Materials Sector Dynamics: The materials sector also showed weakness, with an overall decline of 0.1%, as Builders FirstSource Inc. (BLDR) and Steel Dynamics Inc. (STLD) both fell by 3.1%, reflecting challenges faced by the industry that could impact profitability.
- ETF Tracking Performance: The Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB), associated with materials stocks, rose 0.3% on the day and is up 10.52% year-to-date, indicating that despite poor individual stock performance, the overall sector still holds some investment appeal.
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Analyst Views on TTD
Wall Street analysts forecast TTD stock price to rise
28 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
12 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 28.560
Low
38.00
Averages
53.33
High
85.00
Current: 28.560
Low
38.00
Averages
53.33
High
85.00
About TTD
The Trade Desk, Inc. is a global advertising technology company. The Company offers a self-service, cloud-based ad-buying platform that empowers its clients to plan, manage, optimize and measure more expressive data-driven digital advertising campaigns. Its platform allows clients to execute integrated campaigns across ad formats and channels, including connected television (CTV) and other video, display, audio, and native, on a multitude of devices, such as televisions, streaming devices, mobile devices, computers and digital-out-of-home devices. Its platform’s integrations with inventory, publisher and data partners provide ad buyers reach and decisioning capabilities, and its enterprise application programming interfaces (APIs) enable its clients to customize and expand platform functionality. Its platform provides auto-optimization features that allow buyers to automate their campaigns and support them with computer-generated modeling and decision-making.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
The Trade Desk's 2025 Performance Review
- Stable Revenue Growth: Despite a staggering 67.7% drop in stock price in 2025, The Trade Desk achieved high teens revenue growth and maintained a customer retention rate above 95%, indicating solid fundamentals and ongoing growth potential.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: The aggressive expansion of Amazon in advertising and its partnerships with platforms like Netflix have intensified competition, leading investors to question The Trade Desk's ability to maintain differentiation in an increasingly integrated market.
- Rising Supply Chain Risks: The Trade Desk relies on partnerships with major streaming platforms for premium ad inventory; however, as these platforms strengthen ties with large ecosystems, future growth assumptions face greater uncertainty, potentially impacting its market position.
- Investor Confidence Erosion: Although The Trade Desk remains profitable and innovative, investor confidence waned in 2025, reflecting a shift in expectations for future performance, making the upcoming quarters critical for restoring market trust.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Market Decline
- Nvidia's Growth Potential: Despite Nvidia's market cap reaching $4.4 trillion, management anticipates a 77% revenue increase in the current fiscal Q1, indicating strong growth potential amid sustained AI demand, with a current stock price at just 21.9 times forward earnings, significantly below the broader market.
- Microsoft's Steady Performance: Microsoft achieved a 17% year-over-year growth in its latest quarter, with Azure's revenue soaring 39%, and despite a trailing P/E ratio below 26, the stock presents an attractive buying opportunity for investors looking to increase their holdings at this time.
- Challenges for The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk faces slowing growth and market share issues, yet reported a 14% year-over-year revenue increase in Q4, with management guiding for about 10% growth next quarter, reflecting resilience in its advertising technology platform, while trading at just 15 times forward earnings, indicating low market expectations for future growth.
- Long-term Investment Opportunities: Given the rapid growth in the advertising market, The Trade Desk's undervaluation presents a compelling opportunity for long-term investors, and alongside the strong performances of Microsoft and Nvidia, these stocks are expected to rebound, making them suitable for accumulation during market downturns.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Market Volatility
- Figma's Price Decline: Figma's stock has fallen from its IPO price of $33 to $28.94, representing a 79% drop from its 52-week high of $143, although its unexpected 40% revenue growth in Q4 raises questions about future growth prospects.
- Trade Desk's Challenges: The Trade Desk reported a mere 14% revenue growth in its latest quarter, marking its weakest performance since the pandemic, and is undergoing executive turnover; however, the CEO's recent $150 million stock purchase indicates confidence in the company's future.
- Duolingo's User Growth: Despite Duolingo's stock plummeting over 80% from last year's peak, its monthly active users have increased by 30% to 52.3 million, with 77% on free ad-supported accounts, demonstrating the platform's stickiness and appeal.
- Market Rebound Potential: Despite overall market volatility, Figma, Trade Desk, and Duolingo are trading at less than 14 times projected earnings, suggesting potential investment opportunities for patient investors willing to sift through the market's retreat.
See More
Figma, The Trade Desk, and Duolingo Stocks Plummet
- Figma's Price Drop: Figma's stock has plummeted 79% from its peak last year, although its latest quarter saw a 40% acceleration in revenue growth, concerns about future growth persist, highlighting intensifying competition in the SaaS sector.
- Trade Desk's Challenges: The Trade Desk's stock has fallen 70%, with a mere 14% revenue growth in its latest quarter marking its weakest performance outside of the pandemic, compounded by executive turnover; however, the CEO's recent $150 million stock purchase indicates confidence in the company's future.
- Duolingo's Hard Hit: Duolingo's stock has crashed over 80%, despite a 30% increase in monthly active users, market expectations for future growth remain low, and its 2026 revenue guidance was disappointing, reflecting competitive pressures from AI tools.
- Market Volatility: A quarter of publicly traded companies have seen their market value shrink by over 50%, while only a tenth of stocks have dropped by at least 70%, indicating uncertainty in the market and a cautious sentiment among investors.
See More
The Trade Desk's Potential Partnership with OpenAI Could Revitalize Growth
- Stock Performance Review: Over the past decade, The Trade Desk's stock has surged nearly 900%, although it peaked at over 4,000%, recent revenue growth slowdown has led to a decline in its premium valuation, raising investor concerns about future growth.
- Stable Client Retention: The Trade Desk boasts an incredibly sticky platform, with 95% of its clients remaining loyal in the past quarter, a trend maintained for 13 years, underscoring its competitive edge in the ad tech sector.
- Slowing Revenue Growth: In Q4 2025, The Trade Desk's revenue grew 14% year-over-year, which, while decent, pales in comparison to past performance, and it projects only 10% revenue growth for Q1 2026, significantly lagging behind faster-growing competitors.
- Potential Partnership Opportunity: The Trade Desk is in discussions with OpenAI regarding advertising on its generative AI platform, and if this partnership materializes, it could reignite revenue growth and enhance market confidence in the company's future prospects.
See More
The Potential Resurgence of the Open Internet
- Supply-Demand Dynamics: In 2025, advertising supply is projected to grow faster than demand, granting advertisers greater leverage in platform selection, which could revitalize the open internet and enhance The Trade Desk's long-term prospects.
- Neutrality Advantage: As an independent demand-side platform, The Trade Desk does not own inventory, allowing it to provide neutral optimization services across the open internet, which becomes a competitive edge in a supply-rich market by enabling advertisers to effectively compare performance across different publishers.
- AI Technology Application: The Trade Desk's AI engine, Kokai, aims to optimize bidding, impression scoring, and budget allocation; if performance-driven buying becomes the dominant mode, neutrality could transform into a strategic advantage, further solidifying the open internet's position.
- Ecosystem Challenges: Despite signs of a resurgence in the open internet, large ecosystems still control significant pools of authenticated data and premium inventory, and advertisers may prefer integrated solutions for convenience, which could weaken the relative strength of the open internet.
See More
The Trade Desk's 2025 Performance Review
- Stable Revenue Growth: Despite a staggering 67.7% drop in stock price in 2025, The Trade Desk achieved high teens revenue growth and maintained a customer retention rate above 95%, indicating solid fundamentals and ongoing growth potential.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: The aggressive expansion of Amazon in advertising and its partnerships with platforms like Netflix have intensified competition, leading investors to question The Trade Desk's ability to maintain differentiation in an increasingly integrated market.
- Rising Supply Chain Risks: The Trade Desk relies on partnerships with major streaming platforms for premium ad inventory; however, as these platforms strengthen ties with large ecosystems, future growth assumptions face greater uncertainty, potentially impacting its market position.
- Investor Confidence Erosion: Although The Trade Desk remains profitable and innovative, investor confidence waned in 2025, reflecting a shift in expectations for future performance, making the upcoming quarters critical for restoring market trust.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Market Decline
- Nvidia's Growth Potential: Despite Nvidia's market cap reaching $4.4 trillion, management anticipates a 77% revenue increase in the current fiscal Q1, indicating strong growth potential amid sustained AI demand, with a current stock price at just 21.9 times forward earnings, significantly below the broader market.
- Microsoft's Steady Performance: Microsoft achieved a 17% year-over-year growth in its latest quarter, with Azure's revenue soaring 39%, and despite a trailing P/E ratio below 26, the stock presents an attractive buying opportunity for investors looking to increase their holdings at this time.
- Challenges for The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk faces slowing growth and market share issues, yet reported a 14% year-over-year revenue increase in Q4, with management guiding for about 10% growth next quarter, reflecting resilience in its advertising technology platform, while trading at just 15 times forward earnings, indicating low market expectations for future growth.
- Long-term Investment Opportunities: Given the rapid growth in the advertising market, The Trade Desk's undervaluation presents a compelling opportunity for long-term investors, and alongside the strong performances of Microsoft and Nvidia, these stocks are expected to rebound, making them suitable for accumulation during market downturns.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Market Volatility
- Figma's Price Decline: Figma's stock has fallen from its IPO price of $33 to $28.94, representing a 79% drop from its 52-week high of $143, although its unexpected 40% revenue growth in Q4 raises questions about future growth prospects.
- Trade Desk's Challenges: The Trade Desk reported a mere 14% revenue growth in its latest quarter, marking its weakest performance since the pandemic, and is undergoing executive turnover; however, the CEO's recent $150 million stock purchase indicates confidence in the company's future.
- Duolingo's User Growth: Despite Duolingo's stock plummeting over 80% from last year's peak, its monthly active users have increased by 30% to 52.3 million, with 77% on free ad-supported accounts, demonstrating the platform's stickiness and appeal.
- Market Rebound Potential: Despite overall market volatility, Figma, Trade Desk, and Duolingo are trading at less than 14 times projected earnings, suggesting potential investment opportunities for patient investors willing to sift through the market's retreat.
See More
Figma, The Trade Desk, and Duolingo Stocks Plummet
- Figma's Price Drop: Figma's stock has plummeted 79% from its peak last year, although its latest quarter saw a 40% acceleration in revenue growth, concerns about future growth persist, highlighting intensifying competition in the SaaS sector.
- Trade Desk's Challenges: The Trade Desk's stock has fallen 70%, with a mere 14% revenue growth in its latest quarter marking its weakest performance outside of the pandemic, compounded by executive turnover; however, the CEO's recent $150 million stock purchase indicates confidence in the company's future.
- Duolingo's Hard Hit: Duolingo's stock has crashed over 80%, despite a 30% increase in monthly active users, market expectations for future growth remain low, and its 2026 revenue guidance was disappointing, reflecting competitive pressures from AI tools.
- Market Volatility: A quarter of publicly traded companies have seen their market value shrink by over 50%, while only a tenth of stocks have dropped by at least 70%, indicating uncertainty in the market and a cautious sentiment among investors.
See More
The Trade Desk's Potential Partnership with OpenAI Could Revitalize Growth
- Stock Performance Review: Over the past decade, The Trade Desk's stock has surged nearly 900%, although it peaked at over 4,000%, recent revenue growth slowdown has led to a decline in its premium valuation, raising investor concerns about future growth.
- Stable Client Retention: The Trade Desk boasts an incredibly sticky platform, with 95% of its clients remaining loyal in the past quarter, a trend maintained for 13 years, underscoring its competitive edge in the ad tech sector.
- Slowing Revenue Growth: In Q4 2025, The Trade Desk's revenue grew 14% year-over-year, which, while decent, pales in comparison to past performance, and it projects only 10% revenue growth for Q1 2026, significantly lagging behind faster-growing competitors.
- Potential Partnership Opportunity: The Trade Desk is in discussions with OpenAI regarding advertising on its generative AI platform, and if this partnership materializes, it could reignite revenue growth and enhance market confidence in the company's future prospects.
See More
The Potential Resurgence of the Open Internet
- Supply-Demand Dynamics: In 2025, advertising supply is projected to grow faster than demand, granting advertisers greater leverage in platform selection, which could revitalize the open internet and enhance The Trade Desk's long-term prospects.
- Neutrality Advantage: As an independent demand-side platform, The Trade Desk does not own inventory, allowing it to provide neutral optimization services across the open internet, which becomes a competitive edge in a supply-rich market by enabling advertisers to effectively compare performance across different publishers.
- AI Technology Application: The Trade Desk's AI engine, Kokai, aims to optimize bidding, impression scoring, and budget allocation; if performance-driven buying becomes the dominant mode, neutrality could transform into a strategic advantage, further solidifying the open internet's position.
- Ecosystem Challenges: Despite signs of a resurgence in the open internet, large ecosystems still control significant pools of authenticated data and premium inventory, and advertisers may prefer integrated solutions for convenience, which could weaken the relative strength of the open internet.
See More
