Outbrain Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations, Significant Growth in CTV Revenue
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 05 2026
0mins
Should l Buy TEAD?
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Performance: Outbrain's Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.10 exceeded expectations by $0.19, indicating improved profitability; however, revenue of $352.24 million, while up 50.2% year-over-year, fell short of expectations by $3.25 million, reflecting increased market competition.
- CTV Revenue Milestone: The company achieved over $100 million in CTV revenue for the first time in Q4, with a year-over-year growth rate of 55%, highlighting Outbrain's significant market share gains in the rapidly expanding streaming advertising sector, enhancing its future growth prospects.
- Omnichannel Customer Growth: The percentage of branding customers utilizing omnichannel campaigns rose from 7% in Q1 2025 to 10%, with expectations to reach at least 15% by the end of 2026, indicating positive progress in diversifying client strategies and advertising innovations.
- Declining Cash Flow: Despite adjusted EBITDA increasing from $17 million to $36.5 million year-over-year, net cash provided by operating activities plummeted from $42.7 million to $7.3 million, revealing challenges in cash management and operational efficiency for the company.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy TEAD?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on TEAD
Wall Street analysts forecast TEAD stock price to fall
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 1.150
Low
1.00
Averages
1.00
High
1.00
Current: 1.150
Low
1.00
Averages
1.00
High
1.00
About TEAD
Teads Holding Co., formerly Outbrain Inc., is an omnichannel outcomes platform for the open Internet, driving full-funnel results for marketers across premium media. The company leverages predictive artificial intelligence (AI) technology to optimize advertising outcomes, ensuring value-driven media spending through context-driven addressability and measurement. It offers a range of advertising solutions, including branding, advertising management, data solutions, traffic acquisition, studio services, and the Creative Showcase. Its Teads for Publishers (TFP) platform provides a suite of tools designed to assist publishers in optimizing their properties and monetization efforts. Additionally, it offers the Teads for Publishers Suite, a self-serve advertising solution designed to help publishers monetize professionally produced content through optimized in-article advertising and publisher showcase platforms.
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.
- Earnings Highlights: Teads Holding reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.38, beating expectations by $0.07, yet revenue of $265.98 million fell short by $3.99 million with a year-over-year decline of 7.1%, indicating challenges in revenue growth.
- Declining Adjusted EBITDA: The adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was only $0.8 million, a significant drop from $10.7 million in the prior year, primarily due to approximately $1.6 million in unfavorable foreign currency effects, reflecting pressure on cost control and profitability.
- Deteriorating Cash Flow: The net cash used in operating activities reached $34.9 million, a stark increase from $1.0 million in the previous year, indicating greater challenges in cash flow management that could impact future investment capabilities.
- 2026 Outlook: The company expects Ex-TAC gross profit for Q2 2026 to be between $121 million and $131 million, with adjusted EBITDA projected at $14 million to $22 million, while maintaining a $100 million annual EBITDA target, demonstrating confidence in future growth despite current challenges.
See More
- Revenue Performance: Teads reported approximately EUR 266 million in revenue for Q1 2026, reflecting a 7% year-over-year decline; however, management indicated that they have overcome many integration challenges, showcasing improved execution capabilities.
- CTV Revenue Growth: The company's CTV revenue grew over 50% year-over-year, solidifying its market leadership in high-value ad inventory through partnerships with LG, Samsung, and Google TV, indicating strong market demand.
- Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: Management expects adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2026 to range between $14 million and $22 million, with a full-year target of approximately $100 million, demonstrating confidence in future growth.
- Cost Structure Optimization: Teads has reduced its compensation run rate by over 20% year-over-year through restructuring efforts, which not only enhances operational efficiency but also lays a foundation for future profitability.
See More
- Financial Highlights: Teads reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.38, beating expectations by $0.07, although revenue of $266 million fell 7.1% year-over-year, indicating resilience in the adtech sector.
- Customer Spend Growth: The share of branding customers utilizing omnichannel campaigns in CTV spending rose from 8% in Q1 2025 to 13%, reflecting increased recognition from leading holding companies and agencies.
- Cross-Selling Strategy: Approximately 16% of spend from Enterprise Brand advertisers is directed toward performance-based business goals, demonstrating significant progress in driving client conversion and enhancing advertising effectiveness.
- Partnership Renewals: Teads renewed several Joint Business Partnerships with global brands, including McDonald's, Heineken, and Volkswagen, further solidifying its leadership position in the adtech platform space.
See More
- Price Momentum Performance: Teads Holding Co. stock has seen a 24.3% price increase over the past four weeks, indicating growing investor interest, which enhances its market appeal and potential returns.
- Long-Term Return Potential: The stock has gained 17% over the past 12 weeks, demonstrating its ability to maintain positive returns over a longer timeframe, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Momentum Score Advantage: With a Momentum Score of B, now is a favorable time to enter the stock, and the upward revisions in earnings estimates by analysts further attract more investor interest.
- Reasonable Valuation Level: Teads stock is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of just 0.06, meaning investors pay only 6 cents for every dollar of sales, indicating strong investment value while experiencing rapid growth.
See More
- Merger Transition Success: CEO David Kostman emphasized that the first year post-merger with Outbrain was a transition period, successfully managing the integration of two distinct cultures and technologies while navigating tough market conditions, focusing on building a sustainable premium marketplace despite sacrificing low-quality revenue to strengthen long-term partnerships with global brands.
- Significant Revenue Growth: Q4 revenue reached approximately $352 million, reflecting a 50% year-over-year increase, with a remarkable 300% jump in sales to enterprise customers compared to Q3, showcasing the company's success in home screen placements and crossing the $100 million annual revenue mark with a growth rate of 55%.
- Restructuring and Savings: The company undertook a restructuring in December aimed at generating annual savings of $35 million to $40 million, adding new leadership including a Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen market competitiveness.
- 2026 Guidance: CFO Jason Kiviat provided guidance for 2026, expecting Ex-TAC gross profit between $102 million and $106 million for Q1, with adjusted EBITDA projected to be breakeven to $3 million, reflecting the company's confidence in future growth despite anticipated headwinds from supply and demand quality initiatives.
See More








