Key Points
Magnite beat estimates on the top and bottom line, but expects slowing growth in the fourth quarter.
Its digital video business may be running into macro headwinds.
The stock has a history of being volatile.
Shares of Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the sell-side ad tech company, were moving lower today after better-than-expected earnings results were overshadowed by disappointing guidance.
As a result, the stock was down 9.6% as of 2:20 p.m. ET.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Image source: Getty Images.
What's happening with Magnite
Magnite, which offers a supply side ad tech platform (SSP) that help publishers like Netflix better monetize their ad inventory, posted solid results in the second quarter with revenue up 11% to $179.5 million. Contribution revenue minus traffic acquisition costs and excluding political ads rose 16%, to
$166.8 million, topping guidance at $161 million-$165 million and analyst estimates at $164.2 million.
Connected TV (CTV) continued to be a strength for Magnite, increasing 18% to $75.8 million. On the bottom line, adjusted earnings per share increased from $0.17 to $0.20, edging out the consensus at $0.19.
CEO Michael Barrett said, "Our CTV success is being driven by our largest publisher partners, and strong agency and DSP momentum."
What's next for Magnite
Despite the strong Q3 results, investors were disappointed by the fourth-quarter guidance, which called for a slowdown in growth, especially in the DV+ business. DV+ makes up more than half of Magnite's revenue, and it expects just 2%-5% growth in the fourth quarter. (DV+ stands for display, video, and other formats.)
It wasn't fully clear why Magnite sees the slowdown in growth, but it could be related to macro concerns as consumer spending seems impaired. Meanwhile, the ad tech industry is changing quickly as The Trade Desk, the leading independent DSP, has also faced challenges.
Investors may want to adopt a wait-and-see approach here. Magnite has a long history of volatility, and the guidance could turn out to be conservative.
Should you invest $1,000 in Magnite right now?
Before you buy stock in Magnite, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Magnite wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $592,390!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,196,494!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,052% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 193% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of November 3, 2025
Jeremy Bowman has positions in Magnite, Netflix, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Netflix and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool recommends Magnite. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.