As the Q1 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the advertising & marketing services industry, including QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST) and its peers.

The sector is on the precipice of both disruption and growth as AI, programmatic advertising, and data-driven marketing reshape how things are done. For example, the advent of the Internet broadly and programmatic advertising specifically means that brand building is not a relationship business anymore but instead one based on data and technology, which could hurt traditional ad agencies. On the other hand, the companies in the sector that beef up their tech chops by automating the buying of ad inventory or facilitating omnichannel marketing, for example, stand to benefit. With or without advances in digitization and AI, the sector is still highly levered to the macro, and economic uncertainty may lead to fluctuating ad spend, particularly in cyclical industries.

The 6 advertising & marketing services stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.3% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.6% below.

While some advertising & marketing services stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 1.7% since the latest earnings results.

QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST)

Founded during the dot-com era in 1999 and specializing in high-intent consumer traffic, QuinStreet (NASDAQ: QNST) operates digital performance marketplaces that connect clients in financial and home services with consumers actively searching for their products.

QuinStreet reported revenues of $346.1 million, up 28.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but EPS in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is down 13.5% since reporting and currently trades at $11.55.

Is now the time to buy QuinStreet? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA)

Often appearing as those "You May Also Like" or "Recommended For You" boxes at the bottom of news articles, Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA) operates a digital platform that recommends personalized content to users across publisher websites, helping both publishers monetize their sites and advertisers reach target audiences.

Taboola reported revenues of $466.4 million, up 9.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.9%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and revenue guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 36.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $5.19.

Is now the time to buy Taboola? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA)

Originally launched as a way to make grocery shopping more rewarding for budget-conscious consumers, Ibotta (NYSE: IBTA) is a mobile shopping app that allows consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by completing tasks and submitting receipts.

Ibotta reported revenues of $82.48 million, down 2.5% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 1.9%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Ibotta delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 12.7% since the results and currently trades at $32.29.

Read our full analysis of Ibotta’s results here.

Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI)

Born from the 2020 merger of Rubicon Project and Telaria, Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI) operates the world's largest independent sell-side advertising platform that automates the buying and selling of digital advertising inventory across all channels and formats.

Magnite reported revenues of $164.4 million, up 5.5% year on year. This number lagged analysts' expectations by 5.5%. Taking a step back, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Magnite had the weakest performance against analyst estimates among its peers. The stock is down 1.8% since reporting and currently trades at $13.15.

Read our full, actionable report on Magnite here, it’s free.

Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC)

With a vast network of creative agencies that helped craft some of the most memorable ad campaigns in history, Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) is a strategic holding company that provides advertising, marketing, and communications services to many of the world's largest companies.

Omnicom Group reported revenues of $6.24 billion, up 69.2% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 8.7%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

Omnicom Group achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 3.4% since reporting and currently trades at $74.30.

Read our full, actionable report on Omnicom Group here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 6 Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.