QuinStreet (QNST) vs Trade Desk (TTD)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 10, 2026.
Summary
QuinStreet (QNST) has outperformed Trade Desk (TTD) over the past year, gaining 4.9% versus a loss of 77.7%. Over five years, QNST leads with a -7.6% price change compared with -84.6% for TTD. Trade Desk is the larger company by market cap ($5.71 billion vs $900.1 million), about 6.3 times the size.
On valuation, QuinStreet trades at a lower forward P/E (8.4x vs 12.1x for Trade Desk). Trade Desk converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 15.3% versus 6.3%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | QNST | TTD |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $15.73 | $12.08 |
| Market cap | $900.12M | $5.71B |
| 1-day change | -1.63% | -2.11% |
| YTD return | +9.46% | -68.18% |
| 1-year return | +4.87% | -77.67% |
| 5-year return | -7.63% | -84.60% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 11.24 | 14.55 |
| Forward P/E | 8.41 | 12.06 |
| EPS (TTM) | $1.40 | $0.83 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.29B | $2.90B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +18.29% | +18.47% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $81.23M | $443.30M |
| Gross margin | 11.27% | 78.63% |
| Operating margin | 2.74% | 20.35% |
| Net margin | 6.28% | 15.31% |
| 52-week high | $22.29 | $55.11 |
| 52-week low | $10.29 | $11.62 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -29.43% | -78.08% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +44.95% | +12.33% |
| Average volume | 989.85K | 23.56M |
| Shares outstanding | 57.22M | 429.69M |
| Employees | 1,074 | 3,843 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Technology |
| Industry | Business Services | Computer Software: Programming Data Processing |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Trade Desk is about 6.3 times larger than QuinStreet by market value ($5.71B vs $900.12M).
- QNST has outperformed TTD by 82.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Trade Desk trades at a higher earnings multiple (14.6x vs 11.2x trailing P/E).
- Trade Desk is more profitable, keeping 15.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 6.3 cents for QuinStreet.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: QuinStreet in Consumer Discretionary and Trade Desk in Technology.
About QuinStreet
QNST stock →QuinStreet, Inc., an online performance marketing company, provides customer acquisition services for its clients in the United States and internationally. The company provides online marketing services, such as qualified clicks, leads, calls, applications, and customers through its websites or third-party publishers to financial and home services industries.
Consumer Discretionary · Business Services · 1,074 employees
About Trade Desk
TTD stock →The Trade Desk, Inc. operates as a technology company in the United States and internationally.
Technology · Computer Software: Programming Data Processing · 3,843 employees
QNST vs TTD FAQ
Which is bigger, QuinStreet or Trade Desk?
Trade Desk (TTD) is larger, with a market capitalization of $5.71B compared with $900.12M for QuinStreet (QNST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, QNST or TTD?
QNST returned +4.87% over the past 12 months, compared with -77.67% for TTD (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, QNST or TTD?
QNST has the lower trailing P/E at 11.2, versus 14.6 for TTD. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are QuinStreet and Trade Desk in the same industry?
No. QuinStreet is in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while Trade Desk is in Technology.