Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM) and the best and worst performers in the digital media & content platforms industry.

AI-driven content creation, personalized media experiences, and digital advertising are evolving, which could benefit companies investing in these themes. For example, companies with a portfolio of licensed visual content or platforms facilitating direct monetization models could see increased demand for years. On the other hand, headwinds include growing regulatory scrutiny on AI-generated content, with many publishers balking at anything that gets no human oversight. Additional areas to navigate include the phasing out of third-party cookies, which could make traditional ways of tracking the online behavior of consumers (a secret sauce in digital marketing) much less effective.

The 7 digital media & content platforms stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues along with next quarter’s revenue guidance were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Luckily, digital media & content platforms stocks have performed well with share prices up 16.4% on average since the latest earnings results.

Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM)

Founded in 2013 as a champion for content creator rights and free expression, Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM) is a video sharing platform that positions itself as a free speech alternative to mainstream platforms, offering creators more favorable revenue-sharing opportunities.

Rumble reported revenues of $25.08 million, up 11.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 6.3%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Rumble's Chairman and CEO, Chris Pavlovski, commented, “With the incredible backing of Tether and the resources now at our disposal, Rumble is entering a new phase of aggressive growth. We’ve always been ambitious, but today we’re in a different position: pursuing bold initiatives to not only compete with, but surpass, big tech peers. In the second quarter, we proved the stickiness of our platform with 51 million MAUs, delivered double-digit revenue growth, and built momentum through strategic partnerships with leaders like Cumulus Media, and MoonPay, as well as a top AI innovator in Q3. With the upcoming launch of Rumble Wallet and our expanding cloud and AI initiatives, we are laying the foundation for sustained growth while protecting a free and open internet.”

Rumble delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Interestingly, the stock is up 2.7% since reporting and currently trades at $8.11.

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

Best Q2: Stride (NYSE: LRN)

Formerly known as K12, Stride (NYSE: LRN) is an education technology company providing education solutions through digital platforms.

Stride reported revenues of $653.6 million, up 22.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.2%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Stride pulled off the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 22.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $157.08.

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

IAC (NASDAQ: IAC)

Originally known as InterActiveCorp and built through Barry Diller's strategic acquisitions since the 1990s, IAC (NASDAQ: IAC) operates a portfolio of category-leading digital businesses including Dotdash Meredith, Angi, and Care.com, focusing on digital publishing, home services, and caregiving platforms.

IAC reported revenues of $586.9 million, down 7.5% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.4%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

IAC delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 9.2% since the results and currently trades at $35.88.

Read our full analysis of IAC’s results here.

Vimeo (NASDAQ: VMEO)

Originally launched in 2004 as a platform for filmmakers seeking a high-quality alternative to YouTube, Vimeo (NASDAQ: VMEO) provides cloud-based video creation, editing, hosting, and distribution software that helps businesses and creators make, manage, and share professional-quality videos.

Vimeo reported revenues of $104.7 million, flat year on year. This result came in 1% below analysts' expectations. More broadly, it was actually a strong quarter as it logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is up 3.3% since reporting and currently trades at $3.96.

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

Ziff Davis (NASDAQ: ZD)

Originally a pioneering technology publisher founded in 1927 that became famous for PC Magazine, Ziff Davis (NASDAQ: ZD) operates a portfolio of digital media brands and subscription services across technology, shopping, gaming, healthcare, and cybersecurity markets.

Ziff Davis reported revenues of $352.2 million, up 9.8% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 4.5%. It was a very strong quarter as it also logged an impressive beat of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Ziff Davis scored the biggest analyst estimates beat and highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 16.5% since reporting and currently trades at $36.22.

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

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn’t send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump’s November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there’s still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy.

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

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