QNST official logo QNST
QNST 1-star rating from Upturn Advisory
QuinStreet Inc (QNST) company logo

QuinStreet Inc (QNST)

QuinStreet Inc (QNST) 1-star rating from Upturn Advisory
$15.28
Last Close (24-hour delay)
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PASS
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Upturn Advisory Summary

01/09/2026: QNST (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Upturn Star Rating

Upturn 1 star rating for performance

Not Recommended Performance

These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.

Number of Analysts

2 star rating from financial analysts

5 Analysts rated it

Limited analyst coverage, niche firm, research info may be scarce.

1 Year Target Price $22

1 Year Target Price $22

Analysts Price Target For last 52 week
$22 Target price
52w Low $12.98
Current$15.28
52w High $25.5

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -33.86%
Avg. Invested days 36
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Star Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 2.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 01/09/2026
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Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 867.16M USD
Price to earnings Ratio 84.89
1Y Target Price 22
Price to earnings Ratio 84.89
1Y Target Price 22
Volume (30-day avg) 5
Beta 0.7
52 Weeks Range 12.98 - 25.50
Updated Date 01/9/2026
52 Weeks Range 12.98 - 25.50
Updated Date 01/9/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) 0.18

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Earnings Date

Report Date -
When -
Estimate -
Actual -

Profitability

Profit Margin 0.96%
Operating Margin (TTM) 3.36%

Management Effectiveness

Return on Assets (TTM) 4.34%
Return on Equity (TTM) 4.55%

Valuation

Trailing PE 84.89
Forward PE 12.47
Enterprise Value 775698644
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.79
Enterprise Value 775698644
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.79
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.7
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 21.55
Shares Outstanding 56751575
Shares Floating 53889593
Shares Outstanding 56751575
Shares Floating 53889593
Percent Insiders 4.84
Percent Institutions 92.51

Icon representing Upturn AI-generated SWOT analysis summary Upturn AI SWOT

QuinStreet Inc

QuinStreet Inc(QNST) company logo displayed in Upturn AI summary

Company Overview

Company history and background logo History and Background

QuinStreet Inc. was founded in 1999 by Douglas Feil and Michael Collins. The company initially focused on providing online marketing services for higher education institutions. Over time, it expanded its reach to other verticals such as financial services, health insurance, and home services. QuinStreet has evolved into a leading performance marketing company, connecting consumers with businesses that offer products and services.

Company business area logo Core Business Areas

  • Consumer Vertical Marketing: QuinStreet operates a portfolio of online brands that connect consumers with businesses offering products and services in categories like higher education, financial services (insurance, loans, credit cards), and home services (solar, home improvement). They generate revenue through lead generation and advertising fees.
  • B2B Vertical Marketing: This segment focuses on connecting businesses with other businesses, particularly in areas like IT solutions and business services. Similar to consumer marketing, revenue is primarily derived from lead generation and advertising.

leadership logo Leadership and Structure

QuinStreet's leadership team is headed by their CEO, Christopher Linton. The company operates with a divisional structure organized around its core vertical markets. Key leadership roles include Chief Financial Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and heads of various product and technology divisions.

Top Products and Market Share

Product Key Offerings logo Key Offerings

  • Lead Generation Platform: QuinStreet's core offering is its proprietary technology platform that generates qualified leads for its clients. This platform aggregates consumer interest and matches it with relevant service providers. Market share data for this specific product is not publicly disclosed, but competitors include various digital marketing agencies and lead generation platforms like EverQuote (EQ) in insurance and other specialized lead aggregators.
  • Brand Websites and Content: QuinStreet operates a network of owned and operated websites and content properties that attract consumers seeking information and solutions in its target verticals. Examples include websites focused on college admissions, insurance quotes, and home improvement advice. Competitors range from direct competitors in lead generation to publishers and comparison websites in each vertical.
  • Advertising and Data Analytics Services: The company provides advertising solutions and data analytics to help its clients optimize their marketing spend and understand consumer behavior. Competitors are broadly in the digital advertising and marketing technology space.

Market Dynamics

industry overview logo Industry Overview

QuinStreet operates within the digital advertising and performance marketing industry. This sector is characterized by rapid technological advancements, increasing competition, and a growing reliance on data-driven strategies. The industry is driven by businesses seeking measurable marketing outcomes and consumers looking for convenient ways to find and compare products and services online.

Positioning

QuinStreet is positioned as a leading performance marketing company, specializing in connecting consumers with businesses across its core verticals. Its competitive advantages lie in its proprietary technology platform, extensive network of owned and operated brands, deep understanding of consumer intent within its target markets, and long-term relationships with clients.

Total Addressable Market (TAM)

The total addressable market for QuinStreet is significant, encompassing the digital advertising and lead generation spend across its key verticals such as education, financial services, and home services. While precise TAM figures for QuinStreet's specific niches are not readily available, the broader digital advertising market is valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars globally. QuinStreet is positioned to capture a portion of this by focusing on its specialized verticals where it has established expertise and a strong client base.

Upturn SWOT Analysis

Strengths

  • Proprietary technology platform for lead generation and data analytics.
  • Strong brand recognition and established online presence within its verticals.
  • Long-term relationships with a diverse client base.
  • Diversified revenue streams across multiple verticals.
  • Experienced management team with deep industry knowledge.

Weaknesses

  • Reliance on a limited number of large clients in some segments.
  • Vulnerability to changes in search engine algorithms and advertising policies.
  • Intense competition within the digital marketing landscape.
  • Potential for cyclicality in certain verticals (e.g., education enrollment).

Opportunities

  • Expansion into new, high-growth vertical markets.
  • Leveraging AI and machine learning for enhanced lead qualification and campaign optimization.
  • Developing new advertising and data monetization products.
  • Strategic acquisitions to broaden service offerings or market reach.
  • Increased demand for performance-based marketing solutions.

Threats

  • Increasing privacy regulations impacting data collection and targeting.
  • Intensified competition from larger digital marketing players and specialized startups.
  • Economic downturns affecting client advertising budgets.
  • Changes in consumer behavior and online search trends.
  • Potential for disruption from new marketing technologies or platforms.

Competitors and Market Share

Key competitor logo Key Competitors

  • EverQuote Inc (EVER) - Insurance Vertical
  • Veritone Inc (VERI) - AI and Media
  • Liberty Broadband Corporation (LBRDA) - Media and Advertising (Liberty owns multiple media entities)
  • Interest in other lead generation companies and digital marketing agencies depends on the specific vertical.

Competitive Landscape

QuinStreet's advantages include its established brand presence and proprietary technology. However, it faces intense competition from both specialized lead generation companies and larger, more diversified digital marketing firms. Its ability to adapt to evolving digital marketing trends and privacy regulations is crucial for maintaining its competitive edge.

Growth Trajectory and Initiatives

Historical Growth: QuinStreet has experienced steady historical growth, driven by its expansion into new verticals and the increasing adoption of digital marketing by businesses. The company has successfully scaled its operations and refined its performance marketing technology over the years.

Future Projections: Analyst projections for QuinStreet's future growth often center on its ability to capitalize on the increasing digital ad spend, expand its client base in existing and new verticals, and leverage its technology for enhanced lead generation and data insights. Specific growth rate projections vary among analysts.

Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives have likely included investments in AI and machine learning to improve lead quality and campaign effectiveness, exploration of new partnership opportunities, and optimization of its existing brand portfolio to drive efficiency and revenue growth.

Summary

QuinStreet Inc. is a well-established performance marketing company with a strong focus on lead generation across key consumer and B2B verticals. Its proprietary technology and diversified brand portfolio are significant strengths. The company operates in a dynamic and competitive digital advertising landscape, facing threats from evolving privacy regulations and increasing competition. Continued investment in technology, strategic expansion, and adaptation to market shifts will be key to its future success and growth.

Similar Stocks

Sources and Disclaimers

Data Sources:

  • QuinStreet Inc. Investor Relations website
  • SEC Filings (10-K, 10-Q)
  • Financial data providers (e.g., Yahoo Finance, Google Finance)
  • Industry research reports

Disclaimers:

This analysis is based on publicly available information and may not be exhaustive. Financial data and market share figures are estimates and subject to change. This information is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Investors should conduct their own due diligence before making any investment decisions.

Information icon for Upturn AI Summarization accuracy disclaimer AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.

Information icon for Upturn AI Summarization data freshness disclaimer Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.

Information icon warning about Upturn AI Fundamental Rating based on potentially old data Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.

Information icon warning about potential inaccuracies or hallucinations in Upturn AI-generated summaries AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.

About QuinStreet Inc

Exchange NASDAQ
Headquaters Foster City, CA, United States
IPO Launch date 2010-02-11
Chairman, President & CEO Mr. Douglas Valenti
Sector Communication Services
Industry Advertising Agencies
Full time employees 938
Full time employees 938

QuinStreet, Inc., an online performance marketing company, provides customer acquisition services for its clients in the United States and internationally. The company offers 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. It also develops the QuinStreet Rating Platform product for insurance agents and the CloudControlMedia that provides performance marketing agency and technology services to clients in financial services, education, and other markets. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Foster City, California.