3 Ad Tech Stocks to Watch as Advertisers Look Beyond Google

Alphabet’s recent stumble on search revenue and AI monetization has rattled confidence and reset expectations, but it has also shone a harsh spotlight on every business linked to digital advertising pipes. When a giant slips, money often looks for fresher stories or more focused platforms. This article breaks down three stocks from our Global Ad-Tech and Programmatic Advertising Platforms screener that appear positively exposed to this shift, and explains why their setups deserve a closer look now.

The three stocks highlighted next are just a sample set, and the full screen surfaced 17 more publicly listed ad-tech and programmatic platforms with equally detailed stories that are not covered below. To go straight to the source and identify which tickers best fit your playbook, head into the Global Ad-Tech and Programmatic Advertising Platforms screener.

Perion Network (PERI)

Overview: Perion Network runs an ad-tech platform that helps brands, agencies, and retailers manage and optimize digital campaigns across display, search, and retail media channels beyond Google.

Operations: Perion Network generates about $436 million in revenue from High Impact Advertising Solutions, reflecting its focus on premium digital ad formats and tools.

Market Cap: $449 million

Perion Network matters in this ad-tech and programmatic screener because it offers brands and retailers a different set of pipes to allocate digital budgets across multiple channels. This becomes more relevant when confidence in a single dominant search platform is being questioned.

"If this works: • Clients trust the system • Budgets grow • Margins expand • Switching costs rise"

What really moves the story from idea to outcome is how one unresolved shift in advertiser buying behaviour plays through those unit economics.

That unresolved shift is exactly what the full narrative for Perion Network unpacks, including how Perion Network’s current setup could accelerate or stall if advertiser behaviour really starts to decouple.

Nexxen International (NEXN)

Overview: Nexxen International runs a video first ad-tech platform that helps brands, agencies and publishers run programmatic campaigns across screens worldwide.

Operations: Nexxen International generates about $383 million from providing marketing services, centering its business on programmatic advertising and related solutions.

Market Cap: $486 million

Nexxen International matters in this ad-tech and programmatic screen because its end to end, CTV oriented stack gives advertisers and publishers a direct path to reallocate budgets away from search into video, mobile and data driven channels when the old default pipes look less secure.

"Although Nexxen International reports record contribution ex TAC and programmatic revenue from CTV, mobile and data products, the compression of adjusted EBITDA margin to 28% of contribution ex TAC in Q2 2026 suggests that higher AI, data, infrastructure and go to market spending may persist longer than expected and keep net margins below current expectations."

What really decides how this plays out for Nexxen International is whether one quiet shift in customer behavior justifies that heavier investment load.

That trade off is the whole story. The full narrative for Nexxen International explains how Nexxen International’s heavier spend could shift from margin drag to an accelerating advantage.

Similarweb (SMWB)

Overview: Similarweb provides digital data and analytics that help businesses understand online traffic, benchmark competitors, and improve marketing and advertising performance.

Operations: Similarweb generates about $296 million in revenue from providing online financial and digital intelligence information services to its customers.

Market Cap: $772 million

Similarweb fits into this ad tech themed screen as the measurement layer. It gives marketers and AI tools the visibility to shift budgets when old search habits are questioned.

"Rapid customer adoption of Gen AI, LLM, and Agentic AI data products remains live, now supported by AI related revenue reaching 13% of Similarweb’s total in Q2 2026 and contributing to stronger visibility on future revenue and earnings."

What really matters now is how one quiet shift in how advertisers pay for that data flows through to pricing power and profitability.

That quiet shift in how budgets get priced is exactly what the full narrative for Similarweb maps out, including how Similarweb’s AI traction could accelerate or stall the whole engine.

Seeking Fresh Alternatives Before Others?

Fresh ideas move first. The most interesting breakouts, recovering stories and quiet compounders often get caught by screens before headlines. Scan what is still under the radar for now and act now.

• Spot potential turnaround stories early by running the 19 high quality undiscovered gems before they move out of value territory and into every momentum trader’s feed.
• Search for clearer income visibility by scanning the 5 dividend fortresses while yields remain elevated and prices have not yet adjusted higher.
• Explore structural themes in automation by screening the 92 robotics and automation stocks while these operators are still priced as niche industrials rather than widely traded AI proxies.

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