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Magnite (MGNI) Cuts Out DSPs With Direct-Buy Platform, ClearLine

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Magnite (MGNI - Free Report) recently announced the launch of ClearLine, a new direct-buying solution, which will give buyers direct access to Magnite’s video inventory.

The launch comes at a time where supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-side platforms (DSPs) are expanding and overstepping territories, as buyers and sellers seek more transparent and efficient pathways for programmatic ad spend.

GroupM, Camelot and MiQ have all been confirmed as launch partners with Magnite, which maintains that ClearLine lets media buyers share data with publishers more securely — a key benefit as privacy laws increasingly prohibit the traditional means of programmatic trading — to find its desired audiences.

Magnite’s CTV Business Expected to Grow

Magnite has been winning clients that are likely to serve as future drivers of its CTV business. The launch of ClearLine exemplifies how, in recent years, Magnite has pivoted toward CTV, prioritizing the fast-growing channel over mobile and desktop.

The SSP partnered with streaming company Brightcove in January and it also cultivates a long-running partnership with Disney (DIS - Free Report) . Together, these companies are expected to focus on shifting more streaming inventory into a biddable programmatic environment.

It officially merged with Telaria in 2020, then acquired video SSP SpotX in February 2021 and SpringServe in July 2021. SpringServe’s advanced ad-serving functionality, including targeting and reporting, gives publishers workflow efficiency and flexibility to showcase custom creatives within the streaming interface in various sizes and a wide variety of formats.

Last June, LG ads solution also signed a multi-year deal with Magnite. Through the deal, ACR data from opted-in LG smart TVs in the United States will be made available across Magnite’s U.S. inventory footprint and will expand to other countries starting in 2023.

Fox Corporation (FOXA - Free Report) also announced a partnership with Magnite to serve as a sell-side advertising platform connected to the OneFOX inventory.

Together, it will build custom technology solutions that further streamline the buying process and enable advertisers to create one simple and unified plan to deliver its private marketplace and programmatic guaranteed campaigns across the FOX portfolio.

The Trade Desk’s (TTD - Free Report) OpenPath direct-to-publisher product potentially cuts out SSPs, which no longer have exclusive direct connections to publishers.

So far this year, Yahoo disbanded its SSP and EMX filed for bankruptcy as creditors came knocking. Magnite laid off 6% of its workforce in January and reported slowed revenue growth in its fourth-quarter earnings in February.

Shares of Magnite have declined 12.3% year to date against the Zacks Computer and Technology Sector’s growth of 19.7%.

This Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company recently experienced some downward pressure due to global supply chain disruptions, inflationary concerns, global hostilities, recessionary concerns and other macroeconomic factors, which have generally negatively impacted ad budgets.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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