As the Q2 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the digital media & content platforms industry, including Stride (NYSE: LRN) and its peers.
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 5 digital media & content platforms stocks we track reported a slower Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 5% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 5.8% below.
In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 2.3% on average since the latest earnings results.
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 $636.1 million, down 2.7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
“I am pleased to lead Stride as we position the Company for its next chapter of growth,” said Robert Knowling, Stride Chief Executive Officer.
Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 2.2% since reporting and currently trades at $78.67.
Best Q2: 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 $286.7 million, down 2.7% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. The business had a very strong quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 14.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $58.22.
Is now the time to buy Ziff Davis? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q2: Getty Images (NYSE: GETY)
With a vast library of over 562 million visual assets documenting everything from breaking news to iconic historical moments, Getty Images (NYSE: GETY) is a global visual content marketplace that licenses photos, videos, illustrations, and music to businesses, media outlets, and creative professionals.
Getty Images reported revenues of $229.1 million, down 2.5% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.5%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Getty Images delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. As expected, the stock is down 47.3% since the results and currently trades at $0.23.
Read our full analysis of Getty Images’s results here.
People (NASDAQ: PPLI)
Originally known as InterActiveCorp and built through Barry Diller's strategic acquisitions since the 1990s, People (NASDAQ: PPLI) operates a portfolio of category-leading digital businesses including Dotdash Meredith, Angi, and Care.com, focusing on digital publishing, home services, and caregiving platforms.
People reported revenues of $436.7 million, down 1.5% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. Aside from that, it was a softer quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is down 12.1% since reporting and currently trades at $36.98.
Read our full, actionable report on People here, it’s free.
WEBTOON (NASDAQ: WBTN)
Pioneering a vertical-scrolling format optimized for mobile devices, WEBTOON Entertainment (NASDAQ: WBTN) operates a global platform where creators publish serialized web-comics and web-novels that users can read in bite-sized episodes.
WEBTOON reported revenues of $338.5 million, down 2.8% year on year. This print came in 1.6% below analysts’ expectations. It was a slower quarter as it also produced revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly.
WEBTOON had the slowest revenue growth in the group. The stock is up 17.1% since reporting and currently trades at $11.07.
Read our full, actionable report on WEBTOON here, it’s free.
Market Update
Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.
Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.
By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.
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.
