CRTO
Communication ServicesCriteo S.A. · Advertising Agencies · $870M
What is Criteo S.A.?
Criteo S.A. is a Paris-based technology company that helps brands and retailers reach shoppers across the open Internet. Operating across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, Criteo connects commerce data with advertising technology at scale.
Criteo generates revenue by providing marketing and monetization services to commerce companies and retailers. Its platform uses AI-driven algorithms to deliver personalized ads across web, mobile, and in-store environments. Retailers can also monetize their own audiences through Criteo's Retail Media solutions, earning advertising revenue from consumer brands. The company's Shopper Graph aggregates commerce transaction data to power targeting and measurement across the open Internet.
Criteo was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Paris, France.
- Criteo AI Engine — lookalike, recommendation, and predictive bidding algorithms
- Criteo Marketing Solutions — personalized ads across web, mobile, and offline
- Criteo Retail Media — retailer audience monetization on and off their own properties
- Dynamic Creative Optimization — customized ad creative assembled in real time
- Criteo Shopper Graph — commerce data layer powering targeting and measurement
Is CRTO a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates CRTO as Good overall, reflecting a mixed but not unfavorable profile for investors willing to weigh both strengths and limitations.
The Risk pillar stands out as the clearest positive — Criteo carries a Strong rating there, suggesting the business is not exposed to the kind of financial fragility that often concerns investors in smaller-cap tech names. The Valuation pillar is rated Attractive, meaning the stock does not appear priced for perfection relative to its fundamentals.
The Moat and Growth pillars both register as Weak, indicating limited competitive insulation and subdued near-term expansion signals — factors worth monitoring for anyone with a longer time horizon.
See the exact pillar breakdown and full financial metrics by signing up for a UQS Pro account. Sign up free →
Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does CRTO pay dividends?
No — Criteo S.A. does not currently pay a dividend.
Criteo does not currently pay a dividend. For a technology company operating in the competitive ad-tech space, retaining capital to invest in platform development, data infrastructure, and AI capabilities is a common strategic choice. Income-focused investors should factor this in, while growth-oriented investors may view reinvestment as a reasonable use of resources.
When does CRTO report earnings?
Criteo reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Criteo's recent results have reflected the broader pressures facing open-Internet advertising, balanced against growing contributions from its Retail Media segment. The company's risk profile has remained relatively contained, which has helped maintain investor confidence through periods of sector volatility.
For the most recent quarter's results and forward guidance, visit Criteo's official investor relations page.
CRTO Price History
-48.0% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Criteo S.A.?
Based on Criteo S.A.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
CRTO Long-term Outlook
Criteo's fundamental outlook is shaped by the tension between a contained risk profile and weaker signals on growth and competitive moat. The Retail Media segment represents a meaningful structural opportunity as retailers increasingly seek to monetize their first-party data. However, the Weak Growth pillar suggests the pace of expansion has not yet translated into a compelling near-term trajectory. The Attractive Valuation label indicates the market may already be pricing in some of these headwinds.
Growth drivers
- Retail Media adoption as brands shift budgets toward commerce-adjacent channels
- AI Engine improvements driving better advertiser performance and retention
- Expansion of the Shopper Graph through new commerce data partnerships
Key risks
- Weak competitive moat in a crowded ad-tech landscape with well-resourced rivals
- Ongoing deprecation of third-party cookies creating structural platform uncertainty
- Subdued growth signals limiting the case for multiple expansion despite Attractive valuation
CRTO vs Peers
Criteo operates in a competitive digital advertising and media space alongside companies that approach audience monetization from different angles.
Emerald focuses on business-to-business trade events and media, serving niche professional audiences rather than open-Internet programmatic advertising.
Clear Channel operates physical out-of-home advertising assets globally, making its revenue model fundamentally different from Criteo's data-driven digital approach.
MNTN specializes in connected TV advertising performance, targeting a fast-growing streaming audience segment distinct from Criteo's open-web and retail media focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Criteo do?
Criteo provides AI-powered marketing and monetization technology for commerce companies and retailers. Its platform delivers personalized ads across the open Internet — spanning web, mobile, and in-store environments — and helps retailers earn advertising revenue by monetizing their shopper data through Retail Media solutions.
Does CRTO pay dividends?
No, Criteo does not currently pay a dividend. The company reinvests capital into its technology platform, AI capabilities, and data infrastructure. Investors seeking regular income should note this before adding CRTO to a dividend-focused portfolio.
When does CRTO report earnings?
Criteo reports financial results on a quarterly basis, in line with standard practice for US-listed companies. For the exact schedule and most recent results, check Criteo's investor relations page directly, as dates can shift.
Is CRTO a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates CRTO as Good overall. The Risk pillar is Strong and Valuation is Attractive, which are positives. However, the Moat and Growth pillars are both Weak, reflecting real competitive and expansion challenges. The complete pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.
Is CRTO overvalued?
Based on the UQS Valuation pillar, CRTO is rated Attractive — meaning the stock does not appear to be priced at a premium relative to its fundamentals. This can reflect either genuine value or market skepticism about growth prospects, so context matters.
How does CRTO compare to its competitors?
Criteo competes in digital advertising and audience monetization alongside companies like Clear Channel Outdoor, Emerald Holding, and MNTN. Each takes a different approach — physical media, event-based audiences, or connected TV — while Criteo focuses on open-Internet programmatic and retail media.
What is CRTO's market cap bracket?
Criteo is classified as a small-cap company. This places it in a segment of the market that can offer valuation opportunities but also carries higher volatility and liquidity considerations compared to large- or mega-cap peers.
Who founded Criteo?
Criteo was founded in 2005 — though it was incorporated in its current form and listed publicly in 2013. Founding details, including the names of its co-founders, are widely available through public sources and Criteo's own corporate history pages.
Is CRTO a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, the UQS profile for CRTO presents a mixed picture. The Strong Risk rating and Attractive Valuation are encouraging, but the Weak Moat and Growth pillars suggest the company has not yet demonstrated durable competitive advantages or consistent expansion. Pro members can view the full analysis.
What is the main competitive advantage of Criteo?
Criteo's primary differentiator is its Shopper Graph — a large-scale commerce data asset built from transaction activity across its client base. Combined with its AI Engine, this enables more precise targeting than generic programmatic platforms. However, the UQS Moat pillar rates this advantage as Weak relative to sector peers.
What sector does CRTO belong to?
Criteo is classified under the Communication Services sector. Within that sector, it operates specifically in digital advertising technology, sitting at the intersection of data, AI, and commerce media.
Is CRTO a growth stock or value stock?
Based on UQS pillar labels, CRTO leans toward value territory — the Valuation pillar is Attractive while the Growth pillar is Weak. This profile is more consistent with a value or turnaround framing than a high-growth story at this stage.
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Pro Analysis
CRTO — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2026 | 53.2 | 46.8 | 30.0 | 32.2 | 83.8 | 100.0 | +1.7 |
| May 10, 2026 | 51.5 | 40.1 | 30.0 | 32.2 | 83.8 | 100.0 | +0.1 |
| May 8, 2026 | 51.4 | 39.6 | 30.0 | 32.2 | 83.8 | 100.0 | -1.7 |
| May 7, 2026 | 53.1 | 46.3 | 30.0 | 32.2 | 83.8 | 100.0 | -1.0 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | 54.1 | 50.3 | 30.0 | 32.2 | 83.7 | 100.0 | — |
CRTO — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 46.8/100 (25%)Criteo S.A. has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 32.2/100 (20%)Criteo S.A. faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 83.8/100 (15%)Criteo S.A. carries minimal financial risk with conservative leverage and strong solvency.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 100.0/100 (15%)Criteo S.A. appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 30/100 (25%)Criteo S.A. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CRTO.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the CRTO UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Criteo S.A. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Criteo S.A.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Criteo S.A. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.